The Mega Watch Year 2026: Will Prices Reach New Heights?

The year 2026 stands out in the world of luxury watches as an extraordinary milestone. Several iconic collections and traditional brands are celebrating significant anniversaries that have left a lasting mark on the history of watchmaking.

Foremost among them is the Rolex Oyster celebrating its 100th anniversary, as well as Tudor, which has long emancipated itself from its former role as a Rolex subsidiary and developed an independent identity. The traditional brand Gallet looks back on a proud 200 years. This anniversary year is complemented by the 50th birthdays of legendary models such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the TAG Heuer Monza. A special position is held by the Rolex Day Date and the Rolex Milgauss, which, with their 70th anniversary, fall somewhat outside the usual timeframe but are no less iconic.

What direction will prices take in 2026?

The significantly increased prices for gold and silver also have consequences for the luxury watch market. In particular, gold models as well as bicolor variants from Rolex and other renowned brands such as Tudor, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, or Hublot have recently experienced noticeable, albeit moderate, price increases. With the start of the new year, the upward trend in gold and silver continues, so additional price adjustments for corresponding watches can certainly be expected in the coming months.

100 years of Rolex Oyster: The first waterproof wristwatch

Photo: The first Rolex Oyster - © Rolex/Jean-Daniel Meyer

The year 1926 is considered a real turning point in the history of watchmaking. With the introduction of the Rolex Oyster, the manufacturer presented the first waterproof wristwatch and thus set new standards for reliability and everyday usability. The name Oyster was deliberately chosen because, like an oyster, the case effectively protected its interior at the sensitive point where a gap could form during assembly, preventing the ingress of water and dust.

Doubts about its practical suitability were impressively dispelled when the American Gertrude Ederle swam across the English Channel in 1926 wearing a Rolex Oyster on her wrist. The watch proved itself under extreme conditions and laid the foundation for all subsequent generations of waterproof wristwatches. This groundbreaking model celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

100 years of Tudor: From supposed subsidiary to established brand

The history of Tudor is inseparably linked to Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex. As early as 1926, he arranged for the watch factory Veuve de Philippe Hüther to officially register the Tudor brand before securing the exclusive usage rights himself. The early timepieces bore the distinctive Tudor lettering at the top of the dial, while selected collector’s pieces also displayed the Rolex name. This made the renowned parent brand visibly stand as a guarantee of quality and reliability.

What was originally intended as an independent line with more affordable models to reach new target groups has developed over the decades into a firmly established player in the luxury watch segment. In the past 100 years, Tudor has undergone a remarkable development, shaped a clearly recognizable design language, and today counts among the most popular and sought-after brands among watch enthusiasts.

200 years of Gallet: The path back into the spotlight

As early as 1826, Julien Gallet founded the watch brand Gallet in La Chaux de Fonds, laying the foundation for one of the most traditional companies in the industry. The brand gained international recognition in 1903 when a Gallet stopwatch was used to time the first motorized flight of the Wright brothers. This technical pioneering spirit later culminated in models such as the Gallet Flying Officer, a chronograph that allowed reading multiple time zones and was especially popular among pilots.

However, the quartz crisis of the 1970s and 1980s hit Gallet hard and nearly caused the once-renowned brand to be forgotten. With the takeover by Breitling in 2025, there is now hope for a return to the spotlight of the international watch world and a revival of the historical heritage.

70 years of Rolex Day Date: Icon with day and date

Photo: The first Day-Date - © Rolex/Jean-Daniel Meyer

In 1956, the Swiss watch manufacturer once again set a clear sign of innovation. With the introduction of day and date, Rolex presented a luxury watch in which both the date and the fully spelled-out day of the week were displayed in separate windows on the dial. This groundbreaking display on the Day-Date was unique until then and emphasized the brand’s claim to combine technical functionality with the highest elegance. Additionally, this exceptional model is available exclusively in 18-carat gold or platinum, clearly standing out within the portfolio.

But that’s not all, as Rolex gave the watch another distinctive feature with the specially developed President bracelet. It combines the three-row appearance of the classic Oyster bracelet with semi-circular links, similar to those known from the Jubilee bracelet of the Rolex Datejust. For seventy years now, the Rolex Day Date has been a fixed part of the collection and remains very popular, especially among personalities from politics, business, and culture.

70 years of Rolex Milgauss: The invention of the magnetic shield

Photo: The first Rolex Milgauss - © Rolex/Jean-Daniel Meyer

Also in 1956, Rolex introduced the Milgauss, another extraordinary model. Thanks to an integrated magnetic shield, the watch was largely insensitive to strong magnetic fields and was specifically aimed at scientists, engineers, and researchers. The name itself underlines the special claim of this timepiece, as it is composed of the French word mille for thousand and the unit gauss for measuring magnetic flux density.

Since the Milgauss has now been discontinued from the current lineup, it is increasingly coming into the focus of collectors. Against this background, the price development of this iconic Rolex is likely to be particularly exciting to watch in the coming months and years.