At Masculin, we love to regularly talk to you about beautiful watches, whether it’s stylewatches that are inexpensive or more luxurious models (hello the Cyborg EP01 from Emera or Roger Dubuis’s Quatuor!). In the latter category, prices can quickly skyrocket and reach astronomical sums.
Because they make you dream, for their beauty, for indicating the time and for many other reasons, here is a small selection of watches whose displayed price might make your head spin. The world record is still held by Graff Diamonds, with a jewel sold for over 50 million euros.
Graff Diamonds’ Hallucination: Still the Most Expensive in the World
The most expensive watch in the world to date is the Hallucination by Graff Diamonds. Created in 2014, this unique women’s piece is entirely made up of colored diamonds totaling 110 carats. All this for the staggering price of 55 million dollars, or approximately 50 million euros.
The brand is no stranger to this genre since it also unveiled the Fascination watch in 2015, priced at 40 million euros… A trifle compared to the Hallucination.
Henry Graves Jr. Patek Philippe Supercomplication: the most complicated
Created by Patek Philippe in 1933, this watch was sold at auction in 2014 for the modest sum of 24.3 million dollars. It is the most complicated timepiece ever designed without the aid of a computer.
This gold pocket chronograph indicates, among other things, the hours of sunrise and sunset over New York or the celestial map of this admired city from Fifth Avenue.
Vacheron Constantin Ref. 57260: the most complicated (again)
82 years after Patek, Vacheron Constantin broke all records for complications of the “modern era” in 2015. It took the Swiss brand’s watchmakers eight years to develop this unique piece designed for a private collector. Among its 57 complications, it includes seven alarms, seven perpetual calendars, and nine astronomical functions.
This incredible watch measures ten centimeters in diameter and the Westminster chime sounds on five different bell tones. The price, however, seems almost reasonable being set at “only” 9 million euros.
Franck Muller Aeternitas Tourbillon Repeater: the hardest to pronounce
Compared to the first models mentioned in this article, one could almost find this watch affordable! However, you will still need to fork out a meager 1.4 million euros to attach this timepiece to your wrist.
Its full name (Franck Muller Aeternitas Tourbillon Repeater 8888 GSW T CCR QPS NR) is as complex as the watch itself, since it contains 36 complications, 1,483 components and 99 rubies.
Jaeger LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica with Grand Sonnerie: the most melodic
This one million euro watch tells the time with the superb sounds of a Westminster chime. Jaeger-LeCoultre has assembled no less than 1,472 components to achieve such a result.
With 55 complications, it is among the most complex timepieces ever made… just behind Vacheron Constantin if you read the article well! And if luxury watches and prestigious brands make you dream, know that the Polaris is available from 10,400€ at Jaeger-LeCoultre. A substantial sum, indeed, but 100 times less than the price of this Hybris Mechanica with Grande Sonnerie…
Of course, this list is far from exhaustive: Chopard, Jacob & Co or even Rolex and Richard Mille are among the brands that have sold some of the most expensive watches in the world.