Rolex Certified Pre-Owned sales grow despite lagging secondary market prices

The luxury watch secondary market showed growth in the third quarter of 2026, with prices across 35 tracked brands rising 1.2% quarter over quarter. Despite this general upward trend, Rolex saw slower momentum compared to its primary rivals, gaining only 0.5% in secondary market prices, while Patek Philippe rose 2.6% and Audemars Piguet increased by 1.2%.

In contrast to the slower growth in secondary market prices, the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned program experienced significant expansion. Estimates from Morgan Stanley and WatchCharts suggest the program generated approximately $229 million in sales during the third quarter, marking a 61% increase year over year and a 30% increase from the previous quarter. The program is projected to potentially exceed $1 billion in sales and 50,000 watches by 2027.

The certified pre-owned network currently includes 167 retailers. While the rate of new retailers joining the network has slowed compared to previous years, sales volume and inventory have increased. As of late September, the program had approximately 12,390 watches listed for sale, a 31% increase over the previous year.