Wednesday Wind Up - January 21, 2026
- Nishan Shah
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Hello Nintai family! As 2026 gets underway, it’s becoming clear that the watch industry is entering a different kind of year — quieter, more reflective, and, frankly, healthier.
After the volatility and excess of the last few years, things may be settling down. And from where we sit, that’s not a bad thing.
Top News (resources are at the end of the newsletter):
A Market Reset
The dominant theme so far this year is normalization. Luxury watch demand is cooling down, particularly on the secondary market, and prices have continued to drift down from their speculative highs (1, 2, 3). The narrative around watches as short-term investments has softened, replaced by a renewed focus on long-term ownership and enjoyment.
Buyers Are Thinking Differently
One of the most interesting shifts shaping the market is who is driving demand. Younger and first-time buyers now play a larger role, and their preferences are notably more practical (1, 4):
Wearable case sizes
Familiar, timeless design language
Brands with a clear identity and transparent values
Rather than chasing brands, many are gravitating toward independent and smaller brands where craftsmanship, intent, and storytelling matter more than hype.
Early 2026 Releases: Refinement Over Flash
January’s early releases have quietly set the tone for the year ahead (5, 6). Across both large groups and independents, the emphasis appears to be on:
Vintage-inspired proportions
Sport watches with restraint
Incremental refinement rather than loud novelty
The industry feels less focused on spectacle and more committed to longevity — watches designed to age well, not chase trends.
Industry Events Set the Direction
The first major events of the year, including LVMH Watch Week, reinforced this shift (5, 7, 8). Instead of radical experimentation, brands presented careful evolution, improved finishing, and more disciplined collections. At the same time, independent watchmakers continue to gain meaningful attention — not through volume, but through clarity of purpose and craft.
Pricing Reality Check
Price increases haven’t disappeared, but they’ve slowed significantly (9, 10). Most upward pressure has been concentrated in precious-metal references, while steel models have remained relatively stable. The broader takeaway is simple: the era of runaway pricing appears to be behind us. For collectors, this creates a healthier environment — one driven by passion rather than urgency.
A Bright Spot: Craft & Education
One of the most encouraging developments so far this year has been expanded support for watchmaking education and independent craftsmanship (11). New grants and scholarships are helping preserve traditional skills while supporting the next generation of watchmakers. Long term, this may be one of the most important investments the industry can make.
Personal Thoughts:
If early 2026 is any indication, this will be a year defined by:
Intentional design
More thoughtful buying decisions
Brands that understand who they are — and who they’re not
For independent watchmaking and microbrands like us, that kind of environment feels right at home. 2026 will be a great year for Nintai Watches and for the watch industry overall.
Nintai News:
We were transparent about some of the delays we encountered. At the end of 2025, we had to takedown our website for extensive maintenance. After 10 days, we were able to resolve our issues. During this time, we also learned a great deal about ourselves. As many of you saw in our social media posts, we made the difficult but necessary decision to put our customization offering on an indefinite hold. Doing so however allowed us to focus ourselves on the core values and fundamentals of Nintai Watches. Going on this journey during the maintenance reminded us why we started our company in the first place: to build watches for our customers that are designed with purpose, reliability, dependability, and endurance. Our watches are designed with "Nintai" within each one, for our customers who have "Nintai" within themselves.
As the dust settles, and we open our store for pre-orders, a key component to our packaging that we wanted to highlight is our inspection card (seen on the right).
Transparency is a fundamental value for our business. To maintain and carry this to our customers, every watch includes an inspection card that highlights the results of all tests performed. Additionally, every watch is serialized, to ensure uniqueness and traceability. Each one of our watches is treated like our customers; with dignity, respect, and care.
While Nintai-GMT and Nintai-Automatic hold down the fort for us in our collection, we have more projects that we are working on in the background. Just like we describe on our process page, every design starts with a pencil, a piece of paper, and a problem. Interestingly, we came across a very common problem, with a not so common solution in the pipeline. However, we cannot disclose anymore! Be patient though, things will be revealed soon!
See you in two weeks!
Fact of the Letter: 2026 will mark 100 years since Rolex revealed the first water-proof wristwatch. It's name? The Oyster (12)
Resources:
(1) Business Insider, “3 Watch Predictions for 2026 That Reveal What Buyers Want Next”
(2) Business Insider, “Why the Luxury Watch Market Could Struggle for the Next Decade”
(3) Hodinkee, “Prices, Volumes, and Passion: The Business of Watches in 2025 and What to Expect in 2026”
(4) WatchPro, “Behavioral Trends Shaping the Watch Industry in 2026”
(5) Bloomberg, “LVMH Watch Week 2026: The Best New Watches from TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot, and Bulgari”
(6) GQ, “The Best New Watches of 2026 (So Far)”
(7) Wallpaper, “LVMH Watch Week 2026: New Watch Releases and Industry Direction”
(8) Chrono24 Magazine, “Five Highlights from LVMH Watch Week 2026”
(9) Monochrome Watches, “Rolex 2026 Price List: Year-to-Year Changes and Market Impact”
(10) Time+Tide Watches, “Luxury Watch Pricing Adjustments and Market Normalization”
(11) Horological Society of New York, “2026 Global Financial Aid and Independent Watchmaker Grants”
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