Watch observers and eBay trend watchers agree: The dress watch has been one the biggest forces in timepiece sales in 2026 thanks to celebrities and online influencers alike.
The latest Watchlist Trend Report from eBay highlights how runway trends and cultural moments are leading consumers to shop secondhand luxury and designer goods, including watches. The online marketplace said it used data from 136 million active buyers and about 2.7 billion live listings to create its annual Watchlist.
Separately, Google Trends recently reported wristwatches are more searched now than at any other time in its history. It said 2026 has seen a 90% increase compared with 2025. The breakout search? The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop collaboration, driving all of the top 30 trending queries in 2026 so far, Google said.
eBay Watchlist trends
To capture the luxury shopper’s eye, eBay said starting Nov. 15 it will work with sellers including Vookum, Brie Welch, Reserved Luxury, and Bold Luxury to put its Watchlist goods in front of holiday shoppers during live events.
For example, the highest-value fashion and accessories sales on eBay Live in 2026 were watches from Rolex, including a Rolex Daytona Platinum timepiece that sold for $170,365 from Tanner & Co.
Another big influencer is Vookum, who ranks as eBay Live’s top fashion and accessories seller (followed by Tanner & Co. and Happy Jewelers). His “$5M Auction—BIGGEST LIVE EVER” stream had almost 50,000 viewers.
Little luxuries—meaning items selling for up to $500—also were big on eBay and eBay Live. (Think the TAG Heuer Link for that category.) Bigger luxuries, like a Rolex or an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, also sell in large volume on the site.
The top growing average sales prices in watches were the Rolex 1908, which was up 1,591%, and the Patek Philippe Aquanaut, which was up 959%, eBay reported. Other big sellers were the Rolex Land-Dweller (up 435%), the Cartier Tank (up 151%), and the Cartier Baignoire (up 99%).
The Watchlist Trend Report also found that Y2K and “Vintage 90s” were among the top searches with shoppers looking for decade-defined fashion and accessories. It credits nostalgia for these era-driven searches. Because of new creative directors, Chanel, Dior, and Gucci also are getting more attention from shoppers.
Welch, who works as eBay’s resident stylist, curated a storefront with the reseller to show people what she called in a statement her favorite finds.
“This season’s Watchlist reads like a style diary of everyone shopping on eBay: the eras they’re revisiting, the pieces they’re investing in, and the moments in culture they can’t stop thinking about,” Welch said. “What’s moving on eBay right now tells a story, from archival influences to special finds that are perfect holiday gifts and watches meant for a special night out.”
Google watch trends
Unsurprisingly, Google Trends found that Rolex is searched for more than all smartwatches combined in its 2026 data from the United States so far. Omega, Swatch, Patek Philippe, and Tissot round out the top five.
Other popular 2026 watch releases, beyond the Royal Pop, were the Omega Mission to the Moon 1969 campaign, where Swatch put more gold in the watch than one might expect and created a fun quiz to get access. Other popular releases were the Longines HydroConquest, the Tudor Black Bay 58, and the Rolex Yacht-Master II.
Google Trends listed the top watch influencers worldwide so far this year as Teddy Baldassarre, Nico Leonard, aBlogtoWatch, and Theo & Harris. Britt Pearce and Adrian Barker tied for the fifth-place spot.
Top-searched microbrands include Christopher Ward (UK), Baltic (France), Formex (Switzerland), Farer (UK), and Lorier (U.S.). Top brands under $1,000 searched were Seiko, Tissot, Hamilton, Citizen, and Longines.
Top independent brands worldwide are Bovet, F.P. Journe, Ressence, H. Moser & Cie, Urwerk, Greubel Forsey, MB&F, and De Bethune.
Top: eBay’s trend report says dress watches were big movers and shakers because of celebrities and influencers. (Photo courtesy of eBay)
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