Rolex Is Still the World’s Most Dominant Watch Brand, According to Data
When you write and talk about watches for a living, you tend to get a sense of Rolex’s magnitude—and yet, this list still blew me away. Besides the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, one of the most iconic models in the world, no other brand even cracked the top 10. What also stood out to me was that the most well-represented watch is the GMT-Master II. People want it on Oyster and Jubilee bracelets, they want it in blue and black, red and black, and with the new monochromatic bezel. Out of every single listing on Bezel’s website, 4 out of the 10 most-wanted pieces are GMTs! The GMT has always been near the top of my favorite Rolex families, but I would have guessed the Daytona would show up more on this particular list.
Bezel’s most-wanted series list, meanwhile, allows other brands a better chance to chart:
- Rolex Datejust
- Omega Speedmaster
- Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
- Rolex GMT-Master II
- Rolex Daytona
- Rolex Submariner
- Tudor Black Bay
- Rolex Day-Date
- Cartier Santos de Cartier
- Omega Seamaster Diver 300M
You can always count on the Datejust to come out on top. As the main entry point into the Crown for many aspiring collectors, it remains Rolex’s best-selling model. The rest of the list looks like the industry’s greatest hits save for the ninth spot. I’m not surprised to see Cartier here, but I would have guessed that the Tank, rather than the Santos, would’ve made the cut.
Other key findings from Bezel’s report:
Brands on the rise
Although they aren’t taking up huge pieces of the pie, several brands are tending their own corner of the industry well. Grand Seiko, Tudor, and Breitling are all on the up and up, according to Bezel. The common denominator with these brands is that they offer serious value in the luxury watch space—especially Tudor and Grand Seiko. The latter continues to produce some of the most beautiful and unique dials in the industry, with some of its best pieces priced new in the neighborhood of $6,000 (or for a good deal less on the secondhand market).
Making the dream watch
I appreciate that Bezel got into the nitty-gritty with regard to collectors’ design preferences—even if none of the results are all that jaw-dropping. The best-selling dial color? Black, followed by blue. The runaway leader in case material? Stainless steel, which represented 69% (don’t do it!) of Bezel’s sales. Two-tone watches were next at a measly 11%.
