Earlier this week Bloomberg reported that Rolex began the year by hiking prices as much as 8% for some new precious metal timepieces. For instance a gold Day-Date 40-mm with black dial that went for approximately $42,250 last year now will cost you $45,809, according to Rolex’s website. A gold GMT-Master II that went for $42,550 now retails for $45,950, Bloomberg said. Popular Rolex steel sport watches saw modest price hikes as well.

Typically, most jewelers and luxury watchmakers introduce new prices for goods at the start of the year, but an 8% jump is pretty drastic, outpacing inflation. A Rolex spokesperson said the company had no comments to share at this time when Yahoo Finance reached out.

The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 18 kt yellow gold with a bright black, diamond-set dial, fluted bezel and a President bracelet. · Rolex

Meanwhile, prices for used Rolex watches, which were higher than retail because most models were not available, have fallen steadily.

Over the past year, the WatchCharts Overall Watch Market index, which tracks a basket of secondhand luxury Swiss and European watches fell 5.1%. Prices paid for the holy trinity of Swiss watches — Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet — fell 4.9%, 6.5%, and 7.4%, respectively. This follows a rough 2023 when Rolex prices fell 8.2%.

WatchCharts founder and CEO Charles Tian told Yahoo Finance that rising retail prices and continued lack of inventory at the authorized retail level may actually boost demand and prices for the beaten-down secondhand Rolex market.

“I think that long term, it could result in greater demand for pre-owned Rolex watches as their value proposition becomes stronger,” he said.

“Typically, when Rolex implements a price increase, it strengthens demand for pre-owned models, as collectors and first-time buyers seek alternatives that offer value without compromising on quality or prestige,” said Paul Altieri, founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches, one of the largest Rolex secondhand retailers.

Tian pointed out that while a new Rolex watch’s retail price has remained unchanged when accounting for inflation, the price of that same watch in the secondhand market has fallen by more than 25% in some instances.

The 2024 Rolex Deepsea in 18K gold · Rolex

“If Rolex continues to raise retail prices (as they have almost every year this decade) and secondary prices continue to gradually fall, we could see a significant number of former retail buyers opting for pre-owned instead,” Tian said.

This, in turn, means higher prices and relief for secondhand Rolex dealers like Bob’s Watches, retailers like Watches of Switzerland, and even Rolex’s own certified pre-owned program (and its wholly owned retail subsidiary, Bucherer-Tourneau).