WatchesOct 05, 2023
Why Retailers Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Concerned About Rolex’s Bucherer AcquisitionWatchesDec 04, 2023
Chrono24 Debuts the ‘Dow Jones’ for Luxury Watches
The watch seller’s new index tracks sales data from 14 brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe.
Chrono24 has introduced “ChronoPulse,” a luxury watch market index.
Karlsruhe, Germany—Watch marketplace Chrono24 has unveiled a luxury watch market index.
Dubbed “ChronoPulse,” the proprietary tool uses the platform’s anonymous first-party real-time sales data.
Chrono24 introduced the index at an event in New York City in late October, when WatchTime New York brought collectors and enthusiasts into town, while also celebrating its 20th anniversary.
CEO Tim Stracke gave a presentation on ChronoPulse, which he called the “Dow Jones for the watch industry," explaining the methodology behind it.
A unique feature of this index, said Stracke, is that it tracks final sale prices rather than list prices.
“In today’s time, where watch prices are very volatile, asking prices are no longer the final truth. We see a lot of prices being negotiated down,” he said.
Another differentiator is the breadth of brands included in the index.
There’s a lot of focus on the “big three,” which includes Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, but the watch industry is broader than that, noted Stracke.
To create the index, Chrono24’s team of data scientists and industry veterans looked at the top 14 brands by trade volume with the goal of covering 80 percent or more of the watch market.
The top 14 are: Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Cartier, IWC, Panerai, TAG Heuer, Tudor, Jaeger LeCoultre, Grand Seiko, Hublot, and Vacheron Constantin.
The index includes the top 10 best-selling and most important models from each manufacturer, so 140 in total currently.
“ChronoPulse incorporates more brands, more models per brand, and more watches in general than any existing competitive service,” said the company in a statement.
“This reduces the number of blind spots possible in a massive data set and makes the ChronoPulse model less vulnerable to bubbles/crashes, and, therefore, most reflective of the actual market.”
Related stories will be right here …
Dubbed “ChronoPulse,” the proprietary tool uses the platform’s anonymous first-party real-time sales data.
Chrono24 introduced the index at an event in New York City in late October, when WatchTime New York brought collectors and enthusiasts into town, while also celebrating its 20th anniversary.
CEO Tim Stracke gave a presentation on ChronoPulse, which he called the “Dow Jones for the watch industry," explaining the methodology behind it.
A unique feature of this index, said Stracke, is that it tracks final sale prices rather than list prices.
“In today’s time, where watch prices are very volatile, asking prices are no longer the final truth. We see a lot of prices being negotiated down,” he said.
Another differentiator is the breadth of brands included in the index.
There’s a lot of focus on the “big three,” which includes Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, but the watch industry is broader than that, noted Stracke.
To create the index, Chrono24’s team of data scientists and industry veterans looked at the top 14 brands by trade volume with the goal of covering 80 percent or more of the watch market.
The top 14 are: Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Cartier, IWC, Panerai, TAG Heuer, Tudor, Jaeger LeCoultre, Grand Seiko, Hublot, and Vacheron Constantin.
The index includes the top 10 best-selling and most important models from each manufacturer, so 140 in total currently.
“ChronoPulse incorporates more brands, more models per brand, and more watches in general than any existing competitive service,” said the company in a statement.
“This reduces the number of blind spots possible in a massive data set and makes the ChronoPulse model less vulnerable to bubbles/crashes, and, therefore, most reflective of the actual market.”
ChronoPulse utilizes about 4.6 million data points in total, stemming from more than one million sales since Chrono24’s founding, or about 30,000 sales per month.
The company also offers users a “Watch Collection” tool, which tracks the value trajectories of more than 3.7 million owned watches. The tool tracks value using the purchase price, whether or not the user bought the watch from Chrono24.
The value of all watch collections tracked using Chrono24's tool totals more than $49.7 billion, said the company, adding that makes up almost 7 percent of the estimated $748 billion value of all the watches in the world.
While data is a useful tool, watch collectors’ preferences can be subjective, so Chrono24 turned to industry experts for their input, including Denmark-based watch journalist Kristian Haagen, Eric Wind of Florida-based Wind Vintage, Singapore-based watch collector and banker Jack Wong, and Brendan Cunningham, who runs the “Horolonomics” blog and is a professor of economics at Eastern Connecticut State University.
The ChronoPulse index data is updated daily, and the selection and weighting of the manufacturers and watch models are updated and adjusted every six months.
There are also indices available for the 14 top brands, with independent brand-specific indices set to roll out in the coming months, said Chrono24.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Watches
The Latest
CollectionsApr 02, 2025
Bea Bongiasca’s ‘Tarallo’ Collection Expansion Is a ZooThe pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.
MajorsApr 02, 2025
Neiman Marcus’ Dallas Flagship Will Remain Open, For NowParent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.
SourcingApr 02, 2025
Winston’s Collection of Natural Color Diamonds Now on Display in D.C. Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
Policies & IssuesApr 02, 2025
Jewelers of America to Hold Webinar on TariffsThe virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.
Weekly QuizMar 27, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsApr 02, 2025
Punchmark to Host Client WorkshopThe educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.
IndependentsApr 01, 2025
Bergman Jewelers in Omaha Closing After 137 YearsThe independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in EnglishLotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
SourcingMar 27, 2025
Susan Jacques, Gaetano Cavalieri to Headline 2025 ICA Congress The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.
IndependentsMar 26, 2025
Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Acquires Fellow NC Independent JewelerThe family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.
WatchesMar 26, 2025
Bulova Celebrates 150th Anniversary With Art Deco WatchesThe “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.
MajorsMar 26, 2025
QVC Group Appoints New PresidentAlex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2025
Jewelers of America Announces New Funding Initiative The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.
AuctionsMar 25, 2025
Christie’s To Auction 35-Carat Sapphire, 13-Carat RubyThe ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.
CrimeMar 25, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Earrings Swallowed Following Grab-and-Run Theft RecoveredThe two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.
