Today we take a look at some of the worlds most expensive watches for the mega rich millionaires and billionaires of the world.
We’re talking millions just for a single watch. And some people collect multiples of these. It’s crazy. But that’s the high life for you.
The most expensive watch ever sold was actually a pocket watch which was on auction in Geneva on the 12th of November 2014. The watch sold for 20.6 million Swiss Francs which is the equivalent of £13.4 million.
The watch was built over eight years by the Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe. It’s made from 24 carat gold and weighed just over half a kilogramme.
Just imagine how many watches you could buy for £13.4 million. Or houses. Or boats. Or, well, anything. £13.4 million is a hell of a lot of money.
But now to move onto our list: 10 of the most expensive wristwatches in the world!
Number 1: Bulgari Magsonic Sonnerie Tourbillon watch
The Bulgari Magsonic Sonnerie Tourbillon. An absolute beauty. This watch movement contains over 900 parts, finished by hand. The casing is partly produced with a special magsonic alloy which is supposed to enhance the watches array of chiming functions. It’s an mega complicated system with a wild design. This was actually one of the most complicated watches created after Bulgari Bough the Gerald Genta brand. The watch sells for a cool $620,000. Pocket change to the type of people who own this. Below is a picture of the case back from the Bulgari. Looks so impressive. I love all the extra detailing. Look at the detailing on the crown. it’s amazing.
2. Chopard L.U.C Tourbillon Baguette
Only 25 of these watches were ever produced. A very limited production which only increased the value of the watch. This is a enhanced diamond decorated, baguette-cute version of the Chopard L.U.C Tourbillion. It’s features include over 27 carats of precious stones and a mechanical tourbillon base movement that was produced in house. The watch has a value of $240,000. I actually prefer this watch to the Bulgari as I’m more a fan of a clean minimalist look. Fair to say we won’t see a lot of that in this watch list. I love the detailing of the dial as well, with the blue hands.
3. Maitres du Temps Chapter One Round Transparence
Encompassing 558 pieces, this watches movement is an impressive feat of watch engineering that can only be accomplished by some of the most skilled watches makers. In the watch boom of the 2000s the new watch maker Maitres du Temps created the Chapter One timepiece in 2008. With a classical style yet amazingly complex craftsmanship the Chapter One helped create the era of imaginative design. This watch is valued at $540,000. Only eight of these watches have ever been produced. They are created with 18k rose gold cases and hand sewn alligator straps. Beautiful craftsmanship.
4. Christophe Claret DualTow Night Eagle
Such a stunning watch. The single-pushed chronograph is a major innovation introduced for the DuelTow mechanism. It operates using nine identically structured planetary gears. It has a striking resemblance to a celestial nebula. The craftsmanship of this watch is a thing of wonder. The notched rubber belts were specially developed for the DualTow model. The inspiration for the mechanism came to Christophe Claret one beautiful day as he was working on a Renaissance garden. Claret was moving earth in a caterpillar-tread digger. These belts are powered by cylinders which are located on each end, and are designed to represent the wheel rims of a Bugatti T35.
The watch had a limited production of 68 pieces. The DualTow Night Eagle has a value of $595,000. You can understand why with all the complicated movements built into one masterpiece.
5. Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4
So this is one of those watches where things start to get a little crazy when it comes to the numbers. Just wow, major impressive things coming from this one. At the time of it’s creating, the Aeternitas Mega 4 by Franck Muller was the most complicated timepiece in the world. Now let’s look at these numbers. 36 complications, of which only 25 can actually be seen. 1483 components. That’s hard to even imagine putting this watch together. A 1000 year calender (good luck using it all) To get this all together it took over 5 years work. And has a hefty but, well, deserved $2,700,000. Yeah that’s $2.7 million! Some watch makers can only dream of making a watch that’s this complicated. But Franck Muller managed it. Congrats for us Franck Muller. Impressive work. An absolute masterpiece.
6. George Daniel Co-Axial Chronograph
George Daniels from England was considered to be one of the most significant watchmakers of the 20th century. George Daniels only went on to create a few dozen timepieces. One of his most noteworthy accomplishments was his invention of the Co-Azial Escapement system. He later went on to sell this system to Swiss watchmaker Omega.
His rare one of a kind Co-Axial Chronograph watch went on to sell at auction in 2012 for an astonishing $619,000. I really love the simplistic design used on the dial unlike some of the other watches in our list.
7. MB&F HM4 Final Edition
The MB&F Horological Machine Number 4 was released as a limited edition watch with only 8 pieces being created. This watch completes the brands completion of a total of 100 HM4 watches that they started producing back in 2010. The watch is inspired by the world of aviation. In black titanium the watch offers dual displays. One horizontal to display the time. And the other to act as a power reserve for the mechanical movement. The watch has a very exotic feel. Very much a stand out item in the world of watch crafting. It comes in at a cost of $230,000.
8. Patek Philippe 5004T
Patek Philippe is making a second appearance in our list. Well known for the creation of extreme, and expensive watches.
Patek Philippe produced the 5004T as a one of a kind rare model for an auction in 2013. The 5004T is a titanium version of the no longer created 5004 watch collection. As a goodbye to his conservative collection of dress watch styles of the 5004. He elected to go for a sportier feel for the 5004T. I really love the detailing on the strap, as you can see the criss cross knitted style design. Also the enlarged crown on the casing really stands out as part of the sporty design.
The 5004T sold at auction for around $3,985,000 in 2013.
9. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Grand Complication
A truly stunning time piece. This iconic luxury sports watch brand has remained at the top of it’s game since the early 1970s. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Grand Complication is the most exclusive and complicated version create to date. It contains a exquisite in house created movement that combines the time, chronograph, perpetual calendar and the minute repeater. It’s the sort of watch I’d expect to see in a terminator film. The cold metallic look, mixed in with the oak workings is something to marvel at. The watch’s current value is $741,600.
10. Jean Dunand Shabaka
The Shabaka was inspired by a 20th century Swiss art deco artist. The watch combines art deco lines with a neo-egyptian theme. The Jean Dunand Shabaka was created by the briefly lived company Jean Dunand. The watch movements were created by Christophe Claret (His second appearance in this list). The model also incorporates perpetual calendar movements that partially indicate information on rolling cylinders. This i find particularly pleasing and a striking feature. The Jean Dunand Shabaka sells for $500,000.
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