The biggest watch auction results of 2026 show a market that is still incredibly strong at the top, but far more selective than it was a few years ago. From the Patek Philippe Ref. 2523 “Doppia Corona Policromo” to early F.P. Journe, Akrivia and museum level pocket watches, serious collectors are still paying huge money, but only for watches with real rarity, condition, craft and importance.

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The top end of the watch market is far from dead. The biggest auction results of 2026 show serious money still chasing rarity, condition and real watchmaking importance.

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The watch market is not dead. The lazy market is.

I’ve put together my thoughts on the biggest watch auction results of 2026 so far, from vintage Patek Philippe to early F.P. Journe, Akrivia and proper museum level pocket watches.

The money is still there, but it is becoming much more selective.

For years, the Rolex Submariner 16610 was taken for granted. It was not rare enough for the hype crowd, not old enough for true vintage collectors, and not new enough for modern buyers. Now, collectors are coming back to it for exactly those reasons. Classic proportions, aluminium bezel charm, daily reliability and enough age to feel interesting make the 16610 one of the most compelling neo vintage Rolex watches on the market.

The AP x Swatch Royal Pop should have been a fun, playful release. Instead, it became another example of everything wrong with modern watch culture. The watch itself is not the issue. The real problem is the resellers, flippers and hype-driven buyers who turned a non-limited Swatch collaboration into a resale circus.

Most collectors obsess over box and papers, but how much do they really matter? In this article, we break down the myths around full sets, the rise of forgeries, and why provenance and condition should always come first.