re you a watch lover? Do you like a flashy lifestyle, or are you just a lover of horology? Then this will interest you. Some watches are more expensive than you can guess. Here are ten of the most expensive watches in the world.
The Most Exquisite Timepieces
The world’s most expensive watches are just like rockstars. They come with love stories, scandals, controversies and lots of diamonds. This bunch does not lack drama! For most people, a watch is a part of everyday attire. People wear watches for convenience and style. It can even be to identify with a social class. The reasons why people wear watches may differ. However, you can’t deny the intrigue and class that accompany wristwatches.
The cost of owning a watch can range from $30 to millions. Most watches that cost a lot have parts from rare objects. On our list, there are timepieces with items like rare diamonds, meteor rock, platinum, and gold. Additionally, the length of time it takes to make a watch can make it expensive. That’s not all. The level of intricacy can also affect pricing and value. Items such as tourbillons alone can cost as much as $40,000.
Just like any piece of art, watches have their own stories to tell. In this article, we will explore ten fascinating watches and their prices.
Graff Diamonds Hallucination
The Hallucination costs a whopping $55 million. This watch is the stuff of dreams. The Graffs Diamonds Hallucination watch is incredibly stunning. With an array of rare diamonds set in a bracket of platinum, Graff’s Hallucination is a masterpiece.
Graff made the Hallucination with 110 carats of unique diamonds. Furthermore, each embedded jewel is carefully crafted before it is shaped to fit into the stunning piece. Graff made the timepiece with the rarest colored natural diamonds. The bright and unusual stones make the watch all the more exquisite. This masterpiece includes stones of fancy intense pink, fancy light pink, fancy intense blue, fancy vivid yellow, fancy orange, and fancy intense grey-blue.
Interestingly, the colors are not the only fascinating thing about Graff’s Hallucination. The watch manages to pull off several different cuts within its single frame. The heart style, Marquet, emerald, pear form, round and sparkling cuts all feature in the beautiful masterpiece. Founder of Graff, the brand behind The Hallucination, Laurence Graff comments:
“THE GRAFF HALLUCINATION IS A SCULPTURAL MASTERPIECE, A CELEBRATION OF THE MIRACLE OF COLORED DIAMONDS. FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT CREATING A TRULY REMARKABLE WATCH THAT ILLUSTRATES OUR ALL-CONSUMING PASSION FOR DIAMONDS. THE HALLUCINATION HAS MADE MY DIAMOND DREAM A REALITY.“
He could not have said it better. Hallucination has earned its place as the most expensive watch in the world.
Graff Diamonds The Fascination
Valued at $ 40 Million
If you want to make an expensive watch, you should go all out. So, why not make a watch that can also be a ring? Graff Diamonds, the creator of the Hallucination, also holds the second place for the world’s most expensive watches. The Fascination is a $40 million timepiece, exquisitely arrayed with 152.96 white diamonds.
The watch’s thrill does not stop there. It includes a 38.13-carat D, a flawless pear-shaped diamond that detaches as a ring. Graff styled the beautiful diamond bracelet that houses the ring to artistic perfection. Naturally, we agree with Laurence Graff — this original piece has “a touch of magic.”
Breguet Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication Pocket Watch
Valued at $ 30 Million
Are you a romantic? Then you will love this pocket watch. The Breguet Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication Pocket Watch is fascinating. An alleged lover of the French Queen commissioned it in 1782. This happened before she married Louis XVI of France. Sadly, Marie Antoinette died a few years later. She never received the beautiful timepiece. The reason is fairly obvious – the watch took over 40 years to finish! Abraham-Louis Breguet started working on the pocket watch in 1782. His son completed it in 1827.
Breguet encased Clockwork’s poem in gold. Hence, it displays the mechanism running it. Also, he used sapphire to minimize friction in the timepiece. As expected, every watch connoisseur wants this piece. The watch is currently valued at at least $30 million.
The Grand Complication remains a masterpiece. Accordingly, it includes every function possible at the time of completion. The makers spared no expense in the area of functionality. For instance, it has a thermometer, a perpetual calendar, and a chime. That is impressive for a timepiece made in 1782.
The watch wound up on display at L.A Mayer Museum in Jerusalem until it was stolen in 1983. The Grand Complication Pocket Watch was recovered in 2007. Currently, the timepiece is back on the exhibit at Mayer Museum.
Chopard 201-Carat Watch
Valued at $ 25 Million
While several critics consider the Chopard 201-Carat Watch to be bulky and unappealing, no one denies its worth. The 201-Carat watch is comprised of an array of diamonds. These precious stones include a 15-carat pink diamond, a 12-carat blue diamond, and an 11-carat white diamond. Furthermore, it has 163 carats of white and yellow diamonds. Because of its ostentatious features, the timepiece was controversial at the time of its release.
A buyer acquired the distinctive piece in 2000 for a jaw-dropping sum of $25 million. This was quickly followed by a period of fame for the 201-Carat Watch. The watch made every luxury publication!
If Chopard’s goal was to get people talking, this watch certainly did the job. People still wonder what wild imagination the designers must have had while making the heavy, reflective watch.
Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication
Valued at $ 24 Million
- Patek Philippe has an array of exquisite watches. However, the Henry Graves Supercomplication is the most expensive. The intricately crafted timepiece is a stunner.
It features up to 24 complications, it's one of the most exquisite timepieces. It also has a celestial chart created from the night sky above Henry Graves’ home. Other functions include a perpetual calendar correct till the year 2100, sunrise and sunset times, and a minute repeater with Westminster Chimes.
Originally, the pocket watch first sold for $11 million in 1999. The watch was put back on sale after a decade. Connoisseurs were curious. Would there be inflation based on novelty and economic conditions? The pocket watch surpassed expectations and sold for a whopping $24 million.
The Supercomplication was made by Patek Philippe himself for Henry Graves. Graves wanted to outdo the Grand Complication Pocket Watch. Accordingly, it took Philippe over five years to complete. It was delivered in 1933. This watch is regarded as a true exquisite timepiece. That is because it is the most complicated watch ever assembled by hands alone.
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch
Valued at $ 18 Million
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch is one impressive timepiece. This watch screams luxury, with emerald-cut diamonds and a distinctively unique skeleton face. Furthermore, 260 carats-worth of sparkling diamonds adorn the timepiece.
No luxury was spared with this wristwatch. First unveiled at BaselWorld in 2015, the piece features a handcrafted movement that has 19 jewels and 167 components. Jacob Arabo’s Billionaire Watch comes in a bold cut. Also, the diamonds are set in an inverted-pyramid style while the bracelet of the watch is an 18-carat gold case.
Finally, the watch is skeleton-packed and supported by the tourbillons. The tourbillons adequately compensate for timing errors. With a power reserve of 72 hours and 167 components, the JCAM09 is a real machine.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in Stainless Steel
Valued at $ 11 Million
The Patek Philipe Ref. 1518 is number one from a limited edition series of four watches. This particular timepiece is incredibly rare because of its casing. Stainless steel encases the watch. In contrast, most Patek Philippe watches have yellow or rose gold casings.
In 2016, the watch auctioned off at $11 million. The Patek 1518 is particularly valuable. It is the only perpetual calendar split-second chronograph from Patek that comes in steel. Thus, it is a rare and coveted timepiece.
Vacheron Constantin 57260
Valued at $ 8 Million
The Vacheron Constantin 57260 is much younger than the other expensive watches on this list. This timepiece earned its spot on this list with 57 complications and 2800 components.
Also, a team of three watchmakers designed and created the Constantin 57260 for eight years. It includes a double-second retrograde chronograph and a perpetual calendar. Allegedly, the 57260 masterpiece by Vacheron Constantin is the most complicated watch ever built.
Hublot Big Bang
Valued at $5 Million
An exquisite splurge, the Hublot Big Bang features 1280 diamonds! That is a significant figure, even for a list of the most expensive watches! Besides, each diamond is at least 3 carats. Additionally, every single rock on the watch was cut by the same jeweler to ensure they have one cut signature.
When you think Hublot Big Bang, think diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds! Sourcing the diamonds from all over the globe took one full year. The Hublot Big Bang is an apparent indulgence, but the type we love!
Louis Moinet Meteoris
Valued at $4.6 Million
Ending our list is a befitting Louis Moinet Meteoris — any of them. The collection of four of the most expensive watches is beautiful. Yet, that is not why they are so pricey. The Meteoris Collection by Louis Monet is highly-priced for its rarity. Each of the four watches contains moon rock. Impressive, right?
Most Expensive Watches and Exquisite Timepieces: Final Take
Finally, we will be remiss not to mention the stunning Breguet Antique Number 2667 valued at $4.5 Million. This classy stunner is an exquisite piece that doesn’t make the list. There are a lot of valuable artistic innovations out there, and some of them are luxury watches. Are there any ones on the list you like best? Leave a comment!
