When you are investing in luxury watches, it is important to think about all of the possible futures for these timeless possessions. Do you plan to hand them down for generations to come? Do you hope to one day sell them and make a profit? Have you considered borrowing against them and using them as a tool for building your portfolio?
Watch loans offer an enticing alternative to selling your luxury watches for many savvy collectors. A watch loan allows you to borrow against the value of your watch at a competitive interest rate (here at AMETA Finance Group, our interest rates are as low as 4%). You can use your timepieces to gain financial flexibility and liquidity when you need it without having to part with these treasured assets forever.
But which watch brands are the best ones to borrow against? Today, we are diving into one of the most controversial topics in the luxury watch industry. Many people will say that you should simply buy whatever watch brand strikes your fancy. That may be true to a point, but there are also some other factors to consider: Which timepieces will hold their value in the long run? Which ones are best for top-tier borrowing opportunities? Which watches will you be able to leverage to improve your overall position in life?
Luxury watches can open up a plethora of different doors and opportunities for you, so consider brand status carefully before you purchase a new timepiece. Already deep into your watch collection? Keep these elite brands in special regard and choose from these elite power players when it comes time to take out a luxury watch loan.
6 Top Watch Brands Worth Borrowing Against
So, which brands are worth your while when you are investing in a new luxury watch? Here are the top six watch brands that we accept for Tier 1 lending here at AMETA Finance Group. Richard Mille, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, F.P. Journe, and Lange & Söhne make up our elite group of highly prized watch brands.
We also offer Tier 2 lending options for select other brands, including Cartier, Breitling, Bregeut, Girard-Perregaux, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, OMEGA, Panerai, Tudor, and Ulysse Nardin. We do not lend against any brands that are not listed here.
Richard Mille
Tech-savvy Richard Mille watches are one of the newer additions to the luxury watch world, but they have been received with strong enthusiasm by celebrities and horological connoisseurs alike. Richard Mille started his avant-garde, precision-driven watch company in 2001 and has been operating in high esteem for a quarter century now. Richard Mille watches often come with six-figure price tags. They tend to have a distinctive tonneau-shaped case paired with skeletonized dials, lending them a highly recognizable aesthetic that is difficult to replicate. They are often made with unique, high-end materials chosen for their lightness, durability, and precision timekeeping that you will not find anywhere else.
Richard Mille watches are an excellent choice for borrowing against. Their high price point means that you can typically get a large loan when you leverage a Richard Mille watch. Further, since many Richard Mille collections are limited to 50 or 100 pieces (or fewer, in some cases), many Richard Mille timepieces actually grow in value over time.
Rolex
Founded in 1905, Rolex has not gained the nickname “The Crown” for nothing. These prestigious watches have been making an impact on history since the turn of the century. Rolex has been behind some of the most impactful horological innovations of all time and offers iconic watches in both its formalwear and professional lines. From the Submariner to the Day-Date, Rolex’s impressive inventory makes it a no-brainer to add to your watch collection.
Rolex watches are perfect to borrow against, especially if you manage to get your hands on a desirable limited edition piece or a watch that has a reputation connecting it to a celebrity or another important figure. While the entry-level Rolex watches are some of the lowest priced on this list, the brand also offers more expensive designs and upgrades that will allow you to get a solid loan offer from AMETA Finance Group.
Audemars Piguet
This Swiss powerhouse has been around since 1875, when it was founded in Le Brassus, Switzerland. While Audemars Piguet watches have been a token of the elite for more than a century, it was not until the 1970s that the modern iteration of the brand truly took off. During the tumultuous time of the so-called quartz crisis, Audemars Piguet introduced a new stainless steel dress watch that changed the horological world forever: the Royal Oak. Today, Audemars Piguet’s inventory largely consists of Royal Oak watches and variations on that theme.
Why are Audemars Piguet watches good for collateral loans? They tend to be stable in their value, although some elite pieces may increase in worth over time. The company is known for quality craftsmanship and precision engineering, meaning that people trust in these timepieces for years and years. Additionally, the octagonal shape of the Royal Oak’s bezel has become a status symbol across the world. To be seen wearing an Audemars Piguet watch is to establish yourself as a member of the highest echelons of society.
Patek Philippe
The horological masters behind the scenes at Swiss brand Patek Philippe have nearly centuries of reputation to maintain. The oldest brand on this list, Patek Philippe was created in 1839 in Geneva, Switzerland. It has long been a favorite of European royalty and aristocracy. Much like Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe made a move into a larger market during the 1970s quartz crisis with the introduction of their own stainless steel dress watch: the Patek Philippe Nautilus.
Patek Philippe is renowned for incredibly complex and high-end watches, ranging from the coveted Grand Complications line to the celebrity-favorite Nautilus collection. Some of the most expensive watches ever sold hail from Patek Philippe’s inventory, and you will likely find at least one of these timepieces in any truly elevated watch collection. When you are looking to borrow against a watch, a Patek Philippe can yield some of the highest loan amounts out there.
F.P. Journe
Founded in just 1999, F.P. Journe is another newer addition to the luxury watch scene. The company’s motto, invenit et fecit, translates to “invented and made.” The significance? All of the watches and their component parts are invented and made in-house. This means that only a small number of F.P. Journe watches are produced each year, adding to their exclusivity and desirability on the market. It is difficult to find F.P. Journe watches on the secondary market, making them ideal for loans because of one key basic economic principle: supply and demand.
To break it down further, F.P. Journe watches are incredibly coveted on the secondary market. This makes lenders highly confident in being able to obtain a strong resale value if the need arises, so you will likely be able to get a strong appraisal and a high loan-to-value ratio when you leverage your F.P. Journe timepiece.
Lange & Söhne
To round out our list, we close with German watch brand Lange & Söhne. Founded in 1845, Lange & Söhne is second only to Patek Philippe when it comes to time in the market. These timepieces are known for their German engineering and high-precision finishes. They are also crafted in small batches, making them more difficult to find (and thus highly valuable) on the secondary market. Lange & Söhne has a reputation for complex engineering, sharp interior angles, and incredible feats of mechanical prowess, such as double mainspring barrels. Many Lange & Söhne watches have open casebacks or sapphire crystal fronts in order to give wearers insight into the incredible artistry contained within.
If you are thinking about purchasing the next watch to add to your collection, do not overlook Lange & Söhne. While some people gravitate toward Swiss watch brands, the German roots of this prestigious brand offer plenty in prestige, engineering, and timekeeping capacity. Lange & Söhne watches are excellent for watch loans as well as for simply bolstering your collection and diversifying your range of high-end timepieces.
Start Your Next Chapter With AMETA Finance Group
The moment that you take out a loan on your luxury watch or jewelry with our team at AMETA Finance Group, you are turning the page starting a new chapter of financial wellness and success. Our partnership with Manhattan’s elite jewelry and watch retailer Avi & Co. helps us make our appraisal process faster and more accurate than other lenders on the market. Whether you are looking to leverage a diamond ring or borrow against a vintage Rolex, AMETA Finance Group is the place to turn for reliable and reputable collateral loans.
Reach out to our team today to kick off your asset loan journey.
