Discontinued reference

A discontinued reference is a watch model the brand no longer produces, typically replaced by a newer version or dropped from the collection.

Discontinuation can push secondary prices up when the outgoing model is liked or the replacement is less popular, and it can also push them down when the new version is clearly better. The effect varies and can take time to settle.

When a brand announces changes to a collection, watch how completed sale prices move for the outgoing reference before adjusting what you'll pay.

Buying and selling around a discontinuation

The weeks after a brand announces a change are when prices move most and information is thinnest. Rather than buying on the news, follow completed sales of the outgoing reference and wait for a pattern.

Buyers of a discontinued model often search by its reference number, so put the full reference in your listing title. Over the longer term, think about parts: a reference the brand no longer makes can become harder and costlier to service, and that matters to the next buyer as much as to you. The article on tracking watch market prices covers where to watch.