Are Patek Philippe watches a good investment?

A luxury watch is one of the most expensive purchases you’ll make in life, other than your home and car, so you’ll want to make sure it’s a sound one.

Regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious watchmakers, Patek Philippe offers style and craftsmanship that goes unrivalled – and with that comes a high price.

If you’re considering spending your hard-earned cash on a new or pre-worn luxury watch, you’ll want to know if Patek Philippe watches are a good investment.

We tell you exactly why we believe they’re worth their weight in gold.

Innovative design

Each Patek Philippe watch is carefully created and assembled by hand using the finest materials available – a process that can take a year to complete, and even longer for complicated timepieces.

While the brand has existed 180 years, surprisingly, only one million watches have been produced in that time, showing the true intricacy of its designs. This unrivalled quality extends from the smallest cog in the watch mechanism to the Patek’s stylish leather straps.

Patek is behind the split-seconds chronograph, the minute repeater, and the perpetual calendar and the Calibre 89 (composed of over 1700 parts) offering ground-breaking advancements that you simply don’t see elsewhere. 

Quality and style

With unparalleled dial design, superb engineering and exemplary finishing details, these watches are aesthetically beautiful. 

Patek is proud to boast its own in-house movements which are created in Geneva, with every single watch made to exceptional standards..

The Swiss brand ensures rigorous testing of components and time-keeping ability accuracy of the watch, while setting of diamonds and enamel painting is carried out meticulously by hand.

So you can rest assured that Pateks are worth every penny, with proof of the pudding in some major celebrity fans including Ellen DeGeneres, Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran and Kevin Hart.

Value

For the sheer craftsmanship that goes into each one, it’s easy to understand why Patek Philippe watches make incredible investments as their value is more than likely to creep up over time. 

Many vintage styles have gone under the hammer for astonishing prices. Only last winter, a steel Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A-010 sold for £24.2 million, making it the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned. 

The previous record was set two years earlier for a Rolex Daytona owned by Paul Newman, which sold for £23.4 million.

Consider why you buy

If you intend to wear your Patek every day, then we’d advise you to stay away from vintage timepieces. They are built to last but are intricately built and are more suited to a family heirloom.

For a dress watch, a Patek classic is a great investment as an asset that will accumulate quickly.

For a contemporary watch you’ll love, we highly recommend the Nautilus, first created in 1976 and designed by watch-designing guru Gérald Genta. An iconic luxury sports watch, it’s found on many an A-list wrist across the globe.

Buy or sell your Patek Philippe

Here at Luxe Watches, we can buy your existing Patek watch for a competitive price.

If you’re considering buying a Patek as an investment, we have a great range of pre-worn and new watches available both online and at our Essex boutique.