By Sean Shirazade, Founder of Watchfinder
When I started Watchfinder, I made myself one promise: nobody who deals with us should ever feel like they're buying blind. The watch world moves fast — prices shift, models trend up and down, and what looked like a smart buy six months ago can look very different today. That's why we don't just sell watches. We keep you informed, every single day, across every platform we're on.
Why We Post Every Day
Most dealers want you to know as little as possible. The less you know, the easier you are to sell to. We do the opposite.
On our Instagram pages (@watchfindercanada and my personal page @watchfindersean), our YouTube channel, and our TikTok channel, we're constantly talking about what's moving in the market: what just came into the shop, what's trending, what's holding value, and what I'd honestly tell my own family to buy. Follow the hashtags #WatchfinderSean and #WatchfinderCanada and you'll see it all — new arrivals, market breakdowns, honest opinions, and the occasional hard truth about a hyped watch that isn't worth the premium.
That's the whole philosophy: an informed customer is a customer for life. When you know the market, you buy with confidence — and you come back.
Where the Market Stands Right Now
Let me give you the honest picture, because this is exactly the kind of thing we break down weekly on our channels.
After three years of correction following the 2021–2022 frenzy, the secondary watch market is rising again. Industry trackers like WatchCharts have the overall market index up more than 10% over the past year. This isn't speculative mania — it's real demand finding its footing. The froth is gone; what's left is fundamentals.
The breakdown by brand tells the story:
Patek Philippe is leading the recovery — up roughly 16–18% over the past year, driven by huge momentum in the Nautilus and Aquanaut. If you own one, you already know. If you've been waiting to buy one, the window at "corrected" prices is closing.
Rolex is up around 8–9% on the year, and over half of Rolex models are once again trading above retail. Steel sports models — Submariner, GMT-Master II, Daytona — remain the blue chips of this market. Buy them complete, keep them unpolished, hold them long. That formula hasn't failed yet.
Audemars Piguet posted more modest gains of 3–5%, but here's the number that matters: roughly 63% of AP models still command a premium over retail. The Royal Oak isn't going anywhere.
What's Trending — And What I'd Buy
A few things we're watching closely, and talking about constantly on TikTok and YouTube:
Smaller watches are back. The biggest trend out of Watches and Wonders was major brands shrinking case sizes on their most popular models — and small watches are posting some of the strongest secondary-market gains. If you sold off your 36mm pieces during the big-watch era, you're feeling it now.
Cartier's men's renaissance is real. The Santos and Tank are pulling in a whole new generation of buyers. Cartier has quietly become one of the strongest plays in the market.
Omega's Speedmaster remains the smartest entry point. The Moonwatch has a price floor that almost never breaks. It's the watch I recommend most to first-time serious buyers — heritage, liquidity, and you'll never struggle to sell one.
Grand Seiko and Vacheron Constantin are the sleeper picks. Grand Seiko's finishing at its price point is unmatched, and Vacheron's ultra-thin work is collecting serious attention.
Why Buy Now?
Because the correction is over and the data shows it. The buyers who did best in this market weren't the ones who bought at the 2022 peak — and they weren't the ones still waiting on the sidelines while Patek climbed 16%. They were the ones who bought quality pieces from trusted dealers when prices found their floor. That floor was the past eighteen months.
Scarcity, brand authority, global demand, and liquidity — those four things determine whether a watch holds its value. Every watch we bring into Watchfinder gets judged against that standard, and when you ask me "should I buy this?", that's the framework behind my answer.
The Future: Where I Think the Big Brands Are Headed
My honest take, brand by brand:
Rolex will keep doing what Rolex does — controlled supply, relentless demand. Expect steel sports models to stay above retail for the foreseeable future.
Patek Philippe has the strongest momentum in the market. As long as production stays tight, I see continued appreciation in the Nautilus and Aquanaut lines.
Audemars Piguet is in transition. The Royal Oak carries the brand, and the premiums prove the demand is there — but they need the next icon.
The independents and the "value" brands — Grand Seiko, Cartier, Tudor — are where I see the most upside for buyers who want growth without paying hype premiums today.
Stay Connected — This Is Why We Do It
Everything in this post is the kind of content we put out every day. If you want to actually follow the market instead of guessing:
- Instagram — @watchfindercanada for daily arrivals and market talk, and @watchfindersean for my personal takes and behind-the-scenes
- YouTube — Watchfinder Canada: longer breakdowns on what to buy, what to avoid, and where the market's going
- TikTok — @watchfinder: quick hits on trending pieces and honest reactions to what's hyped
- X — @watchfinderca
- Follow #WatchfinderSean and #WatchfinderCanada so you never miss a post
- All our links in one place: linktr.ee/sherzady
Have a question about a specific watch? Ask me directly on any platform — I answer personally. That's the Watchfinder difference: you're not buying from a faceless store, you're buying from someone who lives this market every day and tells you the truth about it. Or come see us in person at our Yorkville showroom — book your visit here.
See you on the feed.
— Sean Shirazade
Founder, Watchfinder