Watches, nowadays are becoming the major part of our lifestyle and a fashion and luxury trend. Rolex, Patek Philippe and Jacob & Co. etc. are some highly fashionable and luxury watch brands. Their watches have been sold in thousands and millions of dollars.
So, What makes these watches so expensive? There are many expensive details in million dollar watches like expensive stones, diamonds and gems that are encrusted into them jacking up their price. These watches have complicated mechanisms inside that make time telling as accurate as it could be. Some are equipped with the tourbillion, an intricate mechanism that encounters the effects of gravity. These complexities definitely increase the value and price of these watches in the world.
So, here are the 10 most expensive watches in the world 2019;
10.
PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 1527
PRICE - $5.7 MILLION
Crafted in 1943, during world war 2, the Patek Philippe Ref. 1527 may appear ordinary fom outside, however, the watch contains more than 20 precious stones and is made up of 18 Karat Rose Gold.
The Price tag of the watch is determined by two things. The first, it is incredibly rare and was the only one of its kind. The second, Patek went on to use this model as inspiration for several other models.
Diamonds, Golds and other precious metals have never gone out style, and people have killed to lay their hands on them. Old, they say is gold but when it comes with history attached to it, then you have to admit the high increasing price.
9.
PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 1518 IN STAINLESS STEEL
PRICE - $11 MILLION
Cased in high-grade stainless steel, the Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 is the first, in a limited edition four-piece series by Patek Philippe.
This 11 million dollars Patek Philippe watch is incredibly different and unique from other Patek Philippe Watches, which are made up of Rose or Yellow Gold because it's the only Perpetual Patek calendar chronograph made up of steel.
In 1941, during the turmoil of world war 2, a momentous event took place in Basel, Switzerland. It was at the Swiss Watch Fair Basel(today Baselworld) that Patek Philippe introduced a revolutionary wrist watch, the reference 1518.
This is what we call a rare watch!
Paul Newman was a famous actor passionate about horology and motorsport. He was a bankable movie star and tonight at Phillips auction house in New York, he became the undisputed king of the watch world when his Rolex Daytona was sold for 15.5 million(including the buyers premium of 12.5%, the final price comes to 17.6 million dollars)
The watch had a unique black and cream exotic dial. It is estimated that only one in twenty Daytonas were equipped with the "exotic" dial because they were originally slow to sell.
Made from 260-caret emerald cut diamonds, The Billionaire Watch certainly lives up to it's name. It features a handcrafted movement comprising 167 components and 19 jewels.
If you had the money to buy this watch, but instead you put it in a decent portfolio that pays 7% interest, you'd be earning 1.3 million dollars every year, just on interest.
The company wasn't playing around when they said this is a Billionaire's Watch.
The most expensive Patek Philippe watch is the Henry Graves Supercomplication, created for the wealthy banker of the same name.
It used to be the most expensive pocket watch the world had ever seen! It happens to be one of the most complicated and complex pocket watches in the world with over 24 functions. It was sold for $11 Million back in 1999. If we adjust for inflation and the economic environment plus its novelty factor this piece could easily go for $16 Million if it was resold. They wanted to put this theory to the test. Last Year it went on sale and it fetched a record breaking 24 million dollars.
It is made out of 18 caret gold, the watch used to be the world's most expensive pocket watch until late 2013 when one piece dethroned it. It's on the third spot.
With 874 rare diamonds the Chopard 201-Caret Watch used to be the world's most expensive watch and still is the 3rd highest priced jewelry watch out on market. The watch is encrusted with a cluster of colorful diamonds including a 15-Caret Pink diamond, a 12-Caret blue diamond and a 11-Caret white diamond.
If that is not enough then 163 carets of white and yellow diamonds will do the trick!
However the precious stones don't form any sort of pattern or design which leads us to the question: Why someone would wear something so bulky? and for some people unappealing. But from my opinion it lacks a certain degree of artistry which I would expect from them.
It features a very small display and such a wide variety of diamonds that even at close inspection it is very likely for you to miss some!
It uses the mechanism of the normally wounded Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 and the watch face has a gorgeous silver colored dial and a winding crown.
$26 Million and its yours!
What makes this watch so costly?
It was commissioned by an alleged lover of Marie Antoinette, the French Queen. Encased in gold, displaying the intricate mechanism running it, Breguet used sapphire to lower the friction within the piece.
Marie Antoinette didn't get to see the watch, since it was completed 34 years after her execution, but we can be sure that she would have been impressed. The watch was stolen in the late 1990's and retrieved only in 2007. As of 2019, the watch is valued at at least $30 Million.
The watch consists of 152.96 carets of white diamonds with a center fancy-cut exquisitely rare stone that is a 38.13-caret D Flawless pear shaped diamond that detaches into a ring.
The watch is set in to a platinum bracelet and made from 110 Carets of rare colored diamonds of various cuts and finishes. The Hallucination is one of a kind statement-piece that pushes the boundaries of Horlogerie to their most extreme.
Just to make things easier, when diamonds are extracted and processed their color ranges from D to Z. The colored diamonds used for this watch, qualify as 'fancy' which means they go beyond the normal scale as incedibly rare and precious.
This is the world's most expensive watch!
This 11 million dollars Patek Philippe watch is incredibly different and unique from other Patek Philippe Watches, which are made up of Rose or Yellow Gold because it's the only Perpetual Patek calendar chronograph made up of steel.
In 1941, during the turmoil of world war 2, a momentous event took place in Basel, Switzerland. It was at the Swiss Watch Fair Basel(today Baselworld) that Patek Philippe introduced a revolutionary wrist watch, the reference 1518.
8.
PAUL NEWMAN ROLEX DAYTONA
PRICE - $17.6 MILLION
This is what we call a rare watch!
Paul Newman was a famous actor passionate about horology and motorsport. He was a bankable movie star and tonight at Phillips auction house in New York, he became the undisputed king of the watch world when his Rolex Daytona was sold for 15.5 million(including the buyers premium of 12.5%, the final price comes to 17.6 million dollars)
The watch had a unique black and cream exotic dial. It is estimated that only one in twenty Daytonas were equipped with the "exotic" dial because they were originally slow to sell.
7.
JACOB & CO. BILLIONAIRE WATCH
PRICE - $18 MILLION
Made from 260-caret emerald cut diamonds, The Billionaire Watch certainly lives up to it's name. It features a handcrafted movement comprising 167 components and 19 jewels.
If you had the money to buy this watch, but instead you put it in a decent portfolio that pays 7% interest, you'd be earning 1.3 million dollars every year, just on interest.
The company wasn't playing around when they said this is a Billionaire's Watch.
6.
PATEK PHILIPPE HENRY GRAVES SUPERCOMPLICATION
PRICE - $24 MILLION
The most expensive Patek Philippe watch is the Henry Graves Supercomplication, created for the wealthy banker of the same name.
It used to be the most expensive pocket watch the world had ever seen! It happens to be one of the most complicated and complex pocket watches in the world with over 24 functions. It was sold for $11 Million back in 1999. If we adjust for inflation and the economic environment plus its novelty factor this piece could easily go for $16 Million if it was resold. They wanted to put this theory to the test. Last Year it went on sale and it fetched a record breaking 24 million dollars.
It is made out of 18 caret gold, the watch used to be the world's most expensive pocket watch until late 2013 when one piece dethroned it. It's on the third spot.
5.
CHOPARD 201-CARET WATCH
PRICE - $25 MILLION
With 874 rare diamonds the Chopard 201-Caret Watch used to be the world's most expensive watch and still is the 3rd highest priced jewelry watch out on market. The watch is encrusted with a cluster of colorful diamonds including a 15-Caret Pink diamond, a 12-Caret blue diamond and a 11-Caret white diamond.
If that is not enough then 163 carets of white and yellow diamonds will do the trick!
However the precious stones don't form any sort of pattern or design which leads us to the question: Why someone would wear something so bulky? and for some people unappealing. But from my opinion it lacks a certain degree of artistry which I would expect from them.
It features a very small display and such a wide variety of diamonds that even at close inspection it is very likely for you to miss some!
4.
JAEGER-LECOULTRE JOAILLERIE 101 MANCHETTE
PRICE - $26 MILLION
Customisable to feature up to 576 diamonds and a sapphire dial, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette was gifted to Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ to celebrate her 60th year on power.
It uses the mechanism of the normally wounded Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 and the watch face has a gorgeous silver colored dial and a winding crown.
$26 Million and its yours!
3.
BREGUET GRANDE COMPLICATION MARIE-ANTOINETTE
PRICE - $30 MILLION
Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette is the most expensive pocket watch in the world priced at $30 Million!
What makes this watch so costly?
It was commissioned by an alleged lover of Marie Antoinette, the French Queen. Encased in gold, displaying the intricate mechanism running it, Breguet used sapphire to lower the friction within the piece.
Marie Antoinette didn't get to see the watch, since it was completed 34 years after her execution, but we can be sure that she would have been impressed. The watch was stolen in the late 1990's and retrieved only in 2007. As of 2019, the watch is valued at at least $30 Million.
2.
GRAFF DIAMONDS THE FASCINATION
PRICE - $40 MILLION
Jewelry companies have the upper hand when it comes to simply adding as many valuable gems and stones to a watch as possible and Graff is the biggest name of all when it comes to diamonds.
The watch consists of 152.96 carets of white diamonds with a center fancy-cut exquisitely rare stone that is a 38.13-caret D Flawless pear shaped diamond that detaches into a ring.
"Fascination is an outstanding piece, carefully so it can be worn in a number of different ways - adding a touch of magic to a new level." - LAURENCE GRAFF
1.
GRAFF DIAMONDS HALLUCINATION
PRICE - $55 MILLION
Ok! Finally, The Graff Hallucination is the most expensive watch in the world 2019 with a price tag of $55 Million.
The watch is set in to a platinum bracelet and made from 110 Carets of rare colored diamonds of various cuts and finishes. The Hallucination is one of a kind statement-piece that pushes the boundaries of Horlogerie to their most extreme.
Just to make things easier, when diamonds are extracted and processed their color ranges from D to Z. The colored diamonds used for this watch, qualify as 'fancy' which means they go beyond the normal scale as incedibly rare and precious.
This is the world's most expensive watch!
RECAP;
1. Graff Diamonds Hallucination - $55 Million
2. Graff Diamonds The Fascination - $40 Million
3.Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette - $30 Million
4. Jaeger LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette - $26 Million
5. Chopard 201-Caret Watch - $25 Million
6. Patek Philippe Henry Graves SuperComplication - $24 Million
7.Jacob and Co. Billionaire Watch - $18 Million
8. Paul Newman Rolex Daytona - $17.6 Million
9. Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in Stainless Steel - $11 Million
10. Patek Philippe Ref. 1527 - $5.7 Million