The truth behind Trump-branded watches: from the US$100,000 Victory Tourbillon to the US$800 Fighter featuring the president-elect’s signature – pieces to rival a Rolex or overpriced knock-offs?

After another tense election day, Donald Trump has won the 2024 US presidential election. But let’s skip to the truly gripping saga: Trump-branded luxury watches. These timepieces are flying off the virtual shelves (or at least some appear to be) at the website Trump Watches (gettrumpwatches.com). And since his win, there’s a three-model limited edition Victory line in the collection, priced from US$599 to US$1,199. The Ultra Mega Collector set, comprising seven Victory watches with six different casebacks, is listed at US$5,389. In September, Trump debuted a “very special” line of watches under the auspicious LLC, TheBestWatchesonEarth. The venture sees the president-elect’s name, image and likeness licensed to the company. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WRISTCHECK (@wristcheck) The line-up includes two models: a modest US$800 Fighter edition, and a Victory Tourbillon – clearly aimed at more serious investors – going for a yuge US$100,000. So how does Trump’s latest venture stack up in the luxury watch arena? And now that he’s won the election, will those watches go up in value? (Probably not. But then again, stranger things have happened.) Let’s dive into the specs! Diamonds, gold and … Seiko? What’s in a Trump watch View this post on Instagram A post shared by CEO Times Magazine™ (@ceo.times) According to the Trump Watches website, the tourbillons are crafted with a hefty 200 grams of 18k gold, and a bezel set with “122 VS1-grade diamonds in an elegant display of success and wealth”. Winning! Meanwhile, the Fighters are said to be plated in 18k gold, with a caseback featuring an etching of the president (more on that later). Each piece includes Trump’s signature on the dial or caseback, and comes with a letter – hand-signed, or perhaps just enthusiastically stamped with something like it – from the man himself. All of this sounds impressive (if true), but does it really warrant the price tags? With production runs of 147 for the Victory Tourbillon and up to 1,000 for each colourway of the Fighter (and there are many), these watches aren’t exactly as exclusive as the “limited edition” designation might suggest. Sad! Why is that a big deal? Well, seasoned watch aficionados know that true high-end tourbillons are crafted in tiny batches – often as one-offs or of up to a dozen at a time – precisely because of the time-intensive, hand-finished artistry involved. It’s this scarcity, along with meticulous Swiss craftsmanship, that generally justifies the jaw-dropping price tags. Sure, mass-produced tourbillons exist, but they’re usually priced far below Trump’s US$100,000 shocker. And, as insiders note, the Trump TX07 tourbillon movement probably isn’t entirely Swiss made: it bears a striking resemblance to a movement partially manufactured in China, commonly found in more affordable tourbillons in the four- to five-figure range. As for the Fighter series? It features a Seiko movement. Yes, Seiko – Japanese, not Swiss. They’re selling like hot cakes! Tremendous mark-up aside, a quick scroll through the Trump Watches website reveals that some of the US$800 models have, in fact, already sold out. Interestingly, the ones that have been snapped up look remarkably similar to some holy grail timepieces from a certain well-known Swiss watchmaker. The Pepsi, the Green Submariner, the Platinum Ice Blue Daytona – many of Rolex’s most viral designs seem to have inspired Trump’s collection and were, unsurprisingly, the first to go. It seems that for some buyers, the next best thing to a Rolex is … well, something that could pass for one at a glance. After all, why break the bank when you can capture the “essence” of luxury at a fraction of the cost? For those wondering if people really buy into this, it’s worth noting that Trump’s licensing deals do tend to generate revenue. His recent financial disclosures reveal he made US$7.2 million from a licensing agreement with the company selling digital NFT “trading cards” featuring his likeness. If we’re to believe the figures on the Trump Watches website, these timepieces might have already brought in over US$2 million in revenue – and that’s without counting any high-ticket tourbillons that might have been sold. To buy or not to buy? If you happen to have US$100,000 lying around for a watch, you might do better investing in a couple of gold Rolex Submariners (which cost around US$40,000 each), and you’d still have money left over. As The Bulwark astutely noted: “In the Submariner you get an in-house, state-of-the-art movement running at COSC spec inside a bulletproof case. The fit and finish will be superlative. And even though you’re paying over the odds for the Rolex name, you’re getting 10x the watch for 40 per cent of the price of a Trump Victory.” Maths you can’t argue with! Not that avoiding an argument has ever been high on a Maga supporter’s agenda. Alternatively, for the true watch connoisseur, US$100,000 could nab you as many as five enviable high-end pieces on a Hodinkee round-up – like a chic Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar (Ref. 25548) or the elegant A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia. If some proxy Swiss or German maison doesn’t quite fit your collection, and it’s Trump or bust, you could always make your own knock-off of a knock-off. The Bulwark has a guide on building your very own Trump watch, via the magic of AliExpress, for around US$60. Buyers should be aware, bigly A final note on any potential Trump watch investments: ordering and receiving a Trump watch may come with a few (horological pun intended) complications. For starters, it’s a bit of a mystery where these watches are actually coming from. The company is registered to an LLC in Wyoming – a far cry from the Swiss Jura Arc’s famed workshops and likely a sign these pieces are being dropshipped, probably from China. Whether the watches will resemble their online photos is anyone’s guess, especially since the site warns that the actual product may not exactly match its glossy digital image. Add to that the recent copyright lawsuit from the Associated Press over the image engraved on the Fighter’s back (Trump raising his fist after the infamous assassination attempt in July), and it’s a fair bet the watches customers receive might look a tad different than expected.