Story Highlight
– Strong demand for watches remains in the US market.
– First quarter 2026 sales per door up 28.9%.
– Luxury segment growth leads at 32.8% increase.
– Swiss watch exports to the US fell 18.5%.
– Consumers paying over $59,000 per watch this year.
Full Story
In 2026, demand for watches across all price ranges in the United States remains robust despite previous uncertainty tied to President Trump’s tariff initiatives.
Initial fears suggested that customers might have advanced their purchases in 2025 to avoid price increases, potentially leading to a decline in sales this year. However, recent findings from the Luxury Watch Barometer indicate that not only has growth persisted, but it has also intensified.
American consumers have been invigorated by record highs in the stock market, especially in technology sectors linked to artificial intelligence, which has resulted in a remarkable 28.9% rise in average sales per outlet during the first quarter of 2026.
While April saw a slight deceleration to a 26.3% increase in watch sales per outlet, this can be attributed to a base effect from the previous year when shoppers hurried to make purchases ahead of anticipated price hikes following the tariff announcement in early April 2025.
Following this dip, May witnessed a resurgence, with a year-on-year sales growth of 32.1%, leading to an impressive 29.7% increase in average sales per outlet over the initial five months of 2026.
The luxury market segment has experienced the highest growth at 32.8%, featuring prestigious brands such as Breitling, Cartier, IWC, Omega, and Tudor. Meanwhile, the Prestige category, prominently led by Patek Philippe, enjoyed a 27.8% rise in average sales per outlet, although unit sales per outlet experienced a modest increase of just 3.9%. This shift is attributed to consumers spending significantly more, with an average price of over $59,000 per watch in May 2026, compared to about $50,220 during the same month last year.
It is important to note that data from the Luxury Watch Barometer excludes brands like Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and Richard Mille.
Interestingly, while retail sales in the US have surged, there has been a notable decline in Swiss watch exports to the country. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reports that exports dropped by 18.5% from January to May this year. This trend is positively correlated with retail performance, suggesting that existing inventory is being sold more quickly than it is being replaced, signalling a healthy market dynamic for watch brands and retailers.
