Start saving, because to own one of the 10 most expensive watches in the world you would have to spend at least €4.6 million. Why are these watches so valuable? For one thing, they contain expensive parts such as rare diamonds, meteors and dinosaur bones. We've assembled a list of the 10 most expensive watches in the world and their stories. Keep reading to find out what makes these watches so special.
Image Source: forbes.com
9. Caliber 89 - Patek Philippe - 6 Millionen Euro
Designed in 1989 to celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary, it took five years of research and another four years to manufacture the pocket watch. It was the most complicated watch at the time with 1,728 components and 33 complications, including a thermometer and a star chart. There were only four of these watches made: in white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum.
8. 57260 Reference - Vacheron Constantin - €8 million
Currently, this is the most complicated watch in the world with 57 complications, designed to celebrate Vacheron Constantin’s 260th anniversary. It holds 2800 components, each hand decorated. Its functions include pretty much everything a watch enthusiast could possibly want: astronomy, calendars, alarms, chronographs, Westminster Carillon striking...and timekeeping too.
Image Source: vacheron-constantin.com
7. Kallista - Vacheron Constantin - €11 million
Completely different from the 57260 edition, the Vacheron Constantin Kallista is covered in 118 emerald-cut diamonds. It was designed in 1979 and its value has increased since then from €5 million to €11 million. It took 20 months just to put the diamonds in the watch.
6. Billionaire watch - Jacob & Co - €18 million
What would this list be without a watch that is worthy of a billionaire? Jacob & Co created a luxury skeleton watch that combines the beauty of diamonds with the beauty of movement. The total weight of the diamonds is a whopping 260 carats!
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5. Patek Philippe Supercomplication - James Ward Packard - €24 million
With this 18 karat gold watch, introduced in 1933, Henry Grave wanted to top the Grande Complication pocket watch manufactured by James Ward Packard. The Supercomplication has been the most complicated watch in the world for over fifty years, with functions like sunrise and sunset times, a stopwatch, the age and phases of the moon, and Westminster chimes.
4. 201 Carat Watch - Chopard - €25 million
This colourful, handmade beauty from the year 2000 is decorated with three heart-shaped diamonds of 11, 12 and 15 carats. When pressed, the hearts open up to tell the time and show off the beautiful yellow diamond-studded watch face.
3. Grande Complication Marie Antoinette - Breguet - €30 million
In 1783, Abraham-Louis Breguet was asked by an anonymous man to manufacture a spectacular watch for Queen Marie Antoinette. It was so complex - with 23 complications, 823 parts, made from gold and filled with sapphires - it took 44 years to complete and both Breguet and Marie Antoinette did not live to see it finished. The original watch was stolen in 1983 from a museum and recovered in 2006.
Image Source: breguet.com
2. Graff Diamonds - Fascination - €40 million
A watch that tells time and functions as a bracelet; it's convertible. The watch consists of 152.96 carats and the bracelet holds a rare 38.13 carat pear-shaped diamond. Moreover, the diamond can be taken out and be worn as a ring!
Image Source: forbes.com
1. Graff Diamonds - Hallucination - €55 million
Graff sure knows how to make a luxurious watch. They hold the crown and the top spot in our list with the €55 million Hallucination. The 110 carat colourful diamonds in this watch are very big and rare. Mr. Graff, originally a jeweller, has now lived out his dream to create a “truly remarkable watch that illustrates our all consuming passion for diamonds”.
Image Source: ablogtowatch.com
An extreme list of million euro watches, reserved for the wealthiest men and women on the planet. That does not mean a watch has to cost over a million euros to be expensive or unique; there are many more exclusive timepieces which are worth collecting, both new and vintage. Take the Patek Philippe 2526R Calatrava for example that sold for an astonishing €30,000 on a Catawiki auction. And what to think of a €30,000 perpetual calendar wristwatch from Chopard or IWC? These kinds of watches never go out of style. Are you searching for a good investment? Then check out our Exclusive Watch Auction.