Saudi Arabia has a long and rich history of watch collecting, which accounts for a significant and expanding share of the luxury sector, with the local market projected to reach $1.93 billion by 2033. As collecting culture matures, so too does the appetite for watches that carry real weight: rare complications, limited editions, and models with provenance and lasting value. From diplomatic one-offs crafted for Gulf royalty to Arabic-numeral exclusives, here are ten brands shaping the landscape of Saudi watch collecting.
1. Rolex
A watchmaker with serious cultural cachet, Rolex is a mainstay in nearly every local collection. Beyond legacy icons like the Daytona and Submariner, a particularly resonant model is the gold Day-Date 40 with Eastern Arabic numerals – a piece admired for both its cultural fluency and technical pedigree (it was the first watch to display both the day and date). Rarer still is the Datejust 36 ref. 16220, bearing the Kingdom’s coat of arms and the signature of King Fahd. Today, Rolex operates multiple boutiques across Riyadh and Jeddah, and its resale market remains among the most active in the Kingdom.
2. Patek Phillippe
Patek Philippe sits at the apex of Saudi collecting culture – a name that signals discretion, connoisseurship, and heirloom-level significance. While global demand centres on the Nautilus, local collectors often favour rarer, less-publicised pieces: Arabic-dial Calatravas, perpetual calendars, and minute repeaters with Gulf provenance. A standout region-specific example is the ref. 2481 in pink gold, commissioned in the 1950s with an enamel dial depicting King Saud – an extraordinary fusion of Swiss watchmaking and Saudi royal heritage. In contrast to Rolex’s ubiquity, Patek ownership in the Kingdom is quieter and more private, often passed through families or acquired via long-standing retail relationships.
3. Richard Mille
A watch that’s recognisable across any room (or racetrack), Richard Mille has found a cult collector base in Saudi Arabia, marked by the opening of a new flagship in Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre. Relative to the dress-watch polish of a Rolex or Patek, Richard Mille is visually arresting – built around bold, futuristic forms and wholly novel technical features. Popular models like the RM 011 and RM 67-01 are often seen on the wrists of Gulf royals and international athletes, including rare editions with skeletonised dials or Eastern Arabic numerals. The brand made headlines in the Kingdom in September when French alpinist Charles Dubouloz became the first to summit Jabal Raal – the highest peak in the Red Sea region – wearing an RM 67-02 Automatic Winding Extra Flat.
4. Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet resonates with collectors who value design-forward independence over institutional heritage. The Royal Oak is one of the most recognisable silhouettes in modern horology – particularly the discontinued 15202 ‘Jumbo’. A prized Middle East edition in production today is the white-gold Royal Oak 33mm (ref. 67651BC.ZZ.1261BC.01), which leans into high jewellery with its brilliant-cut diamonds and Arabic numerals set against a deep burgundy dial. AP models with Arabic script or regional provenance are appearing more frequently at auction – a reflection of the growing importance of Arab buyers in the wider luxury market.
5. F.P. Journe
F.P. Journe occupies a quieter but deeply respected corner of Saudi watch culture – less visible than a Richard Mille or Rolex, but often held in even higher esteem by true horology purists. Producing just a few hundred watches a year, the brand is still led by François-Paul Journe himself, whose focus on invention over scale has earned him a place among the most revered independent watchmakers of our time. True to its Latin motto ‘Invenit et Fecit’ – ‘he invented it and made it’ – every timepiece is crafted entirely in-house in Geneva. F.P. Journe is yet to open a boutique in Saudi Arabia, but pieces can be reliably sourced on the secondary market, or at retail in the UAE and Qatar.
6. Vacheron Constantin
Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the world’s oldest watchmaker – a historic house that speaks to traditional Gulf collectors. Its appeal lies in polished refinement rather than popularity, with exquisite cloisonné enamel dials, poetic complications, and heritage-led design. In recent years, the maison has released Middle East editions of the Patrimony and Historiques collections with Eastern Arabic numerals – a tasteful nod to the region’s long-standing patronage. Today, Vacheron maintains two boutiques in the Kingdom: one in Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre and another on Jeddah’s Tahlia Street.
7. A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne is one of the few watchmakers outside Switzerland to find favour in local collecting circles. First founded in 1845, this German brand is prized for its exacting mechanics and scholarly, classical aesthetic. After its revival in 1994, the maison made waves with the asymmetric Lange 1 – a now-iconic model that disrupted the norms of dial architecture. Popular pieces in the Kingdom include the Datograph, Zeitwerk, and Richard Lange Tourbillon ‘Pour le Mérite’, all of which showcase the unique craftsmanship of the Glashütte school. A. Lange & Söhne has a boutique in Riyadh’s Al Faisaliyah Centre.
8. Cartier
A love of high jewellery runs deep in Saudi culture, and at the heart of that world is Cartier. Known for its French maison aesthetic and historic ties to royalty, the brand occupies a rare space between horology and haute joaillerie. Women are typically more devoted Cartier collectors than men in Saudi Arabia, drawn to creative timepieces like the blue sapphire-set Ballon Bleu and the sinuous, cuff-like design of the Panthère. Over the years, Cartier has hosted a number of private high jewellery salons across the country and now maintains six boutiques across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar.
9. IWC Schaffhausen
IWC Schaffhausen began producing pilots’ watches in the 1930s, originally engineered for Luftwaffe navigators in need of large, legible timepieces. That legacy of precision continues to resonate in the Gulf, with Saudi collectors favouring its clean, masculine aesthetic and technical reliability. The Big Pilot and Portugieser remain the most coveted models, and in 2021, IWC released a limited Big Pilot 43 Middle East edition featuring Eastern Arabic numerals against a stunning emerald green dial. IWC has multiple boutiques across Riyadh and Jeddah.
10. Hublot
A divisive brand among purists, Hublot enjoys strong traction among younger local collectors. This Swiss watchmaker takes a louder, less conventional approach than most heritage maisons, with oversized cases, exposed screws, and sturdy rubber straps. Over the years, Hublot has released a number of culturally fluent takes on its Big Bang and Classic Fusion lines – from camel-leather straps to pearl-set dials and Eastern Arabic numerals. Its flagship boutique is in Riyadh’s Solitaire Mall, though loyal collectors can also commission bespoke pieces through the brand’s invite-only “Hublotista” programme.
