The 5 best watches to invest in right now

Buying the best watch at the right time can return a healthy profit on your investment. But here at T3 we are not in the business of offering financial advice. Instead, we’ve rounded up a small selection of timepieces that, in our opinion, have a habit for holding their value better than others.

These are mostly expensive watches, granted, but they are the sort of watch that tends not to depreciate too heavily.

Some are obvious suggestions, like the Rolex Submariner, but we also suggest readers look at vintage timepieces too. In some cases you can snap up a bargain if you’re willing to forgo things like the original box and paperwork in return for a lower price.

Check out the selection below:

5 best watches to invest in

1. Rolex Submariner

You can’t go wrong with a Rolex, and especially so when it comes to the Submariner. The definitive diving watch, the Submariner is a watch that is hugely capable, yet can be worn with absolutely anything, from a t-shirt to suit. They also hold their value remarkably well, so one bought now will likely be worth a similar amount in the years to come, should you ever need to part ways. The tricky bit is buying one in the first place, as it often isn’t possible to simply walk into a Rolex boutique and hand over your credit card.

That said, there are plenty available on the used market, and as long as you buy well – good condition with original box and papers – your investment will look after you.

An even more bomb-proof Rolex investment is the Daytona, which is far more difficult to buy new and commands even greater values on the used market. Second-hand prices often increase rapidly right after Rolex discontinues a certain model; for example, a model of Daytona made to celebrate 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans entered the market at about £40,000, but was discontinued just a year later and is now worth over £175,000.

• Invest in a Rolex Submariner

2. Patek Philippe Nautilus

It’s a similar story with Patek Philippe. The Swiss legend’s watches are tricky to buy new unless you already have an established relationship with your local authorised dealer. Prices are even higher than with Rolex – you’re looking at a starting point of £20,000, while the popular Nautilus is around £60,000 and at the top end you can spend over a million.

But, just like Rolex, once you've acquired a Patek it’s unlikely to suffer from much depreciation. In fact, a glance at the used market shows they can appreciate considerably, due to demand often far outstripping supply. For example, the famous Nautilus with Tiffany Blue dial had a retail price of about £40,000, but currently trades hands on the used market for well over £1 million.

3. Tudor Black Bay

This isn’t necessarily a watch that will earn you a strong return. But it’s a good example of how watchmakers tend to increase their prices in the years after a new model is released. The navy version of the Tudor Black Bay 58 arrived in 2020 with a price of £2,760 for the version with a stainless steel bracelet. Today, four years later, the same watch is £3,450. That’s an increase of £690, and proof that sometimes it’s best to buy a new watch at launch if you want to pay the lowest price.

While we’re talking Tudor, new Black Bay models tend to have limited availability at launch. The recent pink and blue versions of the Black Bay Chrono are currently hard to buy new and are commanding a premium on the used market.

4. Omega Speedmaster

Here’s another example of how buying early can help protect your investment. Rather than earning you a huge profit on the used market – that’s not what this article is about – instead recent new models like the Speedmaster Moonwatch with white dial have sold out quickly and, months later, are still difficult to buy new.

Used prices aren’t surging, and you can pick up a white dial Speedy for about the same as the £7,600 retail price. But if you got one early you could plausibly wear it for a year then move it along without losing much money at all.

Omega’s various James Bond editions of Seamaster Diver 300M tend to follow a similar trajectory – for example, the 60th anniversary watch, while not strictly a limited edition, is still hard to buy new some two years after it was revealed. Used prices have now fallen below retail, but for early buyers the first 12 months of ownership is likely to have cost them very little.

• Invest in an Omega Speedmaster

5. Go vintage

Finally, you should consider picking up a vintage timepiece. We’re not talking about multi-million-pound ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytonas, of course, but you’d be surprised what you can find for well under £1,000. A quick search on eBay reveals lots of vintage Omega watches from the 1960s and 1970s for not much money at all.

They’re not in perfect condition, of course. But watches from this era age beautifully, developing a lovely patina that tells the story of their lives. It’s a similar case with brands like Longines, where a budget of under £500 can buy you a half-century old timepiece with more character than anything sold on the highstreet.

You’re unlikely to move these on for a big profit, but this is about investing your money in something you’ll love, not selling assets for huge gains. Ultimately, earning money from the buying and selling of a watch should be a byproduct, not your reason for investing in the first place.

Liked this? Check out T3's guide to the best watches for men or the best watches under £1000 if you're on a budget.