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No listed price: Nicolas G. Hayek of Breguet unveils its Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket watch number 1160 in april 2008.
  • No listed price: Nicolas G. Hayek of Breguet unveils its Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket watch number 1160 in april 2008.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch: Patek Philippe Henry Graves Super Complication Pocket Watch sold for US$24 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 11, 2014, setting a new record price for any timepiece sold at auction.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #2: Chopard 201 Carat Watch featuring 874 diamonds in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The watch's pricetag is US$25 million in early 2000 making it the most expensive watch in the world.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #3: Patek Philippe Reference 1527 Wristwatch: US$5,708,833.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #4: Breguet & Fils, Paris No. 2667 Precision Stop Watch. Sold at Christie's Auction in Geneva for US$4,682,165 on May 14, 2012.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #5: Louis Moinet Meteoris Watch: US$4,599,487.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #6: Vacheron Constantin Tour de I'lle Watch. Released in 2005 in a limited edition of 7 pieces to commemorate the manufacturer's 250th anniversary. The most complicated continually produced wristwatch with 16 complications and 834 individual parts. Price: US$3,950,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #7: Patek Philippe Reference 2499, limited edition (only five pieces): US$3,655,757.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #8: 1928 Patek Philippe 18k white gold cushion-shaped single-button chronograph sold for US$3,637,408 at Christie's Auctions in Geneva on May 16, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #9: Piaget Emperador Temple Watch US$3.3 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #10: Patek Philippe 1953 Model 2523 Heures Universelles Watch: US$2,899,373.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #11: Cartier Secret Watch with Phoenix Decor. Price: US$2,755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #12: Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 watch. The most complicated wrist watch ever made in the world: 36 complications, 1483 components, 99 jewels. Price: US$2,700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #13: Parmigiani Fleurier Fibonacci Pocket Watch: US$2.4 Million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #14: Patek Philippe Model 1591 (1944): US$$2,263,964.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #15: Patek Philippe The Grogan (1925) Gold Chronograph Watch. One of the first watches made for a lefty. Price: US$1,945,040.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #16: Vacheron Constantin Grand Complication, Movement No. 37555, Case No. 231922, pocket watch in 20-carat gold made for James Ward Packard in 1918 brought US$1,800,000 at Christie’s New York auction on June 15, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #17: Patek Philippe Single Button Chronograph Watch: US$1,773,206.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #18: Patek Philippe Pilot Watch, 1936 model. Sold for over US$1,710,690 at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #19: Richard Mille Sapphire Crystal Watch: RM 56 Felipe Massa Sapphire. Limited edition: 5 pieces. Price: US$1.7 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #20: Blancpain Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants Watch. Features 735 diamond stones (20.14 carats) encrusted on a 18k white gold 3 piece case set and 29 added jewels placed on the automatic caliber 25A tourbillon movement. Price: US$1,342,700.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #21: Vacheron Constantin Kalla Duchesse Métiers d'Art watch (reference: 81750/S01G-9198) 36 × 45 mm in 18K white gold set with 837 baguette-cut diamonds and 1 round-cut diamond, certified Hallmark of Geneva. Fully paved dial and bracelet, diamond-set crown. Vacheron Constantin Manufacture hand-wound mechanical movement 1400. Price: US$1,275,000
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #22: Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon in yellow gold, Ref. 5002, sold for US$1.2 million at the Patrizzi & Co. auction in New York on October 7, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #23: Chopard Super Ice Cube Watch. Price: US$1,130,260.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #24: Hublot One Million $ Black Caviar Bang Watch. 550 diamonds are all over the watch, with a total of 34.5 carats. Won the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève prize for jewelery watch of the year 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #25: Ulysse Nardin Royal Blue Tourbillion watch. Has a platinum case and bracelet and is set with a total of 568 baguette-cut Top Wesselton diamonds (33.8 carats) and 234 baguette-cut royal blue sapphires (16.79 carats). Limited edition: 30 pieces. Price: US$1 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #26: Jacob & Co. Crystal Tourbillon watch. The 18 carat white gold case of the Crystal Tourbillion is covered in 17.48 carats of baguette diamonds and has a transparent skeleton tourbillon dial. Price: US$900,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #27: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Grande Complication. Selfwinding watch with perpetual calendar indicating the day, the date, the week, the moon phases, the month and the leap years, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph and small seconds at 9 o'clock. 950 platinum case, white classic dial, blue strap. Price: US$$780,600.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #28: Breguet Classique 5349 Grande Complication. It contains more than 570 parts and has three patents to protect its 'superior precision and technological mastery'. Price: US$755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #29: Omega Constellation Baguette watch. 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats. There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely covering the 18 carat white gold case. Price: US$$708,742.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #30: Vacheron Constantin Malte regulator tourbillon high jewellery watch. Has 263 baguette-cut diamonds in the dial and 274 baguette-cut diamonds in the case. Price: US$700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #31: Richard Mille RM 27-01 Raphael Nadal. Limited edition of 50 timepieces. Weight: just 19 g. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #32: Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillion. 531 parts are used for two separate double tourbillons. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #33: Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillion. Jewels: 38. Power reserve: min. 96 hours. Price: US$625,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #34: A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph 'Pour le Mérite'. Limited edition: 50 units. Price: US$515,947.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #35: Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical watch. Limited series of 135 pieces. Price: US$400,000.

The Most Expensive Watches In The World: Top 1-35

World's Most Expensive Watches News & Resources Top 35 Most Expensive Watches in the World
35 most expensive watches 1200+ Watch Brands: A-Z Pre-Owned Watch Sellers (Top 15)
Private Label Watches (Top 25) Smartwatches (Top 50 brands) Watch Auctions (Top 15)
Watch Awards & Prizes (Top 4) Watch Bands & Straps (Top 80) Watch Books & Watch Store
Watch Boxes & Rolls (Top 50) Watch Brands: A-Z (1200+) Watch Events (Top 20)
Watch Maker Groups (Top 15) Watch Media (Top 50) Watch Museums (Top 50)
Watch News & Resources: A-Z (250+) Watch Safes (Top 20) Watch Winders (Top 30)
    World's Most Expensive Watches News, Reviews & Resources
  • 5 of the top luxurious timepieces - Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime.
  • 5 Dazzling Bejeweled Watches Unveiled At Watches & Wonders 2023 - "The luxury brands at Watches & Wonders that have both fine jewelry and watch expertise are the most prolific in producing these watches. They include Cartier, Chopard, Piaget and Van Cleef & Arpels. Meanwhile, the high fashion brand, Chanel, put its own unique spin on these timepieces."
  • 5 Most expensive watches in the world - "5 of the top luxurious timepieces. For centuries, people have been creating watches that are more than just functional timepieces but also intricate works of art. They’re also a symbol of wealth, luxury, and status. These watches are often designed with precious metals, diamonds, and other rare and valuable materials that make them not only stunning but also extremely expensive. Below you can explore 5 of the topmost expensive watches in the world."
  • 5 of the world's most expensive watches - "What sort of watch might Parisian horologist Abraham-Louis Breguet make if he were alive today? Truthfully, the 'godfather of modern watchmaking' - who is credited with industrializing fine watchmaking and countless technological innovations - probably wouldn't be making watches at all. As a master of practical, innovative and beautiful problem-solving, he would more likely be making a killing in Silicon Valley."
  • 7 richest billionaires' expensive watches - "Ranked: from Warren Buffett’s Rolex and Elon Musk’s Richard Mille, to Bernard Arnault’s Patek Philippe and Jeff Bezos’ Ulysse Nardin."
  • $7.8 Million Patek Philippe Silk Road Watch Claims World Record.
  • $7.8 Million Patek Philippe Silk Road Watch Claims World Record - "Watch fans will recognise the watch as 'The Silk Road,' so dubbed for its depiction of the Eurasian landmass. It’s also the first of 11 Ref. 2523 models, and it’s one of only three with the Eurasian design. The watch has a cloisonné enamel dial. Two crowns are used on the watch - one to wind it and the other to control the city ring. The city ring allows the wearer to calculate the current time in 40 cities, all of which are listed on the watch’s circumference. Powering the watch is a Swiss 'time only' 12-ligne movement (cal. 12-400), which was personally modified by Louis Cottier, who invented the world time system."
  • 10 Most Expensive Watches of 2024 (So Far) - "From Patek Philippe to Audemars Piguet, Breguet and Jacob & Co, these are the priciest—and most astounding—watches of the year."
  • 10 Most Important Rolex Watches Ever Made - "From the Submariner to the Day-Date, these watches made history and defined a brand. 1926: The Oyster - 1945: The Datejust - 1950: The Oyster Perpetual - 1953: The Submariner - 1954: The GMT Master - 1956: The Milgauss."
  • 10 Of The Greatest Missing Watches In History - "Since Part One, some of history's missing watches have been found. But from Lennon to Aldrin and even J.P. Morgan, here are 10 watches we're still hoping to find."
  • 12 Of The Greatest Missing Watches - "Paul Newman's Paul Newman, John Lennon's Patek Philippe, The Original Moonwatch, And A President's President have all disappeared."
  • 15 most expensive & coveted Patek Philippe watches - "Among the greats of high horology, Patek Philippe has presented numerous extraordinary timepieces over the years - many of which are deserving of attention and interest."
  • 17 Most Expensive Watches Ever In 2023.
  • 17 Most Expensive Watches Ever In 2023 - "From the best in bling to the rarest limited edition luxury watches, we’ll take a look at the 15 most expensive watches ever sold, and only from the best watchmakers on the planet."
  • 22 watch hands every collector should know - "Everything you need to know about the different watch hands in the world of timepieces, from Rolex's Lightning Bolt to Omega's Rocket Ship."
  • 50 Most Important Watches Ever - "From design landmarks to technical firsts to models that invented a whole new category, these watches have had a substantial impact on watchmaking."
  • $300 Million Watch Collection - "Patrick Getreide amassed the one-of-a-kind OAK Collection over five decades. Now the French entrepreneur believes the time is right to sell 142 of his rare treasures at Christie’s this month."
  • A Collector's Guide: The Cartier Crash - "As the Crash becomes one of the most collectible watches on the planet today, we dissect its historical significance, explore its myriad iterations and chart its price performance over time."
  • A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen. Price: €620,000.
  • A. Lange & SÖhne DATOGRAPH PERPETUAL TOURBILLON HONEYGOLD “Lumen” - "25 years after the launch of the DATOGRAPH, A. Lange & Söhne introduces a bold new interpretation: the DATOGRAPH PERPETUAL TOURBILLON HONEYGOLD “Lumen”. At Watches and Wonders 2024, the timepiece combining a flyback chronograph with a precisely jumping minute counter, perpetual calendar with outsize date, and tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism will be presented for the first time in Lange-exclusive honey gold (HONEYGOLD®) and as a “Lumen” version, limited to 50 watches. Price: €620,000."
  • A. Lange & SÖhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen - "This lusciously luminous piece ranks as one of the most complicated watches Lange has ever produced, both technically and aesthetically."
  • Are these the most expensive watches ever sold? - The Telegraph.
  • Art Of Time: Why Premium Watches Are More Than Just Accessories - "In a world dominated by smartphones, premium watches continue to hold their allure. Discover why investing in a luxury watch goes beyond the practical. Premium watches are far more than timekeepers - they are symbols of craftsmanship, personal expression, and achievement. They tell stories, create emotional connections, and can even appreciate over time."
  • Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Luxury Watches: How to Start, Model Comparisons & More - "When you hear the word 'investment', what comes to mind? We’re guessing traditional instruments like stocks, real estate or bonds. But what about luxury watches? Luxury watches are more than just fancy timepieces. They’re also specimens of precision and craftsmanship, make beautiful family heirlooms, and can be good investments - if you pick the right ones."
  • billionaire commissioned Vacheron Constantin to create the world’s most complicated watch - "With 63 different complications, 2,877 parts, and 31 hands, it took the watchmaker a year just to assemble the multi million dollar timepiece."
  • Tourbillon pocket watch (1188) sold on August 1, 1808 to Don Antonio de Bourbon, Infante of Spain for 3600 francs.
  • Breguet No. 1188 tourbillon chronometer - bought for almost CHF 2,150,000 (hammer price CHF 1,950,000) at the Antiquorum sale of October 20, 2002 in Geneva.
  • Breguet Showcases The Art Of Watchmaking With Its 'Inhabiting Time' Exhibition At Frieze Los Angeles - "For the second year in a row, the historic Swiss watch manufacturer Breguet partnered with the Frieze International Art Fair to create a series of exhibitions that explore the intersection between watchmaking and art."
  • COSC Chronometer Certification Mean for Your Watch? - "When collectors refer to their watches as being 'COSC certified', it means the chronometer certification comes from the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres. Focusing on the standards of the COSC, certification criteria is based on ISO 3159 standards."
  • Every Major Luxury Watch Brand Ranked Worst To Best - "Luxury watches are the ultimate status symbol accessory. The rich and famous - from celebrities to influencers to royalty - are often found sporting the latest designs from the most illustrious watchmakers around the world. From Switzerland to Germany, France, and even the United States, the distinction of having a watch from one of the big names is a statement in itself. Even if the faceplate isn't diamond-encrusted, wearing a watch in this category will set you apart. We're looking at every major luxury watch brand ranked worst to best in a comprehensive guide that will make you a watch expert in no time.."
  • gold watches: Everything you need to know about gold watches - "Even though we can understand innately that gold is valuable, there are a lot of factors to consider when you’re faced with a gold watch."
  • How a luxury watch brand has become the ultimate status symbol for young celebrities - "From Joe DiMaggio to Albert Einstein, Princess Diana to Victoria Beckham, watchmaker Patek Philippe has long been a celebrity favorite. But the Swiss brand's reputation has taken an unexpected turn in recent years."
  • How personalised watches became a cult collector’s item - "Stoned! A new Piaget customisation service revisits a glorious era in 1960s design."
  • How the Cartier Crash Became The Most Important Vintage Watch of 2021 - "A new world-record auction price for the Crash is just the latest chapter in the history of this surreal Cartier."
  • How The Rolex Day-Date Became A Million-Dollar Watch - "A guide to the quintessential power watch."
  • How to buy a Rolex, according to the experts - "A no-fuss guide to getting your hands on your ultimate grail watch."
  • How to Invest in the Skyrocketing Watch Market - "The watch world has never been hotter, with demand skyrocketing right as supply slows to a trickle. But if you know where to look - and who to talk to, and how to spot value in an ocean of excess - there's no better time than now to find an investment-grade grail."
  • How To Recognize When A Vintage Watch Was Made At A Glance - "Can you pinpoint a decade when you see a vintage watch?"
  • iconic watches for men of all time - "These are the watches that changed the world."
  • If It’s Expensive, Does That Make It a Luxury Watch? - "There are several reasons brands increased their prices in recent years, and positioning certainly was one of them." The New York Times.
  • In-Depth: Patek Philippe Grand Complication with Double Split-Chronographs Ref. 767 - "An incredible, landmark pocket watch."
  • Investment-grade Rolex & Patek Philippe watches are bad news for the industry - "Trusting the market is normally good advice, but what if the free market damages the reputation of its most successful brands? That is the danger facing Rolex and Patek Philippe now that almost nobody is able buy their most popular watches and their authorised dealers are being pitched into ugly fights with some of their most loyal clients. Where will it all end? Robin Swithinbank analyses the forces that are sucking the joy out of luxury watches."
  • Jack Nicklaus' iconic Rolex watch is being auctioned off - "You won't believe how much money it could be worth."
  • Jacob & Co. $20 million Billionaire Timeless Treasure Tourbillon Yellow Diamond watch.
  • Jacob & Co. Unveils $20 Million Yellow Diamond Watch - "On March 27 in Geneva, concurrent with the Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023 exhibition, Jacob & Co. unveiled its $20 million Billionaire Timeless Treasure Yellow Diamond watch that is a complex tourbillon timepiece totally ensconced in 425 Asscher-Cut Fancy Yellow and Intense Yellow diamonds. The feat of simply collecting and cutting all of the highest color and quality of matching diamonds alone took three and a half years."
  • Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph.
  • King Charles' Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph Is A Real Collector's Choice - "What's a watch fit for a king? As the newly ascended King Charles III has shown over the past few days of public mourning over the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, it might not always be the watch you expect. But for the new king, who's always been stylish, with a taste for the artisanal, the watch he's been wearing just makes sense."
  • Luxury Investments Around the World Compared - infographic - "Do you enjoy the finer things in life? For many of the world’s wealthy individuals, acquiring luxury goods such as art, fine wine, and watches is a passion. Unlike traditional investments in financial assets, luxury goods can be difficult to value if one does not have an appreciation for their form. A rare painting, for example, does not generate cash flows, meaning its value is truly in the eye of the beholder. To gain some insight into the market for luxury goods, this infographic takes data from Knight Frank’s 2021 Wealth Report to compare the preferences of nine global regions."
  • Luxury watch shortage drives growth of $20 billion secondhand market as start-ups rush to cash in - "A rush of companies are vying to become the eBay of high-end horology - including the storied online marketplace itself. Demand for high-end watches exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the Big Four watch brands - Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille - are holding firm on the limited production runs that make their timepieces so rare. The result is an online boom in the business of buying, selling and flipping pre-owned and vintage watches and a growing number of start-ups competing to become the dominant digital marketplace."
  • Marlon Brando’s ‘Apocalypse Now’ Rolex Sells for $1.95 Million - "The watch is notable for missing the 24-hour bezel that GMT-Master is known for—Brando is said to have popped it off on set of the movie - and inscribed with his name on the back. The piece was considered missing by Rolex collectors until it came up for auction at Phillips' Game Changers sale in New York held on December 10."
  • Most expensive watches sold at auction - The Telegraph.
  • No Listed price: - Nicolas G. Hayek of Breguet unveils its Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket watch number 1160 in april 2008.
  • Not Even the Rich Can Buy Fancy Watches - "If you’re in the market for a $25,000 Rolex, you better know a guy. And you better have $50,000."
  • Parmigiani Fleurier’s La Rose CarrÉe Is A Once-In-A-Lifetime Watch For A 25th Anniversary - "Parmigiani Fleurier’s La Rose Carrée is one of those just-because-we-could masterpieces that come along once in awhile to demonstrate how the craft of watchmaking can be raised to the level of art. Every millimeter of the watch was touched by the hands of artisans at the top of their craft, including watchmakers, restorers, enamelers, engravers, chain makers, case makers and dial makers."
  • Patek Philippe Becomes Most Expensive Wristwatch Ever Sold at Geneva Charity Auction - BloombergBusiness.
  • Patek Philippe Is Not Happy Sylvester Stallone Flipped That $5.4 Million Grand Master Chime - "Sly selling his watch after a few years of ownership seems to have angered Thierry Stern and the collecting community. It’s well understood that if a brand like Rolex or Patek Philippe learns you’ve sold a hot watch you bought at retail, then you’re most likely not going to get an opportunity to buy from that brand again."
  • Patek Philippe is the king of high watchmaking - "We look at two key models that demonstrate how and why Patek Philippe is the very best when it comes to high watchmaking."
  • Patek Philippe Just Unveiled Its 2023 Rare Handcrafts Collection - "Here Are the Most Exceptional Pieces. Naturally, each one-of-a-kind creation is very, very hard to get."
  • Patek Philippe Ref. 2497.
  • Patek Philippe Ref. 2497 - "It's almost more freeing to gawk at the rarest watches without worrying if you'll be able to buy them. But if you are buying, we’ve got you covered too."
  • Patek Philippe Ref. 2499: A Guide To This Iconic Vintage Investment - "The world of vintage Patek Philippe is full of iconic, rare and high-performing watches, to say the least. Reference 2499, a perpetual calendar chronograph that stands out as a collector favorite, played an important role in shaping the history for the brand and its grand complications."
  • Patek Philippe Reference 2499/100 Fetches $607,590 At Phillips Auction - "A Patek Philippe Reference 2499/100, 18k yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph with moon phases, circa 1982, was the top lot at Phillips with Bacs & Russo Hong Kong Watch Auction: X, held Friday. It sold for $607,590, within estimates."
  • Patek Philippe Steel Sonnerie Minute Repeater Sells For $17.3 Million In Return Of Only Watch - "While the Christie's website was down, it didn't stop the bidding for Patek, Journe, Rexhepi, and others."
  • Paul Newman Rolex Sells at Auction for Record $17.8 Million - The New York Times.
  • Phillips Sets Four World Records At Its Biggest Asian Watch Auction Ever, Totaling Nearly $25 Million - "The vintage watch craze continues. Phillips just held its biggest watch auction ever in Asia, for a total of $24,650,748. The top four lots in the Hong Kong Watch Auction XII were Patek Philippes - no surprise there - but the next six pieces at the top of the sale were smaller or independent brands. There were no Rolexes in the top ten." The top lot was a Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 that sold for $1,981,838.
  • Phillips Sets World Record for $74.5 Million Watch Auction.
  • Phillips Sets World Record for $74.5 Million Watch Auction - "Led by Philippe Dufour, Phillips’s $74.5 Million Watch Auction Shattered Multiple World Records. Dufour's Grande et Petite Sonnerie was the headliner and set a record for the most expensive independent watch ever sold."
  • Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 (1950) - Lot 89. Sold for: US$1,814,500.
  • Phillips Watches to auction rare timepieces from Patek Philippe, Rolex & more - "One watch could sell for more than $2 million. If you’ve ever dreamed of strapping a piece of history onto your wrist, brace yourself because Phillips Watches is about to make your fantasies a reality. The upcoming New York Watch Auction: NINE, set to unfold on December 9-10 at the illustrious 432 Park Avenue, promises an unprecedented spectacle of horological wonders. This extravaganza, billed as the company’s most diverse offering of watches for men ever in the Americas, is poised to shake the watch-collecting world to its core."
  • Pocket watch from 1982 sells for record amount at auction - "Pocket watch inspired by the moon landing sells for record $4.5 million."
  • Rolex & Cartier tipped for best investment watches in 2022 - "Rising demand and continuing scarcity will make Rolex and Cartier two of the hottest investment watch brands in 2022, according to secondary market specialist The RealReal. Next year will be building on one of the hottest growth periods in history for the luxury watch business, leading to extreme shortages at authorised dealers and soaring prices on the grey and pre-owned markets."
  • Rolex is a mere pretender to the Patek Philippe crown at watch auctions.
  • Rolex is a mere pretender to the Patek Philippe crown at watch auctions - "Rolex made such a splash in 2017 when a Paul Newman-owned Daytona sold for $17.5 million that the casual observer might think it has dominated the auction world’s top ranked sales ever since. Not so, observes Simon De Burton, who sees Patek Philippe firmly maintaining its reputation as the king of auction brands and a number of rising stars like Cartier, F. P. Journe and Philippe Dufour regularly grabbing the attention of expert collectors."
  • Rolex King Midas.
  • Rolex King Midas - "The late legendary watch designer, Gérald Genta had plenty of hits to his name: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, and the Cartier Pasha - just to name a few. But did you know that he had a hand in designing a Rolex watch too? The Rolex King Midas to be exact, and in true Genta form, this is far from your traditional, run-of-the-mill design."
  • Rolex makes more than 123 watch models - most of them are worth more used - "Over the last few years, the luxury watch resale market focused on the top three Swiss brands, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and of course, Rolex. The big three brands still command a premium on the pre-owned market over retail, per a new report from Morgan Stanley using WatchCharts data. Eighty-nine of Rolex's 123 current models included in the analysis are worth more used than new. The report considers each unique variant (steel, gold, etc.) within the various collections (i.e., Datejust, Yacht Master, etc.) presently being made and sold via authorized dealers. The popular Daytona and SkyDweller collections were excluded for Rolex, since they were overhauled earlier this year, and data is still coming in. Surprisingly, the model with the biggest relative increase in value is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 with a turquoise dial that sells new for $6,100 but trades for more than twice that secondhand."
  • Sam Altman's Ultra-Rare, Half-Million Dollar Watch - "Sam Altman's $480,000 watch, the Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1, is so rare only 33 were ever made."
  • Sotheby's New York Achieves a Personal Best With Sale of US$9.6m Patek Philippe - "The new-to-market chronograph came from a royal estate."
  • Sylvester Stallone's Grandmaster Chime Sells For $5.4 Million, Evaluating Vintage Patek Philippe Condition & More From New York - "Up close and way too personal with three Patek 1463 chronographs to discuss condition."
  • The First Patek Philippe Tiffany Blue 170th Anniversary Nautilus Has Sold for a Staggering US$6.5 Million - "History has just been made at Phillips New York with the sale of the very first Patek Philippe Tiffany & Co. 5711/1A-018 Nautilus."
  • The most incredible bejeweled watches at Paris Couture - The Telegraph.
  • The perfect 6 watch collection - picked by ChatGPT - "We thought we might want to have some fun with this newfangled technology. Hence, we logged onto ChatGPT and decided to ask the AI chatbot to craft the perfect six-watch collection. Here’s what the AI had selected. With our own thoughts thrown in for good measure."
  • the psychology of why we collect watches - "Knowledge, kinship & 'celebrity vampirism' - the psychology of why we collect watches." We asked a clinical psychologist who specialises in compulsive behaviour to find out.
  • The World's Most Expensive Watches - by Ariel Adams at Amazon.com. "The World's Most Expensive Watches presents some of the most extravagant, intricate, collectible, decadent, or just plain interesting modern-day timepieces that sit at the top of the price spectrum. Starting at a threshold price of about $200,000, it is a trip through the last decade or so of watches whose values soar incredibly to prices of $5 million dollars or more. Additionally, there is a selection of notable watches that yielded extremely high prices at auction - many of which are historically relevant."
  • thinnest mechanical watches ever made - "Thinness has always been prized in the watch world because it serves so many purposes. There’s the welcome practicality of a thin watch being easy to wear, whether it’s supposed to slip into a pocket or under a dress cuff. There’s the aesthetic appreciation of thinness, embodying sophistication and elegance. Finally, there’s the chance to show off a brand’s technical prowess, and that’s what we’ll be focusing on here."
  • Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Berkley Grand Complication.
  • Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers, Berkley Grand Complication, With 63 Complications, Is The New Most Complicated Watch In The World - "Bespoke pocket watch crafted in 18k white gold. This masterpiece boasts 63 separate complications, 245 jewels, 2,877 components, and a weight of a staggering 960 grams – over two pounds. Nine years after setting the record with the ref. 57260, Vacheron has done it again."
  • WatchCharts Overall Market Index - "The WatchCharts Overall Market Index is an indicator of secondary watch market price trends. It is composed of 60 watches taken from the top 10 luxury watch brands, sorted and weighted by transaction value. The index shows the market price movement of this set of watches (in USD) over time, and is rebalanced once per year on January 1st."
  • What you need to know about iconic luxury watch brand Patek Philippe - "Learn what is important about the Swiss watch icon."
  • Who bought the Tiffany-Blue Patek 5711 at Phillips Auction for US$6.5 million? - "Watch collector Zach Lu - who has just obtained the ultimate un-obtainium watch - looks out on the horizon and spies pieces he can’t have. For instance, another Patek of the same hue, the previously unknown Tiffany-signed Patek Philippe Nautilus 5740 Unique Piece with a Tiffany-Blue dial, which broke the watch internet this past weekend. The owner? Bernard Arnault, the chairman and chief executive of LVMH."
  • Why We Spend More For Luxury Watch Brands - "When consumers spend money on most luxury goods, they are, in fact, purchasing two things at once. First, they are purchasing a 'nice object' or service. That is the thing they are acquiring, and for it to be an authentic luxury, it has to be manufactured rather well, often with a refined design and using less-than-ordinary materials. But that alone doesn’t make anything a luxury good. The second thing consumers are purchasing when getting a luxury good is the brand name on the good. This is a more amorphous area of value but a real one nonetheless. When you buy a brand you are in fact purchasing an association with a concept, feeling, image, or status."
  • World's Most Expensive Rolex Resurfaces Four Years After Breaking Records - "The most expensive Rolex ever sold has resurfaced in Los Angeles after disappearing from public view since being auctioned off for US$17 million in 2017. The Rolex Cosmograph 'Paul Newman Daytona' Ref 6239 that once belonged to actor Paul Newman and started one of the biggest trends in watch collecting has gone on show at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which opened in Los Angeles this week."
  • World's most expensive watch sells for 31m Swiss francs (£24.2m) in charity auction - "A Patek Philippe watch has sold for a record 31m Swiss francs (£24.2m) at a charity auction hosted by Christie’s in Switzerland. It is by far the highest price ever paid for a wristwatch, and all of the proceeds will be donated to research into muscular dystrophy."
  • Wrist full of dollars: the most expensive watches money can buy - The Telegraph.
    Top 35 Most Expensive Watches in the World:
  • World's Most Expensive Watch: Patek Philippe Henry Graves Super Complication Pocket Watch sold for US$24 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 11, 2014, setting a new record price for any timepiece sold at auction.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch: - Patek Philippe Henry Graves Super Complication Pocket Watch sold for US$24 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 11, 2014, setting a new record price for any timepiece sold at auction.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #2: Chopard 201 Carat Watch featuring 874 diamonds in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The watch's pricetag is US$25 million in early 2000 making it the most expensive watch in the world.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #2: - Chopard 201 Carat Watch featuring 874 diamonds in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The The watch's pricetag is US$25 million in early 2000 making it the most expensive watch in the world.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #3: Patek Philippe Reference 1527 Wristwatch: US$5,708,833.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #3: - Patek Philippe Reference 1527 Wristwatch: US$5,708,833.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #4: Breguet & Fils, Paris No. 2667 Precision Stop Watch. Sold at Christie's Auction in Geneva for US$4,682,165 on May 14, 2012.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #4: - Breguet & Fils, Paris No. 2667 Precision Stop Watch. Sold at Christie's Auction in Geneva for US$4,682,165 on May 14, 2012.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #5: Louis Moinet Meteoris Watch: US$4,599,487.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #5: - Louis Moinet Meteoris Watch: US$4,599,487.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #6: Vacheron Constantin Tour de I'lle Watch. Released in 2005 in a limited edition of 7 pieces to commemorate the manufacturer's 250th anniversary. The most complicated continually produced wristwatch with 16 complications and 834 individual parts. Price: US$3,950,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #6: - Vacheron Constantin Tour de I'lle Watch. Released in 2005 in a limited edition of 7 pieces to commemorate the manufacturer's 250th anniversary. The most complicated continually produced wristwatch with 16 complications and 834 individual parts. Price: US$3,950,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #7: Patek Philippe Reference 2499, limited edition (only five pieces): US$3,655,757.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #7: - Patek Philippe Reference 2499, limited edition (only five pieces): US$3,655,757.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #8: 1928 Patek Philippe 18k white gold cushion-shaped single-button chronograph sold for US$3,637,408 at Christie's Auctions in Geneva on May 16, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #8: - 1928 Patek Philippe 18k white gold cushion-shaped single-button chronograph sold for US$3,637,408 at Christie's Auctions in Geneva on May 16, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #9: Piaget Emperador Temple Watch US$3.3 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #9: - Piaget Emperador Temple Watch US$3.3 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #10: Patek Philippe 1953 Model 2523 Heures Universelles Watch: US$2,899,373.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #10: - Patek Philippe 1953 Model 2523 Heures Universelles Watch: US$2,899,373.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #11: Cartier Secret Watch with Phoenix Decor. Price: US$2,755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #11: - Cartier Secret Watch with Phoenix Decor. Price: US$2,755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #12: Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 watch. The most complicated wrist watch ever made in the world: 36 complications, 1483 components, 99 jewels. Price: US$2,700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #12: - Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 watch. The most complicated wrist watch ever made in the world: 36 complications, 1483 components, 99 jewels. Price: US$2,700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #13: Parmigiani Fleurier Fibonacci Pocket Watch: US$2.4 Million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #13: - Parmigiani Fleurier Fibonacci Pocket Watch: US$2.4 Million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #14: Patek Philippe Model 1591 (1944): US$$2,263,964.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #14: - Patek Philippe Model 1591 (1944): US$$2,263,964.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #15: Patek Philippe The Grogan (1925) Gold Chronograph Watch. One of the first watches made for a lefty. Price: US$1,945,040.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #15: - Patek Philippe The Grogan (1925) Gold Chronograph Watch. One of the first watches made for a lefty. Price: US$1,945,040.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #16: Vacheron Constantin Grand Complication, Movement No. 37555, Case No. 231922, pocket watch in 20-carat gold made for James Ward Packard in 1918 brought US$1,800,000 at Christie’s New York auction on June 15, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #16: - Vacheron Constantin Grand Complication, Movement No. 37555, Case No. 231922, pocket watch in 20-carat gold made for James Ward Packard in 1918 brought US$1,800,000 at Christie’s New York auction on June 15, 2011.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #17: Patek Philippe Single Button Chronograph Watch: US$1,773,206.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #17: - Patek Philippe Single Button Chronograph Watch: US$1,773,206.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #18: Patek Philippe Pilot Watch, 1936 model. Sold for over US$1,710,690 at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #18: - Patek Philippe Pilot Watch, 1936 model. Sold for over US$1,710,690 at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #19: Richard Mille Sapphire Crystal Watch: RM 56 Felipe Massa Sapphire. Limited edition: 5 pieces. Price: US$1.7 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #19: - Richard Mille Sapphire Crystal Watch: RM 56 Felipe Massa Sapphire. Limited edition: 5 pieces. Price: US$1.7 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #20: Blancpain Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants Watch. Features 735 diamond stones (20.14 carats) encrusted on a 18k white gold 3 piece case set and 29 added jewels placed on the automatic caliber 25A tourbillon movement. Price: US$1,342,700.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #20: - Blancpain Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants Watch. Features 735 diamond stones (20.14 carats) encrusted on a 18k white gold 3 piece case set and 29 added jewels placed on the automatic caliber 25A tourbillon movement. Price: US$1,342,700.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #21: Vacheron Constantin Kalla Duchesse Métiers d'Art watch (reference: 81750/S01G-9198) 36 × 45 mm in 18K white gold set with 837 baguette-cut diamonds and 1 round-cut diamond, certified Hallmark of Geneva. Fully paved dial and bracelet, diamond-set crown. Vacheron Constantin Manufacture hand-wound mechanical movement 1400. Price: US$1,275,000
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #21: - Vacheron Constantin Kalla Duchesse Métiers d'Art watch (reference: 81750/S01G-9198) 36 × 45 mm in 18K white gold set with 837 baguette-cut diamonds and 1 round-cut diamond, certified Hallmark of Geneva. Fully paved dial and bracelet, diamond-set crown. Vacheron Constantin Manufacture hand-wound mechanical movement 1400. Price: US$1,275,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #22: Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon in yellow gold, Ref. 5002, sold for US$1.2 million at the Patrizzi & Co. auction in New York on October 7, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #22: - Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon in yellow gold, Ref. 5002, sold for US$1.2 million at the Patrizzi & Co. auction in New York on October 7, 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #23: Chopard Super Ice Cube Watch. Price: US$1,130,260.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #23: - Chopard Super Ice Cube Watch. Price: US$1,130,260.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #24: Hublot One Million $ Black Caviar Bang Watch. 550 diamonds are all over the watch, with a total of 34.5 carats. Won the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève prize for jewelery watch of the year 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #24: - Hublot One Million $ Black Caviar Bang Watch. 550 diamonds are all over the watch, with a total of 34.5 carats. Won the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève prize for jewelery watch of the year 2009.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #25: Ulysse Nardin Royal Blue Tourbillion watch. Has a platinum case and bracelet and is set with a total of 568 baguette-cut Top Wesselton diamonds (33.8 carats) and 234 baguette-cut royal blue sapphires (16.79 carats). Limited edition: 30 pieces. Price: US$1 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #25: - Ulysse Nardin Royal Blue Tourbillion watch. Has a platinum case and bracelet and is set with a total of 568 baguette-cut Top Wesselton diamonds (33.8 carats) and 234 baguette-cut royal blue sapphires (16.79 carats). Limited edition: 30 pieces. Price: US$1 million.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #26: Jacob & Co. Crystal Tourbillon watch. The 18 carat white gold case of the Crystal Tourbillion is covered in 17.48 carats of baguette diamonds and has a transparent skeleton tourbillon dial. Price: US$900,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #26: - Jacob & Co. Crystal Tourbillon watch. The 18 carat white gold case of the Crystal Tourbillon is covered in 17.48 carats of baguette diamonds and has a transparent skeleton tourbillion dial. Price: US$900,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #27: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Grande Complication. Selfwinding watch with perpetual calendar indicating the day, the date, the week, the moon phases, the month and the leap years, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph and small seconds at 9 o'clock. 950 platinum case, white classic dial, blue strap. Price: US$$780,600.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #27: - Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Grande Complication. Selfwinding watch with perpetual calendar indicating the day, the date, the week, the moon phases, the month and the leap years, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph and small seconds at 9 o'clock. 950 platinum case, white classic dial, blue strap. Price: US$$780,600.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #28: Breguet Classique 5349 Grande Complication. It contains more than 570 parts and has three patents to protect its 'superior precision and technological mastery'. Price: US$755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #28: - Breguet Classique 5349 Grande Complication. It contains more than 570 parts and has three patents to protect its 'superior precision and technological mastery'. Price: US$755,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #29: Omega Constellation Baguette watch. 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats. There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely covering the 18 carat white gold case. Price: US$$708,742.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #29: - Omega Constellation Baguette watch. 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats. There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely covering the 18 carat white gold case. Price: US$$708,742.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #30: Vacheron Constantin Malte regulator tourbillon high jewellery watch. Has 263 baguette-cut diamonds in the dial and 274 baguette-cut diamonds in the case. Price: US$700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #30: - Vacheron Constantin Malte regulator tourbillon high jewellery watch. Has 263 baguette-cut diamonds in the dial and 274 baguette-cut diamonds in the case. Price: US$700,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #31: Richard Mille RM 27-01 Raphael Nadal. Limited edition of 50 timepieces. Weight: just 19 g. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #31: - Richard Mille RM 27-01 Raphael Nadal. Limited edition of 50 timepieces. Weight: just 19 g. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #32: Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillion. 531 parts are used for two separate double tourbillons. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #32: - Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillion. 531 parts are used for two separate double tourbillons. Price: US$690,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #33: Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillion. Jewels: 38. Power reserve: min. 96 hours. Price: US$625,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #33: - Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillion. Jewels: 38. Power reserve: min. 96 hours. Price: US$625,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #34: A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph 'Pour le Mérite'. Limited edition: 50 units. Price: US$515,947.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #34: - A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph 'Pour le Mérite'. Limited edition: 50 units. Price: US$515,947.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #35: Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical watch. Limited series of 135 pieces. Price: US$400,000.
  • World's Most Expensive Watch #35: - Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical watch. Limited series of 135 pieces. Price: US$400,000.
  • Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 - World’s most complicated watch (Price: CHF2.500.000).
  • World’s most complicated watch - "To pay tribute to its 175th anniversary, Patek Philippe created a collection of limited-edition commemorative timepieces, and one of them stands out in particular: Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175. Price: US$2.6 million."
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