For decades, owning a Rolex has been associated with achievement, collecting and, increasingly, investment. But a growing number of owners are now treating their watches as something else: a source of liquidity.
New data from Diamond Banc, which buys and lends against luxury watches and jewelry, shows a significant increase in borrowing against Rolex watches. And while the number of Rolex-backed loans is climbing, the amount owners are borrowing is rising even faster.
In 2024, Diamond Banc funded 586 loans backed by Rolex watches totaling $5.63 million. That increased to 665 loans totaling $6.49 million in 2025.
Through September 30 of this year, the company had already funded 538 Rolex-backed loans worth $6.59 million, meaning Diamond Banc had loaned more against Rolex watches during the first nine months of 2026 than it did during all of 2025.
The company projects approximately 717 Rolex loans totaling $8.8 million by year-end. If that projection holds, annual dollar volume will have increased roughly 36% from 2025 and more than 56% compared with 2024.
Perhaps even more telling is the amount being borrowed against each watch.
The average Rolex-backed loan at Diamond Banc has risen from approximately $9,600 in 2024 to a projected $12,300 in 2026.
Why Borrow Against a Rolex?
For an owner who needs access to capital, the traditional option might be to sell the watch. But for collectors who believe in the long-term value of their timepieces, or simply don’t want to part with something they enjoy owning, borrowing against the asset provides another option.
A Rolex can carry considerable value while sitting on someone’s wrist or in a watch box. Using the watch as collateral allows an owner to unlock a portion of that value without permanently giving up the timepiece.
That can be particularly appealing with watches that have sentimental significance, are difficult to replace or have appreciated considerably since they were purchased.
The size of these transactions also illustrates how differently owners are using their collections.
Diamond Banc says its watch borrowers range from clients accessing approximately $5,000 against a single watch to collectors borrowing more than $250,000 against a collection.
Luxury Watches as Financial Assets
The trend reflects the increasingly complicated role luxury watches play in their owners’ financial lives.
A Rolex can simultaneously be a luxury purchase, collectible, status symbol and store of value. For certain owners, it can now function as collateral as well.
Diamond Banc expects to fund approximately $25 million in total loans in 2026, with roughly $10 million backed by watches. Rolex represents a significant portion of that activity.
The increase doesn’t necessarily mean Rolex owners are experiencing financial distress. Asset-backed borrowing can provide access to capital for any number of reasons, from funding a business opportunity or major purchase to covering a temporary cash need without selling an asset.
What the numbers do show is a shift in how some owners are thinking about the value sitting inside their watch collections.
A luxury watch no longer has to be sold for its owner to extract value from it.
And as the average amount borrowed against a Rolex continues to rise, the watch on someone’s wrist may increasingly be viewed not simply as something to collect or wear, but as an asset that can be put to work.
