Cartier vs Rolex
How the current Cartier and Rolex ranges compare on price and specs, from each brand's published data.
The short answer
Cartier and Rolex are both top luxury watch brands, with very different design approaches. On price, the median Cartier we track lists at $14,200 and the median Rolex at $28,850.
The two brands in numbers
| In our data | Cartier | Rolex |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Richemont | Rolex SA |
| Current references we track | 118 | 101 |
| US list prices | $3,850–$278,000 | $6,200–$181,700 |
| Median US list price | $14,200 | $28,850 |
| Case sizes | 15.2–42 mm | 28–50 mm |
| Movements | Quartz 50%, Automatic 41%, Manual-wind 9% | Automatic 100% |
| Sapphire crystal | 80% | 100% |
| Rated 200 m or more | 0 of 118 | 9 of 101 |
| Certified chronometers (COSC or METAS) | 0 of 118 | 101 of 101 |
Counts cover current references on each brand's site that we track; they are not full catalogues.
Which should you buy?
Lower median US list price ($14,200 vs $28,850).
A larger share of its current range carries COSC or METAS certification, per the brand pages.
More of its range is 38 mm or under (86% vs 37%).
A larger share of its range is mechanical rather than quartz.
Model-by-model comparisons
Browse both ranges
All Cartier collections · All Rolex collections · Cartier price list · Rolex price list
Questions
Is Cartier more expensive than Rolex?
Usually no: in our data the median current Cartier lists at $14,200 in the US and the median Rolex at $28,850. Ranges overlap, so compare specific models.
Are Cartier and Rolex owned by the same company?
No. Cartier belongs to Richemont and Rolex to Rolex SA.
Where does this data come from?
From current references on each brand's own website that we track, summarised in our own words. We haven't tested these watches.
Watch.co is independent and not affiliated with any brand. We haven't handled these watches for this page: everything here comes from brand-published specs and our own analysis. Brand names are used only to identify products.