Gold fever sends some vintage luxury watches to the melting furnace

An old luxury watch in a furnace to be melted down for gold at Hatton Garden Metals in London on June 10.

LONDON – Omega’s Constellation watch has been flashed in campaigns, movies and at the Met Gala by film stars like George Clooney and Nicole Kidman, turning it into a symbol of luxury and glamour.

But with gold prices near record highs struck in January, some such classic watches are being melted down as the value of their metal content outstrips their resale worth.

Used models by the likes of Omega and LVMH’s TAG Heuer are most hit by the trend, according to Reuters interviews with over a dozen traders, industry experts, and investment advisers.

British dealer Jon White of Gold Traders melted down an 18-carat late-1970s Constellation in excellent condition in May, one of dozens of mainstream luxury watches he has had scrapped in 2026 as demand for investment gold has risen.

“Beautiful watch. But in reality, had the customer consigned that to auction, what would they have achieved?” White, who also manages an auction house, told Reuters.

The gold content of the Constellation watch, one of many models produced by Swatch-owned Omega, was worth £5,750 (S$9,900), 35 per cent more than its estimated £4,000 to £4,500 auction value, White said.

James Lamdin, founder of Watches of Switzerland’s second-hand unit Analog Shift, said melting was “primarily happening with contemporary pre-owned and also with older vintage watches that are not already collectable”.

Spokespeople for Swatch and Rolex said they would not comment for this story. LVMH, Richemont, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet did not respond to requests for comment.

Gold prices surged to a record US$5,600 an ounce in January as geopolitical concerns and trade worries pushed investors towards safe-haven precious metals. Gold now hovers around US$4,200 per ounce, almost double its 2024 average.

“I find it very sad because obviously once something has been melted, it’s gone forever,” said Adrian Hailwood, a specialist in horological history.

Molten gold from old jewellery, including luxury watches, being poured into a mould at Hatton Garden Metals in London on June 10.