2025: Taking stock of the first half of the year in Collectibles

The secondary market for watches has seen volatility but also some strong results

- NITIN NAIR

Now that the dust has settled on the Spring Summer 2025 auction season, it's time to take stock. It was a year that yet again saw geopolitical factors cause volatility in the secondary market. However, the good news is that the market for vintage and modern collectible watches continues to be robust even though prices for contemporary 'commodity' watches have softened considerably. Let's take a closer look:

The T Word
Beginning March, the US administration under President Donald Trump announced a series of tariffs on goods imported into the US. Currently, Swiss watch imports to the US face a 10 per cent tariff, with a potential increase to 31 per cent if a new trade agreement isn't reached by July 9, 2025.