Story Highlight
– Cartier gains market share with smaller, dressy watches.
– Brand buy-back strategy reduced grey market flooding.
– Vintage Cartier watches achieved record auction prices.
– Celebrities and influencers boost Cartier’s Gen Z appeal.
– Gen Z’s Cartier sales share rose from 1.7% to 6.8%.
Full Story
Cartier is witnessing a notable surge in market share within the primary watch sector, particularly benefitting from a recent inclination towards smaller, dressier timepieces among younger consumers.
Several strategic moves have facilitated the brand’s resurgence. Notably, Cartier initiated a two-year stock buy-back from retailers flooded with unsold inventory in the mid-2010s, addressing the challenge of an oversaturated grey market offering significant discounts.
In the early 2020s, the brand gained considerable attention as vintage models, especially those produced by Cartier London during the 1960s and 70s, began achieving record auction prices. A particularly high-profile sale involved a 1967 Cartier Crash that fetched an impressive $1.5 million at a recent Loupe This auction in California, igniting enthusiasm among a new generation of collectors, including Eric Ku.
The resurgence of interest in Cartier is further highlighted in a report by Fratello, alongside its key investor Chrono24, which notes that the dress watch segment has received increasing recognition from celebrities and influencers resonating with Generation Z.
Cartier has benefited from this heightened visibility, with its contemporary and vintage watches frequently seen adorning the likes of Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet, and Zendaya, who is now associated with Rolex. Additionally, Generation Z influencers such as Alvin Chong (@watchrology) and Trang Trinh (@girls.o.clock) have also showcased these timepieces.
The report by Chrono24 and Fratello observes that “Cartier is a brand with an incredibly consistent and strong design language firmly rooted in dressy elegance that has been masterfully perfected over decades.” It goes on to highlight that Gen Z consumers are exhibiting a more adventurous approach compared to older generations, who have traditionally supported the demand for robust steel sports watches from brands like Rolex and Audemars Piguet.
These dress watches, particularly vintage models, have previously flown under the radar for enthusiasts, resulting in more accessible prices. This is especially appealing to younger professionals seeking their first significant watch purchase and wishing to make a style statement.
Recent data from Chrono24 indicates that Cartier’s share of watch sales among Gen Z has escalated from 1.7% in 2018 to 6.8% today, while the overall participation across all demographics increased from 2.9% to 4.8% in the same timeframe. The latest statistics reveal that Cartier’s demand on the secondary market reached a peak of 5% in 2024.
While the dress watch category has experienced a spike in secondary market demand in 2023 and 2024, its overall market share appears to be dwindling in early 2024 across Asia and North America. The report raises questions about whether the recent enthusiasm for dress watches is a fleeting trend specific to Gen Z or merely a temporary setback, promising to provide further updates in their next report set for release in the latter half of 2025.
