Audemars Piguet is officially entering the secondary market with the launch of “The Watch Keepers,” a dedicated digital platform designed to buy and sell certified pre-owned (CPO) timepieces. This long-awaited move by the legendary Swiss watchmaker aims to formalize the resale landscape for its products, ensuring that vintage and pre-owned models meet the same rigorous quality standards as their brand-new counterparts.
The launch, which initially rolls out across Switzerland and Europe, represents a strategic shift toward controlling the end-to-end lifecycle of its watches. By bringing the inspection, authentication, and transaction process in-house, the company is positioning itself to capture data and insights while fostering deeper relationships with its collector base.
## A Tech-Driven Approach to Luxury Resale
The platform functions as a sophisticated digital marketplace where security and transparency are paramount. Under the program, owners of Audemars Piguet watches that are at least two years old can submit their timepieces for evaluation. Once approved, the watches are sent to the brand’s facilities, where in-house experts conduct a thorough authentication and condition assessment.
Audemars Piguet then handles the high-end photography and documentation for the listings. Perhaps most notably, the platform integrates modern digital tools to enhance the buyer experience. Prospective customers can interact with AI-driven digital avatars—sales associates designed to provide personalized recommendations and guidance through the purchasing journey. Each listing will feature a five-point grading system to help buyers assess the aesthetic condition of the case, dial, and bracelet, accompanied by a two-year functional service guarantee provided directly by the manufacturer.
## Industry Evolution and Market Dominance
The decision to launch “The Watch Keepers” follows a growing trend among elite watch brands to claim a stake in the lucrative secondary market. Rolex pioneered this movement in 2022, and the success of its program has been staggering; recent data shows that Rolex CPO sales hit a quarterly record of $229 million in late 2026.
Market experts, including those from the consulting firm LuxeConsult, suggest that the secondary market is currently outpacing the primary market in terms of growth. While the primary market for new luxury watches reached approximately CHF 61 billion in 2025, secondary transactions have reached between CHF 22 billion and CHF 24 billion. Significantly, the “big three”—Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet—now account for over 60% of secondary market transaction values, highlighting why official brand participation in this space has become an economic imperative.
## Strategic Leadership and Future Growth
The program’s rollout is the culmination of years of internal planning, now being executed under the leadership of CEO Ilaria Resta. To spearhead this initiative, the company appointed Marc Montagne, a veteran with deep experience at luxury houses like Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
For the brand, the digital platform serves multiple purposes: it satisfies the high demand from collectors for verified, authentic pieces, generates revenue through user fees, and provides the company with invaluable data on how their watches trade and age in the real world. By overseeing the ecosystem in which its watches circulate, Audemars Piguet is ensuring that its brand prestige remains intact, even long after a timepiece leaves the boutique. As the boundary between primary and secondary markets continues to blur, “The Watch Keepers” stands as a prime example of how legacy luxury firms are using digital transformation to maintain their relevance in an increasingly circular economy.
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