Insights reveal how collectors maintain, store, and safeguard their growing watch collections.
NEENAH, Wis. (December 16, 2025) – Jewelers Mutual® Group, the insurer dedicated to protecting jewelry and jewelry businesses for over a century, released its 2025 Watch Study, offering new insights into the habits, motivations, and care practices of modern watch collectors.
The study reveals that collecting is driven by more than style or status. For many, watches carry emotional significance, reflect individuality and self-expression, and serve as meaningful heirlooms passed across generations. The research also highlights the growing diversity of collectors — from mechanical purists and design-driven enthusiasts to trend-focused buyers and sentimental collectors.
“As we learned from this year’s study, watches play an important role in people’s lives,” said Mike Alexander, President at Jewelers Mutual. “Collectors are deeply connected to the craftsmanship, history, and stories behind their timepieces, and they’re focused on caring for and protecting these pieces for the long term. That’s where Jewelers Mutual’s 112 years of expertise is a unique advantage – in both dedicated protection and peace of mind.”
Key findings from the 2025 Watch Study include:
- 83% of watch collectors own multiple watches, revealing a strong passion for collecting and rotation habits.
- Life milestones and emotional significance are major purchase drivers, with many collectors choosing pieces tied to personal stories.
- Brand recognition and craftsmanship remain leading factors when selecting a new watch.
- Maintenance habits vary, and many collectors are uncertain about proper service intervals.
- More than 70% of collectors report having some form of insurance for their watches.
Along with deepening its understanding of collector preferences, the study also emphasizes care best practices often shared by long-time enthusiasts, including regular servicing, avoiding magnets, proper storage, gentle cleaning, and ensuring valuable pieces are protected. Jewelers Mutual commissioned the study as part of its commitment to support collectors and the broader watch community with helpful education, insights, and resources.
Read more from Jewelers Mutual’s 2025 Watch Collectors Study at JewelersMutual.com/resources/individuals/watches/watch-study.
The Jewelers Mutual study was conducted in June 2025 via an online survey through Qualtrics. A sample of over 1,500 adult watch owners in the U.S. aged 18+ who were responsible for making insurance decisions in their household were recruited via an online research panel and surveyed via online self-completion.
