Chrono24’s Most Hyped Watches In August

In this monthly series with Hypetime, Chrono24 will be providing background on some of the most coveted luxury watches in the pre-owned market based on real-time findings from its global marketplace.

Every month, five models will be spotlighted by Chrono24’s in-house experts. The selection is based on monthly analytics, with each piece meeting all four criteria: 1) The watch must receive a critical mass of supply as well as demand, 2) There must be a significant percentage increase in inquiries and offers compared to the previous month as the reference period, 3) The search queries for the watch model must exceed a critical threshold defined from the data set, 4) The available listings per model must exceed a critical threshold defined from the data set.

Read on for the most hyped watches on Chrono24 in August.

Tudor Pelagos 25610TNL

The Tudor Pelagos 25610TNL is a quintessential modern diving watch, but still manages to reference key design attributes from the storied Tudor/ Rolex heritage. First introduced in 2013, the Pelagos family offers some serious Submariner vibes but at a far more accessible price and without the Rolex premium. The stark contrast of the dark dial and snowflake hands (plus its chronometer capabilities and 500m water resistance) straddles between its designation as a utilitarian tool watch beneath the surface, and a luxury must-have on dry land. Pelagos fans include David Beckham (obviously), Kevin Hart and Jay Chou. In August, Chrono24 saw major demand for the Tudor Pelagos 25610TNL reach the highest-to-date peak within the past 2 years.

Cartier Santos 100 W20106X8

The Cartier renaissance continues, as Chrono24 reports demand for the Cartier Santos 100 W20106X8 surged by 1,500% since the start of 2024 through last month. At only 38mm, the model packs a mighty punch and appears larger than it actually is. Despite its iconic square shape, the skillfully rounded corners and edges allow this watch to sit comfortably on the curvature of most wrists. Exposed screws around the case give this timepiece an industrial feel — a nod to its place in aviation history.

Rolex Datejust 36 16013

A perennial favorite, the Rolex Datejust is arguably a rite of passage for most watch collectors. With a two-tone flex and a champagne dial, this Datejust 36 16013 is a coveted model from the 1980s. Though the demand for this reference remained relatively stable in 2023, searches for it more than tripled this year on Chrono24 alone. Though the 36mm size of this watch is a bit small by today’s standards, its slim dimensions serve as a nod to its heritage. The first watch in history to automatically advance the date at midnight, the Datejust wears Rolex’s popularity “crown” and has been coveted by VIPs spanning Winston Churchill, Daniel Craig, Jennifer Anniston, Bono, the Dalai Lama, to ex-presidents and many more.

IWC Automatic 36 Watch IW324008

Interestingly, another 36mm watch topped August’s reported demand on Chrono24, in this case, it’s the IWC Automatic 36 Watch IW324008. IWC has some of the most deeply-seeded roots in aviation history, debuting pilot’s watches since 1936 with innovation and historical prowess. Fully anti-magnetic with a soft iron inner case and dial, this automatic pilot’s watch is a tool watch with a sleek – and shall we say “demure”? – aesthetic that makes it supremely versatile. Purchase requests for this model in August were more than triple from any other point in 2024.

Seiko Prospex Alpinist Green Dial SPB155J1

The Seiko cult is a strong one in the watch world, and the green Alpinist series has become iconic in and of itself within the collector community. The Japanese brand unveiled the first mountain climbing-inspired Alpinist in 1959 – an on-land deviation from its signature dive watches – and has reimagined this popular model several times since then. The Prospex Alpinist Green Dial SPB155J1 is considered small for Seiko lovers – at 38mm it is almost deemed miniature by comparison. Its vibe is Rolex Explorer-esque, but with Seiko’s flawless attention to precision detail. Demand for the Alpinist has remained relatively stable for the past 2 years on Chrono24, but August reported a 20% increase in purchase requests for the coveted green-dialed mountaineer’s watch.