What does “Discontinued” mean?

A discontinued watch is a reference the brand has stopped producing, often shortened to 'disco' or 'disco'd' in dealer chat. Brands usually retire a reference when they introduce an updated version, change the movement, case size or bracelet, or drop a dial colour. Many brands announce new and retired models at the watch fairs held each spring, though some changes happen quietly.

Discontinuation often pushes prices up, because the supply of new pieces stops and some buyers want the last version before the change. It isn't automatic, though: if the replacement is clearly better, or the old model was never popular, prices can stay flat or even fall. Dealers follow discontinuation news closely because it can change the value of their stock overnight, and they pay attention to details that belong to the final production years, such as the last dial or bracelet variations.

Example: 'Disco'd last year, last series with this dial, full set, card dated the final year of production.'