Vintage watches tick all the boxes for a new generation of collectors

Celebrities and Gen Z fuel a resurgence in analogue timepieces, with women leading the charge

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources3 outlets

Once dismissed as a ‘grandma’ accessory, vintage watches are enjoying a renaissance among younger buyers, particularly women, as celebrities like Zendaya, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey flaunt heritage timepieces. Entrepreneurs and collectors across Australia report booming demand, with eBay data showing 30 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds are more interested in analogue watches than they were three years ago.

The humble wristwatch is ticking again. A combination of celebrity influence, a desire for sustainable fashion, and a need for tangible investments is driving a surge in interest in vintage timepieces, especially among women and Gen Z.

Tania Duong, 36, swapped a pharmacy career to study watchmaking in Switzerland at the prestigious WOSTEP school, the only woman in her class of eight. Her family has run a watchmaking business for generations in Melbourne. “From the outside, the industry can seem quite intimidating, but I hope my experience can show other women that it’s possible to enter this field, even with minimal experience,” she said.

Melbourne-based Anastasia Tarassova, founder of Atceatera Vintage, has seen the trend flourish through weekly markets and a pop-up store in Carlton. “Watches are very classic, but there’s romance too. They carry memories from childhood,” she said. Her most popular brand is Seiko, and daintier cocktail watches are back in fashion.

Alastair Low, country manager for eBay’s Live platform in Australia, noted that younger buyers are ignoring traditional gender labels. “The younger generation aren’t following the rules of what’s traditionally a ‘men’s’ or ‘women’s watch’. They’re purchasing watches that reflect their style,” he said.

In New York, Brynn Wallner, founder of the women’s watch platform Dimepiece, has championed small watches for years. She pointed to high-profile men like Tyler, The Creator and Bad Bunny wearing smaller timepieces. “To see guys in downtown NYC wear small watches is how I imagine it was in the 1990s and 2000s when women started wearing 40mm+ watches,” she said.

Clare Smith, a former Jaeger-LeCoultre marketing executive, launched vintage watch sourcing business Uncomplicated Times last month. Her clientele skews female. “I want to show people that you can own a vintage Rolex for under $10,000. People just automatically assume it’s a $30,000 watch,” she said. For many, vintage watches offer both value and sentimental meaning.

Cal Best, 27, began collecting Casio G-Shock watches in high school and now runs a successful eBay business. He said the boom supercharged during COVID and sees Gen Z using watches as an alternative to property investment. “The property market is so inflated. So they’re finding a watch to put their money into. I’m even seeing some skip out on buying their first car to buy one,” he said.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The trend signals a shift toward sustainable fashion as younger buyers value longevity over fast trends.
Vintage watches offer an entry point for women into a historically male-dominated industry, both as consumers and professionals.
For Gen Z, vintage timepieces represent a tangible investment in a market where property and traditional assets are increasingly out of reach.

Background

Wristwatches were first popularised as accessories for women, with the earliest known design made for the Queen of Naples in 1816. However, women have long been underrepresented in the watch industry. In recent years, celebrities such as Zendaya, Taylor Swift, Peggy Gou and Lana Del Rey have helped reclaim the old-school accessory. Resale platforms like eBay have responded with authentication programs, and “vintage watch” is the top watch search term on the site over the past year. Australian entrepreneurs are tapping into this demand, from market stalls to luxury sourcing services.

Key Perspectives

Entrepreneurs (Tarassova, Smith, Best): They see growing demand from women and young buyers, with smaller watches and brands like Seiko leading the way. Trust and personal networks are crucial in an intimidating market. Watchmaker (Duong): She hopes to inspire other women to enter the craft, preserving family legacy and an aging trade. Platform (eBay): The resale giant sees 30 per cent of 25-34 year olds more interested in analogue watches, and its live auctionu feature helps sellers like Best attract new customers.

What to Watch

The popularity of small-diameter watches, especially among men, which could further break gendered design norms.
The number of women enrolling in watchmaking programs like WOSTEP and entering the trade.
Growth of authanticated vintage watch sales on plafforums like eBbay, and whether the trend sustains beyond the COVID-era boost.

Sources

How this ‘grandma’ accessory became the coolest celebrity must-have · Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
How this ‘grandma’ accessory became the coolest celebrity must-have · WA Today - Latest News
How this ‘grandma’ accessory became the coolest celebrity must-have · Brisbane Times - Latest News

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedVintage watches “tick all the boxes” for a new generation of collectors.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Data from eBay found that 30 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds are more interested in analogue watches than they were three years ago.”
Partly supportedWomen are “leading the charge” in the watch resurgence.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Alastair Low, country manager for eBay’s Live platform in Australia, agrees women are increasingly investing in the accessory.”
Partly supportedThe resurgence is driven by celebrity influence, sustainable fashion and a desire for tangible investments.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “But this is changing, driven by celebrities like Zendaya, Taylor Swift, Peggy Gou and Lana Del Rey flaunting wrist bling from heritage brands and reclaiming the old-school accessory.”
Partly supportedEntrepreneurs and collectors across Australia report booming demand.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Since opening her store in 2020, Tarassova says business is booming, with the most popular brand being Seiko watches”
SupportedeBay found that 30 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds are more interested in analogue watches than three years ago.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Data from eBay found that 30 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds are more interested in analogue watches than they were three years ago.”
SupportedDuong said: “From the outside, the industry can seem quite intimidating, but I hope my experience can show other women that it’s possible to enter this field, even with minimal experience.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““From the outside, the industry can seem quite intimidating, but I hope my experience can show other women that it’s possible to enter this field, even with minimal experience,” she says.”
SupportedTarassova said: “Watches are very classic, but there’s romance too. They carry memories from childhood.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““Watches are very classic, but there’s romance too. They carry memories from childhood,” she says.”
SupportedLow said younger buyers are not following traditional men’s and women’s watch labels and buy watches that reflect their style.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The younger generation aren’t following the rules of what’s traditionally a ‘men’s’ or ‘women’s watch’,” he says. “They’re purchasing watches that reflect their style and that might be a conversation starter.””
SupportedWallner said: “To see guys in downtown NYC wear small watches is how I imagine it was in the 1990s and 2000s when women started wearing 40mm+ watches.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““To see guys in downtown NYC wear small watches is how I imagine it was in the 1990s and 2000s when women started wearing 40mm+ watches, rebelling against what was being sold to them,” she says.”
SupportedSmith said: “I want to show people that you can own a vintage Rolex for under $10,000. People just automatically assume it’s a $30,000 watch.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““I want to show people that you can own a vintage Rolex for under $10,000. People just automatically assume it’s a $30,000 watch,” she says.”
SupportedBest said some Gen Z buyers skip buying their first car to put money into a watch.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The property market is so inflated. So they’re finding a watch to put their money into. I’m even seeing some skip out on buying their first car to buy one,” he says.”