Why Big Brands Stop Making Popular Watches

Collecting watches is not a hobby for the faint-hearted (let alone discontinued watches). Andy Freedman, a New York collector, remembers that he got his dream watch days before it was discontinued. When this happens, the market suffers a great shock, since we are talking about pieces that become rare when a brand decides to end its production, almost always in a completely unforeseen way. On that occasion, the watch that Freedman coveted so much was a Rolex Daytona with an ice blue dial and baguette diamonds.

“I got it through an advertisement two weeks before Watches & Wonders 2023, when they discontinued it,” he says. “I thought I hit the jackpot, but then I found out that Rolex was releasing a brand-new platinum Daytona that same day with an open case back.”

This pretty much sums up the rollercoaster that being a part of watch collecting sometimes entails. “We collectors are always on the hunt for pieces that cannot be easily obtained. We are attracted to exclusivity and cachet. When they discontinue a desired reference, the ante is raised. It is scarce, it is more difficult to obtain it, and the desire increases,” says Freedman.

But why would a brand discontinue its most popular reference? “We saw it in 2021 when they discontinued the stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711,” explains Freedman, of a particularly coveted model whose value skyrocketed between 2018 and 2022. “It is generally due to manufacturing reasons, as they prefer not to produce many units of the newest watches or to change certain aspects of a line or collection. In the case of Patek, perhaps the 5711 had become too popular and they wanted to draw attention to other references.”

So, is it just for dramatic effect and added hype? If, for example, Tudor stopped making the Black Bay 58, would it become more popular? “In general, all watch models are destined to be discontinued, since the industry is based on constant product innovation,” says Pierre-Yves Donzé, professor of business history at the University’s Graduate School of Economics. from Osaka and a specialist in the Swiss watch industry, who has recently written a book on the history of Rolex, The Factory of Excellence. “The exception, therefore, is non-discontinued watches, which continue to be produced.”

Discontinuation can manifest itself in various ways. “A brand can decide to simply change an aesthetic aspect, such as the dial color of some Rolex Oyster Perpetual models, or discontinue an entire collection, such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus,” explains Donzé.

“The value of certain discontinued models on the second-hand market is an expression of how scarcity increases the attraction of collectors and customers to these brands,” he warns. “It must be taken into account that only some of the highly prestigious manufacturers benefit from this effect.” We are referring to Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Richard Mille. “It was also the case with Swatch in the 80s and 90s, and perhaps again with the MoonSwatch.”

However, searching for a watch that will soon be discontinued is often the most exciting part of collecting: “Predicting discontinuations has become a major factor in this game between collectors and influencers. Earlier this year there was a rumor that Rolex would stop making the Pepsi GMT due to supply and manufacturing issues related to the bezel color,” explains Freedman.

Of course, it wasn’t to be, as the Crown discontinued the open-back white gold Rolex Daytona Le Mans 100th Anniversary instead. It was only manufactured for six months, one of the manufacturer’s shortest runs. This is a good selling point for anyone who buys it and it shows how unpredictable collecting discontinued watches can be.