What does it really take for a watch-wear brand to stand out in today’s market?
When it comes to watch marketing, there’s an oversaturation of storytelling around craftsmanship, heritage and prestige. And when everyone is telling the same story, it’s harder to differentiate. Even established names on any watch brand ranking can struggle to cut through the noise.
On top of that, watch brands face rising pressure to deliver measurable ROI. The challenge isn’t just to know how visible your brand is, but what that visibility is actually worth. Without such insights to guide your watch marketing strategy, you’ll waste time and resources on efforts that don’t deliver long-term results.
The right metrics can give you a deeper understanding of your brand’s position and help you leverage the right channels to reach your audience effectively. It’s why top watch brands are turning to data to guide their strategies. Tools like Launchmetrics and its Media Impact Value® (MIV®) proprietary metric provide the clarity needed to see what’s actually driving brand impact—and where your brand stands in a competitive landscape.
In this article, we break down the latest luxury watch brand rankings and unpack the strategies that set them apart. Whether you’re an emerging name or an established luxury watch brand, these examples offer insights to help you draw inspiration and strengthen your watch marketing strategy.
Why Benchmarking Matters—and How It Can Help You Climb Up the Watch Brand Ranking
In the luxury sector, visibility has long been seen as a marker of success. But in today’s evolving market, exposure alone is no longer enough. To move up the watch brand rankings, it’s important to know not just if people are talking about your brand, but how, where and why. This clarity allows you to understand what’s working and what’s not so that you can adapt your watch marketing strategy accordingly.
That’s where performance benchmarking comes in.
While tracking your current position in a watch brand ranking is important, benchmarking against direct competitors can reveal growth opportunities. By using a consistent metric like Media Impact Value® (MIV®), watch brands can gain insights into understanding how your brand performs against competitors and where there’s room to increase your Share of Voice and market influence.
Are your influencer partnerships generating real value? Is your owned media punching above its weight? Are you getting the same return on your earned coverage as your competitors?
Without this level of insight, brands risk relying on assumptions or vanity metrics (like impressions, reach or just general “buzz”) that don’t translate to long-term brand equity or market share. And in a high-investment category like luxury watches, every campaign needs to justify its spend.
In this blog, we’ve used MIV® as a standardized metric to reveal which brands generated the most value in our Q1 2025 and ranked the top-performing watch brands. This data-driven approach gives brands a clear, consistent framework to evaluate visibility and impact. And when paired with Voice Mix and Channel Mix, it becomes easier to see not only how much value is being generated, but where it’s coming from.
To break it down further:
- Voice Mix: shows the share of impact coming from each type of Voice—Media, Influencers, Celebrities, Partners and Owned Media—based on total MIV. This breakdown helps brands understand which of these Voices are driving the most value for them or their competitors, and which may be underutilized.
- Channel Mix: complements this by identifying the specific platforms—whether print, online or social—where brand impact is being generated.
With these insights, teams can track progress over time, set benchmarks tailored to their goals and make informed decisions when planning future campaigns to help work their way up the brand rankings, by focusing on what truly can drive results. .
Now, let’s dive into the current top-performing watch brands in the luxury sector.
Top-Performing Watch Brand Ranking in Q1 2025
| Rank | Brand | MIV® | Placements | Avg. MIV® |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rolex | $192M | 62.3K | $3.08K |
| 2. | Jacob & Co | $58.1M | 4.9K | $11.8K |
| 3. | Omega | $56.8M | 22.6K | $2.51K |
| 4. | Tag Heuer | $53.7M | 18.6K | $2.89K |
| 5. | Audemars Piguet | $49.7M | 15.5K | $3.20K |
| 6. | Patek Philippe | $42.7M | 17K | $2.50K |
| 7. | Richard Mille | $42.5M | 9.9K | $4.26K |
| 8. | Cartier Watches | $42.2M | 13.2K | $3.2K |
| 9. | Hublot | $33.2M | 11.7K | $2.82K |
| 10. | Bulgari Watches | $28.7M | 9.2K | $3.11K |
Strategic Watch Marketing Insights from Key Players Among the Top Watch Brands
1. Rolex: Planned and Unplanned Moments
Celebrated as a symbol of success, Rolex is known for its excellence and personal legacy. To carry this narrative forward, the brand activated a series of planned moments—across sport, entertainment and cultural storytelling—reinforcing its place in the luxury watch-wear market. This garnered $192M across an impressive 62.3K placements.
Rolex executed its strategy through a diverse Voice mix, spanning Media, Influencer, Celebrity, Partner and Owned channels. While both Media (68%) and Influencer Voices (20%) were the top MIV drivers throughout 2024—that same pattern has closely followed in Q1 2025, with added impact from Celebrity and Partner Voices.
As the official timekeeper during a key moment in the sporting calendar, Rolex secured strong media visibility at the Australian Open—generating $2.42M in MIV online and across social media. This was further amplified by top Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner’s victory post, contributing an additional $734K MIV as a high-performing Celebrity Voice. Together, these moments reinforced Rolex’s association with excellence and achievement on the world stage.
Owned Media also played a meaningful role in shaping the brand narrative. Campaigns like “Reach for the Crown” and “Rolex & Cinema” contributed to a total of $5.6M in MIV from owned content, supporting Rolex’s blend of heritage storytelling, cinematic prestige and purpose-led messaging.
Interestingly, the unplanned moments also drove the brand’s presence in other channels. Rolex gained visibility through culturally significant, unprompted moments. For instance, it appeared in WWE’s Elimination Chamber, where John Cena, wrestler and a known Rolex collector, used a Rolex watch in one match—generating $639K MIV. Simultaneously, in an interview with GQ, White Lotus actor Walton Goggins described his vintage Rolex as the “first luxury item he ever bought himself”—an authentic, emotionally resonant moment that framed the watch as a deeply personal heirloom.
Key Takeaway: While a portion of these moments weren’t campaign-driven, they naturally amplified reach and reinforced Rolex as a symbol of earned success.
2. Jacob & Co: At the Centre of Its Own Story
Known for bold design and cultural cachet, Jacob & Co operates at the intersection of high jewellery, celebrity hype and social-first luxury. The brand positioned this with a marketing strategy led by its own Voice, celebrity influence and high-impact social moments.
Jacob & Co. generated $58.1M in total MIV across 4.9K placements—a 21% rise compared to the previous quarter. The brand executed its strategy through multiple Voices—with both Media (33%) and Influencer Voices (31%) being the top MIV drivers.
Owned Media was the brand’s most powerful Voice, accounting for 39% of total MIV, as Jacob & Co’s owned channels generated $23M. Paired with this, is founder Jacob Arabo who contributed $5.27M in MIV alone across Instagram and TikTok—averaging $160K per post. As both a founder and public figure, Arabo’s posts place the brand directly in the orbit of celebrity culture: sharing exclusive content on memorable watches, spotlighting celebrity partners and offering a personal lens into his journey and influence behind one of the world’s most culturally driven watch brands.
Jacob & Co’s strategy is unapologetically social-first—with 92% of total MIV coming from social media, and only 7% from online, 1% from print. The real spikes came from celebrity-driven appearances, with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s Instagram post—tied to the #JacobandcoxSalmankhan campaign—leading the quarter, generating $964K MIV alone. Jacob & Co also benefited from South Korean artist G-Dragon ($656K) and actor Don Lee ($579K), both driving February’s peak alongside content featuring Jacob Arabo himself.
In the sporting world, German tennis player Alexander Zverev also played a key role as brand ambassador, generating a total $1.13M MIV. During the Australian Open, he tagged Jacob & Co in multiple posts while wearing the brand’s watch, ensuring visibility in key sporting and lifestyle moments. This reinforces for many watch brands, tennis remains a strategic space for product placement and visibility, and Zverev’s presence helped keep Jacob & Co part of that conversation.
Key Takeaway: Jacob & Co’s visibility wasn’t built around a single campaign. When it comes to watch marketing, the brand’s momentum this quarter was in the power of the brand itself. And at the centre of it all: the presence of Jacob Arabo himself, orchestrating the narrative in real time.
3. Omega: The Big Three
Omega’s reputation for precision, prestige and cultural association spans from timekeeping in sports to appearances on the red carpet. Leaning into this further, it crafted a strategy around the perfect trio: celebrity visibility, influencer credibility and product placement. Through this, Omega maintained relevance through a series of well-placed posts and editorial features that reinforced its status in both luxury and lifestyle.
Media remained the dominant Voice, accounting for 64% of total MIV—up from 56% in 2024. This was driven by consistent product features across titles like Harper’s Bazaar ($196K), WSJ Magazine ($198K) and Corriere della Sera ($270K MIV) where a story featuring Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and his space-cleanup mission referenced Omega’s partnership, topping the list as a high-performing media placement.
The next part comes credibility. Omega’s MIV was led by social channels (51%), with its own Instagram account placed as a top Voice at $2M MIV. To amplify its social media presence, both Influencer (17%) and Celebrity (8%) Voices played a key role in keeping the brand top-of-mind in cultural and entertainment circles.
One of the strongest performers was Harry Potter actor Tom Felton’s BAFTA Instagram post, which led all celebrity content at $428K MIV. Following this, Netflix’s Outer Banks actor Chase Stokes ($318K) and Disney’s Zombie actor Milo Manheim ($310K) delivered additional red carpet visibility by tagging Omega on Instagram at premieres, while Neeraj Chopra ($308K), Indian athlete and an official brand ambassador, added authority through a high-performing Instagram post. Together, these timely, credible appearances effortlessly reinforced Omega’s presence across entertainment, sport and lifestyle.
Key Takeaway: Omega’s strategy shows the power of media and red carpet timing, ultimately cementing the important role watches play in product placement and positioning the brand as that familiar face you expect to see at every major event.
Wildcard: Why Mass-Market Brand Fossil Watches Still Deserves a Mention
While this blog centres on luxury watch brand rankings, it’s worth spotlighting how a mass-market player like Fossil uses a different kind of strategy to stay relevant, by tapping into regional markets with emotionally accessible storytelling.
Fossil, known for its stylish and functional watches that are at an accessible price point. Unlike luxury brands that lean into craftsmanship, prestige or exclusivity on a global scale, The brand builds recognition through lifestyle-led narratives, relatability and consistent regional engagement.
Fossil generated $9.38M in MIV® across 2.2K placements. While the US led in MIV ($4M), India followed closely behind ($2.86M), signalling how its regional watch marketing strategy is paying off.
Fossil’s Voice mix was led by Owned Media ($4.41M), followed by Media ($2.67M) and Influencer content ($1.3M). This combination has a different balance compared to prestige players and reflects a formula that favours scale, familiarity and emotional relevance.
Its strongest example came from a YouTube placement and Instagram ad placement featuring Bollywood actors Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. Set in a casual bowling alley, the video tells a lighthearted story of good luck and shared moments—culminating in the tagline “Made for passing on the good luck.” With Kriti wearing the revived Harlow and Varun sporting the moto-inspired Machine, both posts earned $821K in MIV® and reinforced Fossil’s positioning as a brand made for everyday connection and celebration.
Other placements echoed this sentiment. Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav’s Instagram post, featuring him tending to plants while wearing the Black and Gold Neutra, added a calm, thoughtful layer to the brand’s narrative. With a caption that spoke to harmony and “love for the little things,” it delivered $364K in MIV® and showed how Fossil uses familiar faces to tell grounded stories rooted in lifestyle.
Key Takeaway: Fossil is leaning into lifestyle on a regional level, The brand shows how mass-market brands can still deliver visibility and relevance within regional markets. By aligning with local culture, beloved personalities and light, universal story-telling, Fossil demonstrates it can make breakthroughs in brand visibility and presence in regional markets.
The Future of Watch Marketing Is Data-Driven
As we’ve seen above in our watch brand ranking, the brands that are winning are the ones that know how to capitalize on cultural moments to make themselves visible to the right audiences and boost their positioning in the market. To keep that momentum and continue on a trajectory of success, brands then need the right data at their fingertips. Data that tells them how their campaigns stack up against competitors, and which Voices and Channels are delivering the most ROI.
With Launchmetrics Insights, you can track your own activity and benchmark against hundreds of Fashion, Lifestyle and Beauty brands using a single, standardized metric: MIV®.
Our software makes it easy to break down which Voices (Media, Influencer, Celebrity, Partner, Owned) and Channels are driving the most Media Impact Value® for both you and your competitors. This lets you see where you’re gaining momentum, where you’re falling behind and what’s working in your market to identify opportunities to capitalize on.
On top of this, you’ll uncover which regions you’re gaining traction in, which campaigns delivered the highest value and how your Share of Voice stacks up against the rest. This kind of benchmarketing empowers you to have the visibility to fine-tune your watch marketing strategy, back up investment decisions and stay ahead in an increasingly crowded market.
This kind of competitive visibility empowers teams to fine-tune their watch marketing strategy, back up investment decisions and stay ahead in an increasingly crowded market.
Want To See Where Your Brand Sits?
Simply request a demo of Launchmetrics Insights and our experts will walk you through how to benchmark your performance and uncover new opportunities.
See Where You Stand Against Your Competitors
By Pawandeep Kaur
