Prices for Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet watches appreciated by an average of 20% a year since mid-2018, outpacing the S&P 500 Index, per Bloomberg.

The S&P 500 stock index averaged annual returns of 8% from August 2018 to January 2023 while a basket of pre-owned watch models from top Swiss brands grew at more than twice the pace, the report from Boston Consulting Group.

Over a longer period, stocks outperformed watches as an investment asset. The S&P 500 had a compound annual growth rate of 12% between 2012 and 2022, while Rolex, Patek and AP watches averaged 7%.

The secondary luxury watch market grew to $24 billion in 2022 compared to the primary retail market which was worth $55 billion. The pre-owned market is expected to grow by 9% a year to $35 billion by 2026 as prices rise and more people begin collecting watches, according to a BCG forecast.

Read Bloomberg's reporting: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/rolex-patek-investment-beats-s-p-gains-over-five-years-1.1893059