When watchmakers discontinue lines you have two options: Say goodbye or get ready to splurge.
Brands like Patek, Audemars Piguet and Rolex discontinue watches often. Sometimes, it comes as a shock and precedes a brief period of mourning. Like with the AP Skeleton Openworked 41mm, which we might never get over…
Other times, we know we won’t miss it (good riddance to the Rolex Tridor).
A strange thing happens once a watch stops being produced. Even the less popular pieces return to the spotlight, becoming more desirable and expensive, with the rarity factor now having a say. From discontinued Rolex watches to Pateks, Tudors and Cartiers, this guide keeps you updated whenever a reference comes to the end of its life.
More discontinuations will no doubt be revealed at Watches and Wonders in April, but here are the discontinued watches of 2025 so far…
Patek purges 10 of its watches
We could have called this blog ‘Discontinued Patek Philippe Watches of 2025’, because the watchmaker has been cut-throat in its slashing of lines. And it’s only February.
In just one weekend this month, Patek has silently discontinued 10 of its watches by simply deleting them from its website.
Let’s start with the Nautilus Moonphase Ref. 5712/1A. Rumours about the end of this watch have been circulating for a while, and we had an inkling that it would be next to go. Now, it’s gone. With the recent down-trend of the watch market, steel sports watches seem to be hanging in the balance. The steel Nautilus range just keeps getting thinner, with only a couple of models left in that particular line.
During this discontinuation, a total of four Nautilus references have gone extinct. In addition to the 5712, we said goodbye to the 5719G (white gold Nautilus bedazzled with 1343 diamonds) and the two references of the 7118 (two ladies’ watches with white dials, both with and without the diamond bezel).
The other discontinued Patek watches of 2025 so far are:
- Aquanaut 5167 - the steel bracelet edition of the Aquanaut
- Grand Complication 5208R - the high-end minute repeater in gold
- Calatrava Travel Time 5524G - a pilot’s watch first released in 2015
- Complications 4947G - a white gold piece with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond bezel
- Twenty~4 7300/1450R - ladies’ rose gold watch paved with diamonds
- Grand Complications 537OP-011 - a splits-second timepiece with crocodile skin bracelet
Two skeleton references of the Audemars Piguet Double Balance Wheel Openworked 15407
2025 is Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary. The watchmaker seems to be celebrating by culling its two references of the Double Balance Wheel Openworked 15407, in Steel (ST) and Pink Gold (OR).
The watches have stood strong for almost a decade and were finally discontinued in January this year.
As one of the most sought-after Royal Oaks, we’re confident AP has an extra-special replacement in mind. Maybe a limited edition anniversary piece?
Call Trilogy to track down rare or discontinued watches
Collecting watches is a hobby that keeps you on your toes. You never know which direction Patek, Rolex or anyone else will take things.
Trilogy helps you keep up. Call us to source rare or discontinued watches, or if it’s finally time to acquire a timepiece you’ve been coveting for a while.
We’re at 0203 9298227 or you can visit us at 87B Hatton Garden, London.
FAQs about discontinued watches
Why do brands discontinue watches?
Many people assume brands stop producing certain watches simply because they’re not selling. But it’s usually more strategic than that.
A watch that’s no longer in production becomes exclusive. Collectors and investors want it more (and are willing to pay more) because it’s harder to obtain.
But what about those references that are already popular? Why get rid of them? Often, this is to make way for something fresh. Although watchmakers move in mysterious ways, and we don’t always understand their reasoning (however hard we try).
What does it mean when a watch is discontinued?
Discontinuing a watch means the manufacturer stops producing a particular reference. So, it’s still available to buy on the secondary market, but no new pieces are made.
“The industry is based on constant product innovation,” says Pierre-Yves Donze, a business history professor and Swiss watch specialist. “In general, all watch models are destined to be discontinued.”
Essentially, it’s about keeping up with changing trends and expectations. However, sometimes, a “discontinuation” can simply mean a change to the aesthetics. For example, when a brand discontinues a certain dial to make way for a new shade.
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