Is a Cartier watch a wiser investment than a Rolex? Chrono24 thinks so.

The online watch marketplace has just published a new study that shows the Parisian jeweler’s timepieces have appreciated far more over the past decade than any of Crown’s references. 

Chrono24’s data analysts evaluated the price development of several thousand watch models across two time periods—the past eight years (2018 to 2026) and the past four years (2022 to 2026)—to account for the pandemic-era boom and the subsequent market correction. They identified the models whose value not only grew over the long term but also continued to increase during the past four years. 

The biggest winners are neither the most expensive nor the most renowned, with the top 20 strongest value gains including 10 Cartier references, five Omegas, and two Jaeger-LeCoultre models, but not a single Rolex. 

“This analysis dispels a widespread misconception: You don’t need a five-figure investment in a Nautilus or Royal Oak to buy a watch that appreciates over time,” Balazs Ferenczi, head of brand engagement at Chrono24, said in a statement. “Some of the best performers of the past eight years could be had in 2018 for a fraction of the cost.” 

The Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil (Ref. 1613) topped the ranking, with a price in the low three figures in 2018 that has increased 299 percent over the past eight years, according to Chrono24. The two-tone Panthère (Ref. 1057917) and yellow-gold Panthère (Ref. 1070) also doubled in value, jumping 208 and 218 percent, respectively. As for Omega, the Speedmaster (Ref. 3310.10) gained 119 percent, and the Seamaster Aqua Terra (Ref. 2517.30) rose by 83 percent, the findings show. 

“What these models have in common is not their price but their substance: iconic design that endures for decades and demand that is not dependent on waiting lists but on genuine collector value,” Ferenczi adds.

By contrast, the Rolex Datejust 41 (Ref. 126334), which is one of the best-selling Rollies on Chrono24, has increased in value by a more modest 59 percent since 2018. That can be attributed to the fact that Rolex models were already highly valued in 2018 and were also in extremely high demand during the pandemic. After the boom, prices stabilized at that high point or decreased only slightly, hence the lack of triple-digit returns.

Rolex is not alone, of course. The prices of many highly coveted models peaked during 2020 and 2022, driven not only by collectors but also by flippers looking to make a buck by selling those rarities purchased at retail for far more on the secondary market. The Patek Philippe Nautilus (Ref. 5712/1A), for example, has decreased in value by about 45 percent since 2022, but still trades at nearly three times its 2018 level. 

Maybe it’s time to add a few more Cartiers to your collection?