Rolex Watches Just Got More Expensive. Here’s Why Now May Be the Time to Buy

There’s no longer such a thing as an affordable Rolex, but things could be worse.

Published January 6, 2025

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We’re at the start of a new year, and you know what that means: It’s time for Rolex’s big annual price increase.

The Crown typically raises prices on its watches at the start of each year to keep pace with inflation and maintain its models’ place in the luxury market. These price increases vary from year to year, as they’re dependent on a number of factors. 2024, for example, had a relatively light price hike, with an average increase across the catalog of around 4 percent. 2023 was around twice that.

For 2025, the increases are more of a mixed bag. Some models barely increased in price, while others saw their SRPs rise nearly 20 percent. So why the huge disparity? Here’s what you need to know about Rolex’s price increases for 2025.

a rose gold rolex watch in sunlight — A new year is upon us, which means Rolex just increased the prices of its watches.

Steel Rolex Watches Are Still Underpriced

Let’s be real: Rolex could price its steel watches a lot higher than it does. Demand continues to far outpace supply when it comes to the brand’s steel sports models, and prices on the secondary market have long remained above the asking price from the brand.

That trend will continue in 2025, with Rolex only increasing the prices of its steel models by around 1 percent in most cases (I relied on reporting from Monochrome Watches for Rolex’s pricing data.)

Popular stainless steel models like the GMT-Master II (all steel references) and Submariner Date all received an increase of just 0.9 percent over last year’s price.

steel rolex watch on man's wrist — Rolex has increased the prices of its steel sports watches, but only marginally. Most are still priced well below market value.

The largest price hike for an all-steel model can be found on the Cosmograph Daytona, which has increased 2.6 percent to $15,500. That is still a far cry from the watch’s street value, which currently averages around twice the retail price at $32,000 on Chrono24.

Assuming you can actually get your hands on a steel Rolex sports model — easier said than done — the watches remain an excellent value relative to the market, even after this year’s price increase.

Platinum models also remained stable across the board, all rising just 0.9 or 1 percent.

rolex blue watch on leather strap — Rolex’s platinum watches, like the 1908 introduced last year, have seen the smallest price increases overall.

Gold Rolexes Are a Different Story

Gold Rolex watches, on the other hand, have undergone a much steeper price hike.

The smallest increase for a solid gold Rolex in 2025 can be found on the 36mm Day-Date with diamonds, which saw its price increase by 10.6 percent. Again, that’s the smallest increase for a gold watch.

All gold GMTs, Submariners, Sky-Dwellers, Yacht-Masters, 1908s, the gold Deepsea and other Day-Dates have seen their prices climb between 10.9 and 11.8 percent.

Rolesor models, which is how Rolex refers to its two-tone steel and gold watches, have also received significant price increases across the board, ranging from a 7.4 percent increase for a Datejust to a 9.6 percent jump for a Daytona.

gold rolex watch and man's wrist — The Deepsea in yellow gold, a GP100 honoree for 2024, has seen its price jump 11.4 percent since its introduction at Watches and Wonders last year.

But the most insane Rolex price increases can be found on solid gold Daytonas. These models have seen a staggering price hike of 18.5 – 18.6 percent, with the yellow gold version on an Oysterflex bracelet clocking in as the cheapest gold Daytona with a new SRP of $36,400.

Some of this is out of Rolex’s control. It’s no coincidence that gold watches have seen the most massive price increases, as their prices are tied to the cost of the material. The price of gold rose a staggering 26 percent in 2024, and the precious metal’s value is predicted to continue climbing in 2025.

So even when taking the crazy price increases of the Daytona into consideration, it could have been even more damaging to your wallet considering the rocket ride that gold’s value is currently experiencing.

a gold rolex daytona watch in motion — Gold Daytona chronographs have seen the steepest price increases among Rolexes this year by far.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Rolex?

Rolex’s prices on the secondary market have been falling for a while now, though they still remain elevated well above retail in most cases. But now that retail prices have increased, those secondary prices — at least on current models — are also likely to see a jump, especially among the more drastically affected gold models.

However, such a correction won’t occur immediately, as it will take some time for the secondary market to adjust to the new pricing information.

“We’ve observed that the pre-owned marketplace often experiences a 2-to-4-month lag before reflecting these price increases,” explains Paul Altieri, Founder & CEO of Bob’s Watches, a reseller specializing in Rolex watches. “This means that right now is an excellent time for buyers to secure a pre-owned Rolex at current market prices before they catch up to the new retail adjustments.”

So, yes, now may be a good time to buy a Rolex, as those falling secondary market prices will likely tick up in the coming months. If you’ve had your eye on a Rolex for a while — especially a Daytona or a gold model — you might want to bite the bullet before your wallet takes an even harder hit in the near future.