Buying a watch at retail that is likely to immediately increase in value is far from easy.
Everybody knows the unicorn watches from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet that can be resold for up to double their retail value, but waiting lists are so long with authorised dealers that they are all-but impossible to buy.
Not so the emerald green TAG Heuer Monaco that was unveiled and went on sale last Friday.
Because TAG Heuer sells direct to consumers through its ecommerce site, customers were able to buy one immediately.
Knowing how strong demand would be for the 500-piece limited edition with a bang-on-trend green dial, WatchPro kept an eye on whether the watch could still be bought online over the weekend.
By Sunday, the Sold Out sign was up for the watch on tagheuer.com. Dealers in the UK, Middle East and America reported that allocations of one, two, maybe three of the green Monaco had all gone.
It remains to be seen whether the limited edition Monacos will be offered on sites like Chrono24 at over retail prices.
A quick look today sees none of the green references listed, but brand new Monaco watches launched in limited quantities in 2019, the watch’s 50th anniversary year, are on sale.
An unworn red-dialled anniversary Monaco with box and papers is listed for £10,240 on Chrono24, almost double the £5,500 retail price.
