For decades, the pocket watch occupied a curious position in watchmaking. Revered by historians and collectors yet largely absent from contemporary daily life, it was often viewed as an elegant relic of a past era.
In 2026, however, a new trend seems to be emerging: the pocket watch is enjoying an unexpected revival. While it would be premature to speak of a full-fledged comeback, growing auction interest and a surprising collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Swatch suggest that the category has once again captured the imagination of collectors and enthusiasts.
The Foundation of Modern Watchmaking
Long before the wristwatch, the pocket watch served as the primary platform for horological innovation. Many of the most significant technical breakthroughs in watchmaking were first developed and showcased in pocket watches.
Minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, split-seconds chronographs, tourbillons and astronomical complications all reached remarkable levels of sophistication in pocket watches. Throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth and even early twentieth centuries, manufacturers relied on these creations not only as practical instruments but also as demonstrations of technical mastery.
For old name brands such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Breguet, complicated pocket watches, which remain among the most important objects in the history of horology, became powerful expressions of their capabilities.
Auction Results Reveal Growing Demand
The strongest evidence of renewed interest comes from the auction world. Over the past year, historically significant pocket watches have generated remarkable results, attracting intense competition from collectors.
Among the most notable sales was Audemars Piguet’s legendary “Grosse Pièce,” the most complicated watch ever created by the manufacture, which sold for more than 7.7 million dollars at Sotheby’s New York last December. The same sale featured several other important pocket watches that exceeded expectations, demonstrating that collectors are increasingly willing to pursue exceptional examples regardless of whether they are wristwatches or pocket watches.
Equally impressive was the sale of the J. Player & Sons Hyper Complication pocket watch, which, in November 2025, achieved 2.2 million Francs at Phillips Geneva and established a record for an antique British pocket watch. Auction specialists highlighted its extraordinary complexity and its importance as a testament to early twentieth-century English watchmaking.
Such results suggest that collectors are increasingly looking beyond mainstream sports watches in search of rarity, historical significance and technical depth.
This trend then continued into 2026, with several particularly noteworthy results for pocket watches offered at the Geneva auctions in May.
In particular, two pocket watches by A. Lange & Söhne offered by Sotheby’s achieved extremely positive results, even if perhaps not entirely surprising. These were a 1916 Grand Complication and a 1928 Triple Complication, which sold for CHF 1.5 million and CHF 332,000 respectively.
The Audemars Piguet x Swatch Surprise
If auction houses have reignited collectors’ interest, the recent Audemars Piguet x Swatch “Royal Pop” collaboration has introduced the pocket watch to a vastly broader audience. Rather than producing an accessible version of the Royal Oak wristwatch, the two brands surprised the market by unveiling a colorful collection of pocket watches inspired by both the Royal Oak and Swatch’s historic POP line.
The move was unexpected precisely because pocket watches have traditionally been associated with classic elegance, formal dress and even a certain old-fashioned charm. Audemars Piguet and Swatch transformed that image, presenting the format as playful, contemporary and highly accessible. In doing so, they arguably made the pocket watch “pop” for the first time in generations.
A Genuine Revival or a Passing Trend?
Will pocket watches return on a large scale? Probably not in the same way wristwatches dominate today’s market. Their practicality remains limited in an era shaped by smartphones and wearable technology.
Yet a widespread return is not necessary for the category to thrive. What matters is the renewed appreciation for the pocket watch as a cultural and technical object. Auction results confirm growing collector demand, while innovative projects such as the Royal Pop demonstrate that brands are willing to experiment with the format once again.
Whether worn in a pocket, displayed in a collection or reimagined for a new generation, the pocket watch appears to be stepping back into the spotlight. After decades in the shadows, one of horology’s most important creations may finally be enjoying a well-deserved second act.
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