The new year has arrived, and with it, higher price tags from the watch world’s leading brands.
Averaging a 7 percent jump in the US and 5 percent in the UK, heavyweights Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Tudor have ushered in price increases, according to WatchPro.
In an era marked by shifting economic landscapes, these price adjustments reflect the ripple effects of a variety of factors: the recently imposed 15 percent tariff on Swiss watch imports to the US, a weaker US dollar, skyrocketing gold prices which reached a record high in December 2025, and persistent global inflation.
Among the most notable brand price shifts was Rolex, which led with an average 7 percent increase on US models and 5.2 percent on UK counterparts. The brand has a history of fine-tuning its pricing, with mid-year increases often triggered by fluctuations in material costs or currency exchange rates. The iconic white-gold Cosmograph Daytona, for example, saw its retail price escalate from $49,000 (excluding tax) in January 2025 to $56,400 in 2026, marking one of the most significant price shifts in the brand’s lineup. Similarly, the Submariner Date saw an increase from $46,600 to $52,100.
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Audemars Piguet, following a similar path, raised its prices by an average of 7.5 percent in the US and 2.5 percent in the UK, with Royal Oak models bearing the brunt of the hikes. While some models such as the CODE 11.59 experienced more modest rises in the US (and no change at all in the UK), the steel Royal Oak Chronograph saw its price soar from $40,500 (excluding tax) in 2025 to $44,400 in 2026, a 9.6 percent increase which underscores the demand-driven nature of AP’s pricing strategy.
Meanwhile, Tudor, a brand known for offering exceptional value, raised its prices by an average of 5.6 percent in the US and 5.8 percent in the UK. While still significant, the increases were somewhat more restrained compared to their Swiss counterparts. The gold-on-gold Black Bay 58 witnessed the sharpest rise within Tudor’s collection, with its price climbing from $36,500 (excluding tax) in 2025 to $39,400 in 2026, according to WatchPro data.
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There is scant logic in the increases when viewed through the usual lenses of material or mechanical complexity. Gold and steel have risen in tandem; simple time-only pieces have not been spared over more elaborate chronographs. The clearest through-line is demand.
For those who follow the movements of luxury timepieces, the adjustments from Rolex, AP, and Tudor may come as no surprise. However, other famed maisons – the likes of Patek Philippe, Omega, Cartier, and Vacheron Constantin – have thus far remained cautious, leaving enthusiasts to wonder when (or if) they will follow suit.
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Time will tell, but for now, collectors are advised to act swiftly if they’ve been eyeing up a timepiece, before further price escalations arrive.
