EPISODE · Jan 12, 2026 · 35 MIN
Yes, More Price Increases – Rolex, AP, Tudor, and Why the US Is Getting Hit Harder Than Europe – Episode 63
from Openwork: Inside the Watch Industry · host Collective Horology
We kick off the first Openwork episode of 2026 by breaking down the latest watch price increases from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Tudor, with a sharp focus on why U.S. buyers are seeing significantly higher jumps than Europe and the UK. We unpack how tariffs, currency swings, commodity prices, and inflation are converging—and why, once prices move up, they almost never come back down. We also contrast how mega-brands and independents respond very differently to these pressures. From there, we dig into new data showing a real slowdown in the Swiss watch industry. Exports are down sharply, job losses are mounting, and more brands are relying on Switzerland’s short-time work programs to stabilize their workforce. We explore the downstream effects of trade friction on suppliers, labor, and long-term pricing, and why government intervention has become a critical backstop for the industry. We close by reacting to early 2026 industry predictions, including claims that larger watch case sizes are making a comeback. Using actual sales data, we question whether this is a real shift or just cyclical online chatter, and look ahead to Watches and Wonders and what recent brand moves may signal about creativity, retail strategy, and power dynamics in the year ahead. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry. You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email [email protected].
What this episode covers
We kick off the first Openwork episode of 2026 by breaking down the latest watch price increases from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Tudor, with a sharp focus on why U.S. buyers are seeing significantly higher jumps than Europe and the UK. We unpack how tariffs, currency swings, commodity prices, and inflation are converging—and why, once prices move up, they almost never come back down. We also contrast how mega-brands and independents respond very differently to these pressures. From there, we dig into new data showing a real slowdown in the Swiss watch industry. Exports are down sharply, job losses are mounting, and more brands are relying on Switzerland’s short-time work programs to stabilize their workforce. We explore the downstream effects of trade friction on suppliers, labor, and long-term pricing, and why government intervention has become a critical backstop for the industry. We close by reacting to early 2026 industry predictions, including claims that larger watch case sizes are making a comeback. Using actual sales data, we question whether this is a real shift or just cyclical online chatter, and look ahead to Watches and Wonders and what recent brand moves may signal about creativity, retail strategy, and power dynamics in the year ahead. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry. You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email [email protected].
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Yes, More Price Increases – Rolex, AP, Tudor, and Why the US Is Getting Hit Harder Than Europe – Episode 63
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