Donald Trump is selling $100,000 watches. Are they really worth it?
But from a solid Swiss brand, you can get a tourbillon watch for about $15,000
On Thursday, former US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he was selling an Official Trump Watch Collection. Available at GetTrumpWatches.com, the timepieces range in price from $499 and $799 for silver- and gold-toned automatic watches to $100,000 for solid gold watches featuring a tourbillon complication. All are limited edition, with the less expensive "Fighter" models coming in a run of 1,000, and each of the three pricier "Victory Tourbillon" lines limited to 147 numbered pieces, a clear reference to the job of 47th president of the United States now in contention.
Trump, of course, owns yellow gold Victory unit No. 1.
The Fighter watches bear Trump's signature in gold on the dial, and the Victory ones feature it on the back, on a gold disc that can be removed to show a sapphire caseback, through which the inner workings of the watch movement can be admired.
Is $100,000 expensive for a watch like this? Yes.
Obviously, the main argument for such a high price point is that it's limited edition Trump memorabilia and certain fans of his might pay that much. It looks like something Trump himself might wear, and Trump actually does have some nice watches from Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron Constantin.
"Each timepiece will be numbered and feature a personalized message, courtesy of President Trump," the website promises. Plus: "We also accept Bitcoin as payment!"
Without the Trump tie-in, the marketing for the manually wound Victory watch argues for such a high price point in part because the case and bracelet are made almost entirely of 18K gold (rose or yellow) and feature 122 small diamonds on the bezel and lugs. And honestly, blingy all-gold watches are in. But you can get a Rolex Day Date in solid gold with diamonds for about $60,000, and that's from the number one watchmaker in the world.
The other argument for the steep price is the tourbillon complication. A tourbillon is a rotating cage that steadily spins a key part of the watch's engine (the balance wheel, escapement and balance spring) so that gravity doesn't effect timekeeping. The device was invented in 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, who sold timepieces to Napoleon and Marie Antoinette. It's complex and difficult to produce and maintain, so watches with them tend to be pricey.
But from a solid Swiss brand such as Frederique Constant, which makes its movements in house, you can get a tourbillon watch for about $15,000.
The Trump watches, which are being sold by a company called BestWatchesOnEarth LLC that licensed the Trump name, appear to be Swiss movements and cases that have been purchased off the shelf. This is pretty common. But watches made this way don't usually climb up to the six figures.
The GetTrumpWatches.com website warns that "images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the product," so we don't really know if the watches will look luxe, or be well-finished. A very good version of this combo, a white gold tourbillon watch with (bigger) diamonds on the dial, made in-house by the top tier brand Audemars Piguet, will set you back $240,000.
Wondering what other watches you could get for around the price of a Trump Victory? Here are four super-coveted examples among watch aficionados, from the top Swiss brands in the industry, that you could nab for less. (These also feature a name-brand markup, just from a luxury company, not a politician.)
Rolex Platinum Cosmograph Daytona
New in 2023, this hefty watch made of solid platinum is in one of Rolex's most sought-after lines has a striking ice blue dial and brown cerachrom bezel.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph
This rose gold Overseas with a green dial was part of a new line that came out earlier this year. Pink and green as a combo was the hottest trend of 2024.
Patek Philippe Rose Gold Nautilus
It's not easy to get allocated a watch like this from an authorized Patek dealer, but owning any Nautilus comes with eternal bragging rights.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph
Like the Trump watches, this gold-on-gold stunner will grab attention anywhere.