"Very attractive" — Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary on the Muhle Glashütte SAR Rescue Timer

Kevin O'Leary, best known as a prominent investor on Shark Tank, is also recognized for his expertise in luxury watches, having highlighted his collection on several occasions. On January 18, 2025, O'Leary shared his thoughts on the Muhle Glashütte SAR Rescue Timer via an Instagram post, appreciating the watch's design and features. The Shark Tank investor said:

"Very, very attractive. Clean. Nice,"

The SAR Rescue Timer, originally designed for search-and-rescue teams, impressed him with its functionality. The watch, priced at $2,500, caters to both professionals and watch enthusiasts.

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Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary's impressions of the Muhle Glashütte SAR Rescue Timer

In the Instagram post, Kevin O'Leary shared his thoughts on the Muhle Glashütte SAR Rescue Timer, a watch designed for Germany's maritime search and rescue teams. The conversation took place with a watch retailer who provided details about the watch's functionality and construction.

The retailer explained the watch's features:

"This watch is crazy. Meters of water resistance. Screw down crown. The crystal for the sapphire is four millimeters thick alone."

The Shark Tank investor acknowledged the watch's durability and design, while the retailer further elaborated on the creation of the SAR Rescue Timer, noting that it was developed with the specific needs of search and rescue teams in mind. He said:

"They wanted to create a watch for search and rescue missions, for search and rescue teams in Germany,"

Additionally, the retailer discussed the protective features of the watch, such as the rubber bezel. He mentioned:

"That's weird too. I mean a rubber bezel. I mean, but that's also so it doesn't have any of these glancing blows when you're on these decks."

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Kevin O'Leary's passion for watches and their growing market

Kevin O'Leary's interest in watches goes beyond collecting—they are part of his investment strategy. During a November 2023 Benzinga Fintech Deal Day & Awards event in New York City, O'Leary discussed the growth of the watch market, noting that it has outperformed the S&P for the past eight years. The Shark Tank investor explained:

"The watch market has actually beat the S&P now for the eighth year in a row."

O'Leary compared investing in watches to investing in modern art. He emphasized the role of the Asian buyer, particularly from China, in driving the value of watches. He explained that the Chinese buyer has found watches to be an easier asset for storing wealth compared to other assets.

He added that watches have become a preferred choice for storing wealth because they are easier to transport compared to other assets like gold. He explained that while taking a kilogram gold bar across international borders can be problematic, a watch that is worth more than a bar of gold can be easily transported because it sits on your wrist.

At the same Benzinga event, O'Leary also discussed the shift in demand for luxury watches. He noted that pieces like the Daytona Rolex, once considered entry-level, have become one of the preferred options in Asia. The Shark Tank investor stated:

"The Daytona Rolex used to be an entry-level watch for a college student, but now it's one of the most coveted watches on Earth because all of them go to Asia."

In his collection, O'Leary mentioned that he wears two watches at a time. He highlighted his belief that a watch maintains its essence when worn, saying:

"If you don't wear a watch, it loses its soul."

The Shark Tank investor also referred to the growing watch-collecting community in the UAE, where the largest collector in the world resides, explaining that the individual has 29,000 watches valued at over $1 billion, describing it as "a watch collection."

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