Top 10 most expensive watches in the world

Curious about the most expensive watches in the world? Let’s explore which makes the top 10 list and why they cost so much.

Luxury watches have always been desired not only for their practicality, but also as representations of wealth, skill, and enduring sophistication. Individuals acquire the priciest watches on the market for a multitude of purposes—whether to showcase achievement, admire meticulous craftsmanship, or to pass down as treasured family possessions across the ages.

We have gathered a compilation of the most costly watches globally for those who are interested. Every watches featured in this list substantiates its exorbitant price with exceptional artistry and meticulous focus on intricacies.

Top ten most expensive watches in the world:

Here is a list of the world’s most expensive watches, compiled from industry sources:

Now, let’s look at the reasons why these watches are so expensive:

Graff Diamonds Hallucination:

• Material used: Platinum
• Manufacturing year: 2014
• Movement: Quartz

The Hallucination, made by Graff Diamonds, is the world’s most expensive watch. Laurence Graff, the head of Graff Diamonds, came up with the idea for this masterpiece.

The watch has 110 carats of colorful diamonds in different shapes set into a platinum bracelet, blending high fashion with watchmaking.

Revealed at Baselworld in 2014, The Hallucination is perfect for anyone looking for a dazzling and stunning watches.

Graff Diamonds The Fascination:

• Material used: Diamond
• Manufacturing year: 2015
• Movement: Quartz

The second most expensive watch in the world is The Fascination, made by Graff Diamonds, a famous British jewelry brand known for its skill with diamonds.

This watch can also be worn as a bracelet. It has 152.96 carats of white diamonds, with a rare 38.13-carat pear-shaped diamond in the center. The pear-shaped diamond can be removed and worn as a ring.

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010:

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2019
• Movement: Manual

The Grandmaster Chime is the most expensive Patek watch ever sold. It was made to celebrate the brand’s 175th anniversary in 2014. This watch is special because it has two dials. Both dials have blue opaline, gold numbers, and 18K solid gold plates.

It also has five different chiming modes, an alarm, and a date repeater. The case is made of white gold, and it has a navy blue alligator leather strap, completing the look of this masterpiece.

Breguet Grande Complication Marie Antoinette:

• Material used: Gold
• Manufacturing year: 1827
• Movement: Automatic

This watch is believed to have been originally commissioned by one of Marie Antoinette’s lovers. It took an incredible 40 years to create, and sadly, Marie Antoinette was executed before it was finished. This history adds to the romance and mystery of the watch.

Designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet, it has been called a “poem in clockwork.” Encased in gold, it was a marvel of its time, featuring everything imaginable in that era, from a perpetual calendar to a thermometer. Despite being stolen in the late 1900s, the watch is now safely housed in the L.A. Mayer Museum.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette:

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2012
• Movement: Manual

Jaeger-LeCoultre, a top-tier brand known for its craftsmanship, made this watch as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her 60-year reign.

The watch is made from white gold and has a sleek hand-wound mechanism with a sapphire glass cover. It features 577 diamonds, making it exceptionally luxurious.

The highlight of this watch is the miniature calibre 101 movement, one of the smallest in the world.

Chopard 201- Carat:

• Material used: White gold and yellow gold
• Manufacturing year: 2000
• Movement: Mechanical

Adorned with 874 diamonds totaling 201 carats in various colors, this $25 million watch is the masterpiece of Swiss watchmaker Karl Scheufele III. It’s a favorite among celebrities and royalty.

The watch’s charm goes beyond its sparkle. When you press the spring-loaded mechanism, three heart-shaped diamonds (a 15-carat pink, a 12-carat blue, and an 11-carat white) open like flower petals, revealing the pavé-set watch face. Inside, there are three pear-shaped yellow diamonds, totaling 8.45 carats.

Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication:

• Material used: Gold
• Manufacturing year: 1932
• Movement: Manual

Crafted in 1933 for American banker Henry Graves, this Patek Philippe gold pocket watch is a testament to an era when watchmaking relied on the skill of artisans. The design and construction took an impressive seven years.

This watch is one of the most complicated pocket watches ever created. It includes a calendar, a minute repeater with Westminster Chimes, details on sunrise and sunset times, and a celestial chart showing the night sky as seen from Graves’ residence in New York.

Rolex Paul Newman Daytona Ref. 6239:

• Material used: Stainless steel
• Manufacturing year: 1968
• Movement: Manual

Celebrated actor Paul Newman, known for his love of fine watches and racing cars, is associated with this watch, commissioned by his wife in 1968. Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman’s wife, engraved the watch with the words ‘Drive Carefully Me’.

Newman’s Daytona was auctioned in 2017 and sold in just 12 minutes through a telephone bid. The quick sale was expected, given Rolex’s reputation as the world’s top watchmaker and one of the most esteemed luxury brands worldwide.

Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch:

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2015
• Movement: Manual

The Jacob & Co. Billionaire watch lives up to its grand name, decorated with impressive 189 carats of Akosha diamonds. These diamonds are cut to appear 30 percent larger than a typical emerald-cut diamond. The watch’s skeleton face showcases the detailed hand-crafted tourbillon movement, made up of 167 components and 18 jewels.

Made from 18-karat white gold, both the bracelet and dial radiate luxury. The finishing touch, a rose-cut jewel on the crown, adds the final flourish to this exceptional watches.

Patek Philippe Stainless Steel Ref. 1518:

• Material used: Stainless steel
• Manufacturing year: 1943
• Movement: Manual

This watch is notable for its distinctive case as part of a limited four-piece series. Reference 1518 marked a significant milestone for the company, signaling a rebirth and a return to its core values of combining innovation with tradition.

Made from high-quality stainless steel, it departs from the usual luxury watches by Patek Philippe, which often feature yellow or rose gold cases. While one might think a steel case would reduce its value compared to gold models, the rarity of high-end watches in this material actually makes it more valuable.

Published: 13th July 2024

Also Read:

Things to Keep Before Going on Iceland Trip
Top 10 Trading Apps Across the Globe
Featuring Top 10 Leading Businessmen