The returns of the S&P 500 and luxury goods over the past 10 years were compared by Visualcapitalist, based on data from the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index published as part of the 2024 Wealth Report.
Investments in luxury goods compared to the S&P index
| Object | Price changes (Q4 2013− 2023) |
| Rare whiskey | +280% |
| Wine | |
| Watches | +138% |
| Art objects | +105% |
| Cars | +82% |
| Handbags | +67% |
| Coins | +56% |
| Furniture | +40% |
| Jewelry | +37% |
| Colored diamonds | +8% |
| +158% |
Over the past 10 years, rare whiskey has proven to be the most profitable luxury asset, rising in price by 280 % and even surpassed the S&P 500 index in terms of profitability.
After COVID-19, numerous sales records were broken at auctions: collectors are ready to shell out millions for a bottle. For example, in November 2023, a bottle of The Macallan Valerio Adami 60 Year Old (only 40 of these bottles were produced) was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $2.7 million. Before the start of the auction, Sotheby's valued the bottle at $1. 5 million
The next most profitable luxury goods in terms of profitability over 10 years were fine wines and luxury watches with +146% and +138% respectively.
At the very bottom were jewelry (+37%), such as rings and necklaces, as well as colored diamonds (+8%), including rare pink and blue diamonds.