- Judith Akatugba
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It’s not necessary to be a recently minted internet billionaire or a platinum-selling rapper to be curious about the most costly timepieces ever made. All of us have fantasized about having our ideal watch, regardless of the amount in our bank accounts, and have pondered how much we could really spend on one if money were no object.
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Graff unveiled the Hallucination, a gem-set watch that cost $55 million and was billed as the most expensive watch ever created, back in 2014. And at the ONLY WATCH charity auction in 2019, a rare Patek Philippe Grand Master Chime brought in $31 million, smashing the previous record price for a wristwatch, which was set two years earlier at $17.8 million for Paul Newman’s own Rolex Daytona.
In actuality, there would probably be a watchmaker nearby who would gladly help you out even if you had $100 million to spare. However, while you continue to work on your app, have a look at these twelve watches, some of which have prices so high that they practically seem like a bargain.
Here are some of the 12 most expensive watches of all time:
Jacob & Co Billionaire Timeless Treasure – $20m
The name gives it away: only the extremely wealthy (Rick Ross, look out) will probably be seen sporting the most expensive creation to date from Jacob Arabo, the celebs’ go-to source for obscenely flashing timepieces. With 482 matching Asscher-cut yellow diamonds totaling an astounding 216.9 carats, the “BTT” is fully adorned, with 57 of those diamonds being found on the tourbillon mechanism alone. www.jacobandco.com
Patek Philippe Grand Master Chime Ref 6300/403G – £3.78m
Maybe this jazzed-up version of Patek’s most intricate wristwatch will make enough of an impression if the standard Grandmaster Chime (like Jay-Z’s) doesn’t quite make enough? This updated version of the dual-faced marvel boasts 118 emeralds and 291 diamonds in addition to 20 distinct functions, such as an audio date striker, perpetual calendar, dual time zones, moon phase display, and leap year indication. teke.com
Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega – $2.58m
Have a fortune to spare? If you want to purchase what is allegedly the most intricate wristwatch ever made, you’ll need it. Franck Muller’s Aeternitas Mega is composed of 1,483 individual parts and has an astounding 36 functions, one of which is a perpetual calendar with a 1,000-year renewal cycle. Since we’ll be returning to make sure, that better be accurate. franckmuller.com
Purnell Escape II Absolute Sapphire ‘Hancock red’ – $2m
Despite being in business for just three years, Purnell has become a major player in the watch industry, producing some of the priciest timepieces available. The centerpiece of its line at the moment is the Escape II, which is described as “the fastest triple-axis tourbillon in the world” and is housed in a 48mm red sapphire crystal case. The reason the crystal is called “Hancock Red” is because its color was intentionally created to resemble a well-known red diamond of the same name. PurnellWatches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Quadriptyque –1.35m Euros
Displays are located on the back of the case, the cradle the watch rests in, and both sides of the watch head in this upgraded version of JLC’s flip-case Reverso. Presumably the most intricate Reverso ever produced, it is the first watch with four working display “faces” and the only one that can forecast astronomical occurrences like eclipses and supermoons. Only 10 will be available, so place your purchase as soon as possible. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
Richard Mille RM 88 ‘Smiley’ – $1.2m
When graphic designer Harvey Ball created the first Smiley Face logo in 1963 for the American insurance company State Mutual, he was paid a pitiful forty-five dollars. Even with inflation, that amount couldn’t purchase a strap for the newest, most adorable tourbillon by Richard Mille. The dial is embellished with tiny sculptures of various “happy” symbols, such as a parasol, a pineapple, and a rainbow, in addition to the Smiley. RichardMille.com: Anyone up for a rave?
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Countach DT X – £727,000
Owners of Lamborghinis typically want their timepieces to be as ostentatious and brash as their vehicles, which is why the brand’s collaboration with the unabashedly flamboyant watchmaker Roger Dubuis sounds like a marriage made in heaven. The dual tourbillon movement of the Excalibur Spider Countach DT X is modeled after the powerful V12 engine of the Countach LP1 800-4. Only eight timepieces will ever be produced out of the intended 112 Countach vehicles. rogerdubuis.com
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication White Ceramic – $725,000
It was probably sold when it was released “under the radar” back in the spring as a unique one-off piece. As of the time of writing, Audemars Piguet was still listing it on their website, so we figured it would be fair to include it here as a watch you can really purchase if you’re searching for something to do with that enormous sum of money. Its 44mm white ceramic casing and Calibre 2885 movement, which includes a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, split seconds chronograph, and week indicator, are in line with the watch’s moniker. Yes, it also tells the time. audemarspiguet.com
Breguet Reference 5345 PT Classique Double Tourbillon ’Quai d’Horloge’ – £670,000
You haven’t really seen one of these Breguets if you ever questioned the possibility that a watch might be a mechanical work of art. The renowned Abraham-Louis Breguet settled on the Quai de l’Horloge in Paris in 1775, and the picture of the house is lovingly engraved on the gold caseback. The watch’s “open” front displays the finely detailed double tourbillon movement in all of its micromechanical beauty. Breguet.com
Greubel Forsey QP a Equation – 670,000 Sfr
When you see one in the metal, the statement made by seasoned watch dealer Marcus Margulies that Greubel Forsey manufactured the best timepieces in the world seems totally justified. Just a few of the approximately 100 watches that GF produces year are “QP an Equation” versions, which combine a perpetual calendar with the “equation of time,” or the distinction between “apparent” and “mean” solar time. greubelforsey.com
Louis Vuitton Tambour Opera Automata – £534,000
The head of a pink gold dragon on this mechanical watch comes up to expose a jump hours display on the forehead of a dramatic mask covered in enamel. At the same time as the mask’s eyebrows furrow, its left eyelid closes, and its right eye’s pupil retracts to expose an LV monogram in the shape of a flower, the dragon’s tail turns into a retrograde minutes indication. Crazy, or what? LouisVuitton.com
Hublot Big Bang Full Blue Sapphire – £454,000
Hublot debuted its first Big Bang, which was made completely of sapphire, back in 2021. This “true blue” variant comes after the purple and clear versions from previous year. Before being machined into shape, the sapphire is “grown” over several months in Hublot’s own laboratories. The opulent cost and the fact that only 10 Complete Blue Sapphires will be produced can both be attributed to the crystal’s lengthy creation and challenging handling. hublot.com
