Data Reveals The Most Popular Luxury Watch Brands Around The World
Everyone has heard of Rolex, Omega, and Seiko, but which watch brand is the most popular? We dug into the data to find out which luxury watch brand is most popular in each country across the world. By examining which brands people search for in different countries and regions, an interesting pattern emerges – let’s break down the data.
The Most Popular Watch Brand Worldwide
It is not a surprise that Rolex proved to be the most popular brand worldwide. With extremely high brand recognition, Rolex is a brand that is ubiquitous with luxury.
However, it is interesting to see that Omega is more popular than Rolex in many countries. Omega dominates Eastern and Northern Europe as the most popular brand. Omega is also the most popular luxury watch brand in the continent of South America, as well as Canada and Russia.
While Patek Philippe is regarded by many as the most exquisite of all watch brands, it only ranks as the third most popular worldwide, and is the number one brand in 18 countries, including Niger, Mali and Monaco.
Other key brands represented in the data include Hamilton (most popular in France and Germany), Cartier (most popular in Kuwait and Singapore), and Seiko (most popular in Australia and Japan).
When looking at the global search volume we also find that Rolex has double the amount of searches of its closest competitors Omega, Cartier, Rado and Seiko. This shows clearly how dominant the Rolex brand is.
We also notice that being the number one ranked watch in several countries does not necessarily mean that the brand is the most popular elsewhere in the world. A great example is Patek Philippe which ranks number one in 18 countries, but is out searched by Seiko which only ranks in three.
What makes Rolex so Popular?
When we break down the data by percentage, we find that Rolex is the top choice in almost half of the world’s countries. Omega is the second most popular brand, but is still three times less popular than Rolex.
Rolex Target Their Clients Very Carefully
Rolex customers can be classified into two major categories; the watch aficionados who appreciate the workmanship that goes into watches, and the people who do not know anything about watches, but know that Rolex is an elite brand. By targeting these two audiences, Rolex segments itself as a very high-quality product that is not only appreciated by those who consider themselves watch connoisseurs, but also by those that simply want to look the part and showcase their wealth.
Rolex also have a limited supply of watches available to the public, although they produce more watches than any of their competitors. The reason the supply is limited is because they are very selective with who they sell their products to. This keeps the brand luxurious,resulting in very high demand.
Rolex Mastered The Art of Watch Marketing
The Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf was not just obsessed with making the world’s greatest watch, he was also focused on creating the world’s greatest watch brand. Wilsdorf made a lot of forward-thinking decisions that differentiated Rolex from its competition. For example, he ensured that the Rolex name was printed on the dial – which was not entirely common during times when watch buyer loyalty was to the watch dealer, rather than the watch manufacturer. In fact, Rolex famously chose their name because it was short enough to fit on the face of watches.
Rolex have also continued to embody the luxury represented by their logo with their continued strong brand presence in prestigious sports. Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the English Channel, was given a Rolex Oyster to wear during the swim by the brand. Rolex continues to sponsor sports icons such as Tennis superstar Roger Federer.
The Watch Quality Lives Up To The Expectations
The main driver behind Rolex’s success is of course its high-quality products. These timepieces have a robust and sturdy yet elegant design and have cemented themselves as industry leaders over the years.
Rolex also rarely make watches with crazy designs in order to keep each watch timeless. You can wear a 20 year old Rolex and not feel like you are wearing an out of date watch. The design matches their durability, making for an easy choice for anyone looking to buy a luxurious watch.
Rolex Have Exceptional Customer Care
Rolex want their customers to feel special before and after buying a watch. This is why their customer service is geared towards giving their customers the most seamless experience possible. They also offer a five year warranty on their watches which helps keep their customer’s minds at ease in case they find a rare fault in their watch.
A Rolex Is Also An Investment
We did some research on the best investment options in the past five years and luxury watches came second to only cryptocurrency. Rolex have been known to retain their value really well on the second-hand market. In recent times we also see that Rolex are actually growing in value,meaning that people buying a Rolex today are not just buying a fancy timepiece, but an investment piece that could make the owner more money over time.
Most Popular Watch In Each Country
| List of countries | Watch | Average Monthly Searches |
| Afghanistan | Rolex | 390 |
| Albania | Hublot | 320 |
| Algeria | Rolex | 260 |
| Andorra | Hamilton | 20 |
| Angola | Rolex | 20 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Rolex | 20 |
| Argentina | Omega | 320 |
| Armenia | Rolex | 170 |
| Australia | Seiko | 22,200 |
| Austria | Omega | 1000 |
| Azerbaijan | Rolex | 170 |
| Bahamas | Breitling | 170 |
| Bahrain | Rolex | 480 |
| Bangladesh | Rolex | 4400 |
| Barbados | Breitling | 90 |
| Belarus | Omega | 70 |
| Belgium | Omega | 1900 |
| Belize | Rolex | 30 |
| Benin | Rolex | 10 |
| Bhutan | Rolex | 50 |
| Bolivia | Omega | 50 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Omega | 260 |
| Botswana | Rolex | 50 |
| Brazil | Omega | 1900 |
| Brunei | Omega | 90 |
| Bulgaria | Omega | 590 |
| Burkina Faso | Rolex | 10 |
| Burundi | Rolex | 20 |
| Cabo Verde | Rolex | 10 |
| Cambodia | Rolex | 480 |
| Cameroon | Rolex | 90 |
| Canada | Omega | 18,100 |
| Central African Republic | Rolex | 10 |
| Chad | Rolex | 10 |
| Chile | Omega | 390 |
| China | Rolex | 260 |
| Colombia | Omega | 480 |
| Comoros | Rolex | 10 |
| Costa Rica | Omega | 140 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Rolex | 20 |
| Croatia | Omega | 880 |
| Cuba | No Data | |
| Cyprus | Omega | 390 |
| Czechia (Czech Republic) | Omega | 1000 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Rolex | 50 |
| Denmark | Omega | 1300 |
| Djibouti | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Dominica | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Dominican Republic | Omega | 210 |
| Ecuador | Omega | 110 |
| Egypt | Rolex | 1900 |
| El Salvador | Omega | 50 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Eritrea | Rolex | 10 |
| Estonia | Omega | 210 |
| Eswatini (fmr. “Swaziland”) | Patek Philippe | 30 |
| Ethiopia | Rolex | 880 |
| Fiji | Rolex | 30 |
| Finland | Omega | 880 |
| France | Hamilton | 3600 |
| Gabon | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Gambia | Rolex | 50 |
| Georgia | Rolex | 390 |
| Germany | Omega | 8100 |
| Ghana | Rolex | 1000 |
| Greece | Omega | 2900 |
| Grenada | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Guatemala | Omega | 110 |
| Guinea | Rolex | 20 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Guyana | Rolex | 50 |
| Haiti | Rolex | 40 |
| Holy See | No Data | |
| Honduras | Omega | 70 |
| Hungary | Omega | 2400 |
| Iceland | Omega | 70 |
| India | Rolex | 301,000 |
| Indonesia | Omega | 2900 |
| Iran | No Data | |
| Iraq | Rolex | 880 |
| Ireland | Rolex | 2900 |
| Israel | Rado | 1900 |
| Italy | Omega | 5400 |
| Jamaica | Cartier | 260 |
| Japan | Seiko | 2400 |
| Jordan | Rolex | 590 |
| Kazakhstan | Cartier | 170 |
| Kenya | Rolex | 1000 |
| Kiribati | Rolex | 10 |
| Kuwait | Cartier | 1300 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Rolex | 30 |
| Laos | Gucci | 40 |
| Latvia | Tissot | 170 |
| Lebanon | Rolex | 590 |
| Lesotho | Rolex | 20 |
| Liberia | Rolex | 30 |
| Libya | Rado | 140 |
| Liechtenstein | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Lithuania | Omega | 260 |
| Luxembourg | Omega | 260 |
| Madagascar | Audemars Piguet | 10 |
| Malawi | Rolex | 20 |
| Malaysia | Rolex | 8100 |
| Maldives | Rolex | 140 |
| Mali | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Malta | Omega | 170 |
| Marshall Islands | Rolex | 10 |
| Mauritania | Hublot | 30 |
| Mauritius | Rolex | 210 |
| Mexico | Omega | 1900 |
| Micronesia | Rolex | 10 |
| Moldova | Omega | 70 |
| Monaco | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Mongolia | Rolex | 90 |
| Montenegro | Omega | 110 |
| Morocco | Rolex | 390 |
| Mozambique | Rolex | 40 |
| Myanmar (formerly Burma) | Rolex | 320 |
| Namibia | Rolex | 90 |
| Nauru | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Nepal | Rolex | 1000 |
| Netherlands | Omega | 4400 |
| New Zealand | Rolex | 1300 |
| Nicaragua | Omega | 30 |
| Niger | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Nigeria | Cartier | 2400 |
| North Korea | Audemars Piguet | 20 |
| North Macedonia | Breitling | 210 |
| Norway | Omega | 1600 |
| Oman | Rado | 480 |
| Pakistan | Rado | 12,100 |
| Palau | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Palestine State | No Data | |
| Panama | Omega | 90 |
| Papua New Guinea | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Paraguay | Hamilton | 30 |
| Peru | Omega | 170 |
| Philippines | Seiko | 12,100 |
| Poland | Omega | 2900 |
| Portugal | Hamilton | 1000 |
| Qatar | Rolex | 720 |
| Republic of the Congo | Rolex | 50 |
| Romania | Omega | 1600 |
| Russia | Omega | 1600 |
| Rwanda | Rolex | 90 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Hublot | 20 |
| Saint Lucia | Rolex | 20 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Samoa | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| San Marino | Rolex | 10 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Rolex | 10 |
| Saudi Arabia | Rado | 6600 |
| Senegal | Rolex | 20 |
| Serbia | Omega | 720 |
| Seychelles | Rolex | 20 |
| Sierra Leone | Rolex | 70 |
| Singapore | Cartier | 6600 |
| Slovakia | Omega | 720 |
| Slovenia | Omega | 390 |
| Solomon Islands | Rolex | 10 |
| Somalia | Rolex | 260 |
| South Africa | Rolex | 6600 |
| South Korea | Cartier | 720 |
| Spain | Hamilton | 2900 |
| Sri Lanka | Rolex | 1900 |
| Sudan | Rolex | 70 |
| Suriname | Rolex | 40 |
| Sweden | Omega | 2400 |
| Switzerland | Omega | 2900 |
| Syria | No Data | |
| Tajikistan | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Tanzania | Rolex | 590 |
| Thailand | Gucci | 3600 |
| Timor-Leste | Rolex | 10 |
| Togo | Patek Philippe | 10 |
| Tonga | Rolex | 10 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Rolex | 170 |
| Tunisia | Rolex | 170 |
| Turkey | Omega | 1600 |
| Turkmenistan | Hublot | 20 |
| Tuvalu | Hublot | 10 |
| Uganda | Rolex | 590 |
| Ukraine | Omega | 590 |
| United Arab Emirates | Rolex | 12100 |
| United Kingdom | Rolex | 74000 |
| United States of America | Rolex | 165000 |
| Uruguay | Omega | 40 |
| Uzbekistan | Rolex | 210 |
| Vanuatu | A.lange & Sohne | 10 |
| Venezuela | Omega | 70 |
| Vietnam | Cartier | 1900 |
| Yemen | Rolex | 50 |
| Zambia | Rolex | 210 |
| Zimbabwe | Rolex | 210 |
Methodology
We gathered keyword search data from the past year using Keyword Planner to find the average monthly search volume for each of these watch brands. We checked for (Brand Name) + (Watch) to ensure that the search intent was correct i.e. That people were searching for a Gucci Watch and not just Gucci.