Rolex in the crosshairs: Half of all stolen watches in 2025 were iconic models

The global luxury watch market faced an unprecedented challenge in 2025: the total value of lost and stolen timepieces reached a record £1.7 billion.

According to Watch Register, the worldwide database recorded 10,000 missing or stolen watches — an average of one lost every 60 minutes. The platform now lists a total of 114,000 watches.

The database allows buyers in the secondary market to check unique serial numbers to ensure a watch hasn’t been stolen. In 2025, the number of online checks rose 29% compared to the previous year, surpassing 280,000 checks globally.

The number of companies using Watch Register to verify watches during transactions also increased 42% from 2024, highlighting growing adoption of digital tools to combat theft.

"The rise in checks and successful identifications shows how effective global data collaboration is in curbing the stolen watch market," said Katya Hills, Managing Director of Watch Register.

Rolex remains the prime target: the brand accounted for 44% of all checks and 51% of watches registered as lost or stolen in 2025.

Successful recoveries also increased. Last year, 1,375 watches were identified and returned — a 21% rise from 2024, when 1,136 watches were recovered.

Experts note that these figures underscore both the scale of the problem and the effectiveness of digital tools in protecting buyers and dealers in the luxury watch market.