IWC Schaffhausen

This team challenge for Hult International Business School evaluates how IWC Schaffhausen can regain control of its fast-growing second-hand market and protect long-term brand equity. As pre-owned luxury watch demand accelerates, the key risk for IWC is value erosion: when pre-owned prices sit significantly below retail, consumer perceptions of exclusivity and investment-worthiness weaken, indirectly pressuring primary sales. Our proposal reframes pre-owned not as a leakage channel, but as a strategic asset—positioning IWC timepieces as collectible, inheritable products that appreciate through verified provenance, refurbishment excellence, and controlled distribution.

We recommend two complementary initiatives. First, an IWC-led Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program that upgrades older watches into curated, authenticated “heritage” pieces—professionally reviewed, restored, and packaged with renewed warranties to justify premium pricing and close the retail–pre-owned gap. Second, a Richemont–wide CPO framework leveraging Watchfinder and the group’s portfolio to create scale, consistent standards, and stronger market influence. Together, these recommendations aim to capture secondary-market value, increase buyer trust, support circularity, and elevate IWC’s position in the resale ecosystem from “depreciating product” to “generational investment.”