Everyone knows that most expensive watches cost a lot of money. But sometimes, the reselling price of a popular look can be much higher than its original RRP. The most expensive watches in the world could cost as much as a yacht.
They range from (very) limited versions to grand complications that show off their high level of craftsmanship. That or a home in Chelsea. It may seem like standard marketing speak to say that “quality means cost,” but these watches, which were the most expensive ever sold at auction, are proof.
1. PIAGET EMPERADOR TEMPLE
SOLD FOR: $3.3M
Piaget emperador temple are the most expensive watch. Are you up for making a mugger’s day? Think of the Emperador Temple as the right watch for the job. With 481 brilliant-cut diamonds, it’s completely covered in ice, and the price will reflect that. An extra tourbillon inside the inner chamber has a Polynesian mother-of-pearl face set with 162 more diamonds. What could be better than getting two for the price of one? Offer (kind of).
2. 1949 PATEK PHILIPPE STEEL PERPETUAL CALENDAR
SOLD FOR: $4.1M
Getting their dad’s old watch would be an honour for most guys, but it won’t be as old or well-made as this 1949 Patek Philippe. Hand-painted dials are expensive watch, but the watch’s vintage look and high-quality gears helped it sell at an all-time high price at Christie’s in 2008.
3. LOUIS MOINET METEORIS
SOLD FOR: $4.6M
Prices for Swiss watches are generally out of this world, making Louis Moinet take off into space. There is a piece of rare Dhofar 459 moon rock on the Meteoris. Four were never made. Still, a Virgin space trip is less expensive.
4. BREGUET 1814 FILS CHRONOGRAPH POCKET WATCH
SOLD FOR: $4.7M
Marie Antoinette wasn’t known for being humble; her fancy tastes killed her. However, she left a legacy in the art of making watches. This two-movement pocket watch was made by Breguet, a Swiss company that Her Majesty often buys things from. Combining a long life with a well-known name could give you severe cashback.
5. HUBLOT DIAMOND BIG BANG
SOLD FOR: $5M
Hublot, unlike many other companies, doesn’t follow the rules. This wrist award covered in diamonds shouldn’t be a surprise, given its love of showiness. Finding the 1,280 diamonds that were needed took more than a year. Then, it took three years for a jeweller to hand-cut each stone with the same signature. Having time is worth money.
6. PATEK PHILIPPE YELLOW GOLD CALIBRE 89
SOLD FOR: $5.2M
Patek has a few watches on this list, which is not a surprise since they are one of the most famous watchmakers in the world. Pieces like the Calibre 89 make that status even stronger. The pocket watch was created to honour the brand’s 150th anniversary. At the time, it was the “most complicated watch in the world,” with 24 hands, 1,728 parts, a thermometer, and a star chart feature. (That wasn’t a joke.)
7. PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 1518
SOLD FOR: $11.1M
This year, Patek Philippe received a record-breaking sale thanks to the Ref. 1518, a wristwatch from the 1940s, of which only four exist. Unlike other watches in the collection, the 1518 is made of stainless steel, which is unusual for a Patek watch. Naturally, scarcity gets you rubles.
8. HENRY GRAVES BY PATEK PHILIPPE SUPER COMPLICATION
SOLD FOR: $24M
In November 2014, Patek’s Henry Graves Supercomplication was the most valuable watch that Sotheby’s sold. It took over eight years to make the famous pocket watch, resulting from a collectors’ competition. Graves wanted something better than James Ward Packard’s Grande Complication, so he hired Patek to do the hard work—the way you do it.
9. 201-CARAT CHOPARD
SOLD FOR: $25M
If you thought Hublot and Piaget had too many diamonds, Chopard pushed the stone out with this 201ct monster. Blue diamonds, yellow diamonds, white gold, and yellow gold are all there, but the brand’s customary finesse is missing. You, too, could have a watch that would feed a small country for ten years for $25 million.
10. BREGUET GRANDE COMPLICATION MARIE-ANTOINETTE
SOLD FOR: $30M
Even though we’ve talked about Breguet’s work for the Dauphine of France, this pocket watch started it all (and broke all the records). One of the queen’s lovers is said to have ordered the Grande Complication, made by two generations of the Breguet family. Marie was distraught that it wasn’t finished until 34 years after she was put to death.
