CollectorSphere Unveils its Report on Watchmaking

Based on collectors' opinions and their perception of brands, the IntelligenceReport published by CollectorSphere highlights their testimonials, according to eight archetypes: The Industry insiders, The engineer, The archivist, The Indie patron, The luxury enthusiast, and The tought leaders. The same logic applies to watch brands, which are also divided into eight distinct groups.

Unsurprisingly, the three historic giants, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin, form the “Holy Trinity” and dominate the ranking of brands that had the most impact in 2025 (27.4%). Patek Philippe remains the most cited brand (43%), yet it is far from being the most innovative, with only one new collection in 25 years, the Cubitus, which has not been unanimously welcomed by collectors and journalists. “Patek Philippe has embraced a masstige market strategy with its new product line, the Cubitus, aimed at attracting a broader, more mainstream customer base. While this range may initially lie outside the core interests of traditional collectors, early signs of adoption within the collecting community are emerging,” said one collector in the report.

Vacheron Constantin has won over collectors with the high-profile launch of its iconic 222 in steel, a highlight of the year, while Audemars Piguet has made its mark with the presentation of a new perpetual calendar movement, unveiled last February.

Just behind the trio are Rolex and Cartier. Rolex occupies a category all its own, while Cartier largely dominates the “Brand Icons” category (comprising Breguet, Breitling, IWC, JLC, Longines, Omega, Panerai, Piaget, Seiko, TAG Heuer, and Zenith), accounting for 75% of mentions in this group. In total, 18.2% of collectors consider Rolex and Cartier to be the true leaders of the industry in 2025.

“Cartier and Rolex as brands transcend the watch sphere -- they’re known and coveted by more than watch enthusiasts and collectors as they’re part of both the luxury sphere and pop culture,” one respondent noted.

Rather discreet in recent years, “Iconic Brands” are considered the most likely to return to the forefront in 2025 (39.5%), notably Breguet, which is particularly eagerly awaited as it celebrates its 250th anniversary. "2025 is Breguet’s 250th anniversary. As the brand hasn’t been the loudest or most visible over the past years, let’s see how this celebration (and their new management) helps their modern offering generate the same excitement as their Daniel Roth era among collectors.” said one collector.

Enthusiasts (26.3%) follow closely behind, particularly Girard-Perregaux and Universal Genève, two historic houses that have recently undergone changes in management. Finally, 10% of collectors see a likely comeback for independent brands based on craftsmanship, innovation, and limited production, such as Berneron, Ferdinand Berthoud, and MB&F.

Another interesting observation made by collectors is that smartwatches now play a similar role to that once played by quartz watches, introducing a new generation to wristwatches. They are creating new habits. They also mention that changes in watch aesthetics (such as new materials and colors) are the trend that could most shape the industry in 2025. Among these are precious metals and the color purple. Today, finish seems to take precedence over functionality.

Finally, almost all collectors agree that the unsustainable rise in prices is not about to stop, without knowing whether these prices are justified. They fear an erosion of value. Only Cartier, Grand Seiko, and Omega were cited among the brands practicing justified prices, along with Rolex, despite its pricing practices being considered aggressive.

Collectors are more attracted to craftsmanship (57.6%), exclusivity, creativity, and innovation than to complications, aesthetics, or the materials used. “For me watch collecting is not only about watches, it’s the relations with the brands and the wonderful people behind them. I buy with my heart.”, commented another collector. They ranked the top five most beautiful launches of 2025 as the Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds by Jaeger-LeCoultre; the Toric Perpetual Calendar by Parmigiani Fleurier; the Tank à Guichets by Cartier; the Calatrava 6196P-001 by Patek Philippe; and the FB3 3SPC by Ferdinand Berthoud.