The watch and jewelry brands dominating the 2025 resale market — and holding their value
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Rebag sold popular Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier secondhand bracelets in 2025. Moritz Scholz/Getty Images 2025-12-14T10:02:01.248Z Share Facebook Email X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky WhatsApp Copy link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Impact Link Save Saved Read in app Add us on This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. Three luxury jewelry and watch brands saw the most growth in the resale market in 2025, according to Rebag. Tariffs and rising retail prices boosted demand for secondhand jewelry and watches, Rebag said. Bracelets and watches were among the most popular items among pre-owned shoppers overall this year. The resale market is heating up, and certain jewelry and watch brands are outperforming the rest, according to new data from US-based luxury resale company Rebag. Tariffs are driving up retail prices and prompting more shoppers to turn to the secondhand market. At the same time, more consumers are looking at jewelry and watches as investments, pushing 2025 to be one of the most dynamic years yet for luxury resale, Rebag said.The resale market is expected to reach as much as $360 billion by 2030, according to an October report from Boston Consulting Group and pre-owned fashion marketplace Vestiaire Collective. "Rising primary market prices pushed more consumers to the secondary market, reaffirming its stability as a trusted and lucrative channel for collectors," Charles Gorra, CEO and founder of Rebag, said in a press release.These are the jewelry and watch brands that saw the most significant value increase and experienced the fastest growth in 2025, according to Rebag's annual resale report. Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels introduced the Sweet Alhambra line in 2007. Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels leads among jewelry and watch brands in resale value for 2025, with styles holding 112% of their value on average, up 9% from 2024. The growth was led by the Sweet Alhambra collection, which features necklaces, bracelets, and more with unique motifs.That means styles can resell for more than their original retail price.
The Sweet Alhambra bracelet retained 117% of its value in 2025. The 18-karat gold, mother-of-pearl bracelet with a single motif, retails for $1,540 before taxes as of December. The same style — tagged as an investment piece — is going for $2,020 on Rebag.Rolex The "Hulk" Submariner was discontinued by Rolex in 2020. SwissWatchExpo Rolex maintained its "unicorn" status — reserved for brands with over 90% value retention — with a 104% value retention rate. That's a 4% jump from 2024. Demand for secondhand watches is on the rise as Swiss watchmakers respond to the previous 39% tariff imposed on Switzerland. In November, the country reached a deal with the US that brought the staggering rate down to 15%.One model, the Oyster Perpetual Submariner Hulk Date, was particularly valuable on Rebag in 2025, with an average resale value retention of 244%. A "good" condition Hulk Submariner sold for $19,415 on Rebag. Rolex discontinued the style in 2020, fueling demand for the piece. Cartier Cartier watches are popular among Gen Z. Cartier Cartier is a brand that's gaining popularity among Gen Z secondhand shoppers. It's been spotted on famous wrists like Taylor Swift's in her engagement photos. Its bracelets, like those from the "Love" collection, are also particularly popular.The French brand, which makes its watches in Switzerland, grew 4% to an average value retention of 87% in 2025, driven by its bracelet and watch offerings. The Santos de Cartier saw its value retention reach 92% with an "excellent" condition iteration of the model selling for $8,840 on Rebag and carrying a retail price tag of $8,650 for the same style.