Let’s be honest: nobody needs a watch. We’re surrounded by screens that tell time with atomic precision — our phones, our vehicles, even our ovens. But over the last decade the watch industry has posted record sales: since 2021, Rolex revenues have increased by 25 per cent, Audemars by 49 per cent and Patek by 34 per cent.
And there’s never been a bigger community of watch enthusiasts. It’s a lot like the vinyl revival. Music lovers didn’t go back to records because they were convenient than streaming. They went back because there’s soul in the needle hitting the groove that a digital file can’t replicate.
A watch is much the same — a ticking piece of wearable art that doesn’t buffer and never needs a software update.
The fascination for watches exploded during the pandemic. While the world slowed down, we went down digital rabbit holes, rediscovering the charm of physical objects designed to last. The result? Interest in watches has caused a resurgence of the industry, turning a niche hobby into a broader culture. In 2026, it’s a great time to be a collector. The market has moved past the hype phase and settled into one where education, craftsmanship and personal style matter more than a brand name on a dial.
Watches can elevate an outfit in a way an activity tracker just can’t; you might not be able to track your steps with a mechanical watch, but you’ll look much more stylish. A beautiful watch is the finishing flourish to an outfit, taking your look from good to great. So whether you’re looking for a modern engineering marvel or something that works with your favourite jacket, your options have never been better.
Price: $4,700
While most watches rely on steel, the Centrix uses Rado’s signature high-tech ceramic. This model features a stunning mother-of-pearl dial accented with 12 diamonds and rose-gold PVD steel. It’s essentially scratch-proof jewelry that houses a sophisticated automatic movement, blending high fashion with genuine horology.
Price: $25,000
This isn’t just space-age design — the dial is a genuine slice of a meteorite. And because it’s a natural cross-section of space rock, no two watches are identical. It houses the brand’s El Primero 3600 movement, which allows the stopwatch hand to fly around the dial once every 10 seconds.
Price: $350
Gruen, one of the largest and most innovative watchmakers, combined precise Swiss movements, often from Aegler, with American-designed cases. The hero here is that linen look, which catches the light in a way that feels high-end. In a world of matte dials, this textured vintage piece stands out as mid-century artisanship. Technically a men’s watch, its 34mm diameter gives it a unisex appeal.
Price: $16,300
This diver features the ushio (tide) dial, which mimics the churning Kuroshio Current in the North Pacific Ocean. It uses Seiko’s proprietary “Spring Drive” technology — a mechanical heart with a digital regulator — meaning the seconds hand doesn’t tick, it glides in a perfectly smooth, hypnotic circle. It’s the highest level of functional Japanese art.
Price: $2,900
We’re finally seeing a death to the hulking behemoth watch trend that started in the 1990s with actors like Sylvester Stallone rocking massive timepieces in movies like Daylight. Thanks to modern style icons like Jacob Elordi and Tyler, The Creator, smaller diameters are back in a big way. At 34mm, this Conquest is a nod to the mid-century era when men’s watches were discreet and elegant. It’s a Goldilocks size that looks just as confident on a man’s wrist as it does on a woman’s. Beyond the trend, it’s a go-anywhere, do-anything beast that features a 72-hour power reserve and 100 metres of water resistance that makes it as tough as any oversized diver watch.
This article appears in the April 2026 issue of Edify
