Table of contents:

An Official Rundown Of The Most Expensive Watches In The World - Patek Philippe, Laurence Graff

Have you hit the jackpot? Sold your Superyacht, or your one of a kind sports car? Perhaps you have made a killing having sold that vintage Freddy Mercury record gathering dust in the attic? If you happen to be like the rest of us and you don’t have a champagne budget, you’ll be more than happy to read about our official rundown of the most expensive watches of all time.

Truth be told, although movements are highly regarded in horology, you may find us los

There are a few criteria that allow these timepieces to be so expensive. Owned by someone who is historically significant, made up of incredible precious materials or so avant-garde that even Pablo Picasso couldn’t touch them with a pusher or chronograph button, there are a number of features that ensure these timepieces are worth millions.

Expanding across sports watches to dress watches, these are no ordinary editions! So, join us this time as we rundown the world’s most expensive watches, boasting rarity and exclusivity, their prices and what makes them so revered.

Table Of The Most Expensive Watches In The World

BRAND NAME	PRICE (GBP)
Graff Diamonds Hallucination	£44.5 million
Graff Diamonds The Fascination	£32.3 million
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010	£25 million
Breguet Grande Complication Marie Antoinette	£24.2 million
Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette	£21 million
Patek Philippe Henry Graves Complication	£21 million
Chopard 201-Carat	£20.2 million
Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” 6239	£15.1 million
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch	£14.5 million
Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 1518	£9.7 million
Patek Philippe Gobbi Milan ‘Heures Universelles 2523	£7.25 million
Vacheron Constantin 57260	£6.4 million
Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 5016A-010	£6.38 million
Patek Phillipe Two-Crown Worldtime 2523 Eurasia	£6.2 million
Patek Philippe White Gold Calibre 89	£5.57 million
Patek Philippe Gold Chronograph 1527	£5.49 million
Patek Philippe Titanium 5208T-010	£5.3 million
Rolex Daytona Unicorn 6265	£4.9 million
Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Calibre 89	£4.85 million

1. Graff Diamonds Hallucination - £44.5 million

The Graff Diamonds Hallucination is an exceptionally exclusive timepiece. As exclusive as a Richard Mille boutique (if not more) and jam full of jewels. In fact you might very well become all of a quiver after we inform you of the price.

Graff Diamonds Hallucination, Source - Tjock

Originally unveiled in 2014 at Baselworld, the £44.5 million beauty will literally make you hallucinate due to its overwhelming amount of bling. It can simply be defined as one of the most rare and diamond filled timepieces you’ve ever laid eyes on. Containing over 100 carats of rare coloured diamonds, the piece is shaped like a thin line, bejewelled with every conceivable colour.

The watches are designed by the chairman of Graff Diamonds, Laurence Graff. Dedicating thousands of hours of design and craftsmanship of the casing and everything else in between, the watches feature diamonds that combine, heart, pear, emerald, marquise and round diamonds in spectacular natural shades of blue, green, orange and yellow on the case and strap.

Powered by a quartz movement, it is quite the deviation from Graff’s previous movements, including the combination of a flying tourbillon, dual time function and grand date.

Valued at around a cool £44.5 million, this sparkling little number is considered the most expensive watch in the world!

2. Graff Diamonds The Fascination - £32.3 million

But we are not done with Laurence Graff, the jeweller for the stars, including Donald Trump, Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah Winfrey and even the Sultan of Brunei.

The Graff Diamonds Fascination is a fantastic second choice option for those connoisseurs with £30 million plus stashed in the vault. Besides, who needs to tell the time when you can be dripping in this much luxury?

Source - The Guardian Nigeria

Watches like these have the capability to be deconstructed, leading to a new name, dutifully named “The Ring”. But Peter Jackson fans should look away now. The cases of the watches are actually made up of 152.96 carats of pure white diamonds alongside a beautiful pear shaped diamond that comes in at 38.13 carats on the dial.

Where does “The Ring” come in though? Well, the dial can be removed, allowing the precious jewel to be worn as a ring. Don’t suggest this £32.3 million piece to your partner if you want to buy a special occasion novelty! For the piece to be worn in two different ways, it showcases the luxury brand's epic craftsmanship and luxurious capabilities. Especially the colossal central stone which is certainly worth a second and third glance.

The £32.3 million price tag may not be the biggest in the horological world, but it still ranks as the second most expensive watch in the world.

3. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 - £25 million

We have already written plenty on The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010. But wait a second…we will gladly give you a recap.

Source - Brand’s Site

Sold at the Only Watch auction in 2019 for around the £25 million mark, this Grandmaster Chime is so revered as it’s the only edition to be crafted out of steel. This specific material is rarely used by the luxury brand in the Grandmaster collection since its initial release in 2014, marking 175 years of Patek Philippe’s inception

Delivering an extremely extensive list of complications there are a whopping 20 complications, including five acoustic functions such as a global premières, an alarm that sounds upon a pre-programmed timing. The watches stand out for their beautiful golden opaline and ebony dials as found on its double face construction.

4. Breguet Grande Complication Marie Antoinette - £24.2 million

Do you have time for a world history lesson?

Source - Breguet

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France during the 1700’s and that famous “Let them eat cake” speaker had a burning obsession with timepieces, specifically those made by Breguet.

In 1783, a mysterious lover of hers wanted to buy a watch from Breguet that was filled to the brim with the greatest horological technicality and skill. However, Marie Antoinette would never get the chance to admire the piece, as she died 34 years before it was released in 1827. Dommage.

It was stolen by a world renown jewel thief, Ma’aman Diller and allegedly never seen again, until it resurfaced many years later. Swatch CEO Nicolas G. Hayek heard the story and wanted the piece commissioned as an exact replica. In 2004, another version was released.

Deemed to be the 5th most complicated timepiece in the world, the movements feature complications stemming from a perpetual calendar to a thermometer and an equation of time. Crafted with a yellow gold case and featuring Breguet innovations like a Pare-chute and Gong-Spring, the piece sold for a preposterous £24.2 million.

Powered by a self winding movement, this watch offers a 48 hour power reserve and is equipped with a bimetallic balance wheel and natural lift escapement.

Time for us to check the back of our sofa at Chrono Hunter HQ!

5. Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette - £21 million

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie could easily be misconstrued as just a small silver bracelet. Lucky for you horophiles, we’ve brought out our monocles for a deep dive into this beauty.

Source - Sentinel Assam

Crafted as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II for the 60th year of her reign and totalling an astonishing £21 million, the watch comes in at a miniature case size of 14mm, given a whopping 576 diamonds and enhanced with a sapphire dial.

Able to be manipulated with its stylish diamond and sapphire combination, the watch prides itself on the miniature calibre 101 movement, one of the smallest movements in the world, made especially for the timepiece.

Featuring polished and diamond-set links , this wonderful white gold timepiece is best for those events where royalty is around!

6. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Complication - £21 million

The Patek Philippe Henry Graves Complication was made out of keen competition, unlike all you keen horophiles who buy for pleasure!

Source - Barneby’s

The watches were made out of rivalry between banker Henry Graves Jr and American automaker James Ward Packard. Both Henry Graves Jr and James Ward Packard were keen collectors, commissioning all manner of new timepieces.

Both Henry Graves Jr and James Ward Packard commissioned Patek Philippe to release more complicated movements and watches. Packard had requested a Grand Complication in 1916 with sixteen complications, and a Packard Sky Chart which had 10 complications, released in 1927.

Graves similarly had two commissioned, the Grand Complication in 1926 and The Supercomplication in 1932. The Supercomplication took three years to design and an extra five to make it. This beauty would quickly become world renowned due to its technical prowess.

Released with 24 complications, this was the most complicated mechanical watch ever made in the world. The movement powers Westminster chimes, perpetual calendar and a sunrise and sunset timing, the watch also featured a special celestial map of New York from the position of Graves apartment. Oh it would've been a great choice for “Ol” Blue Eyes.

Bought for 60,000 Francs upon commission in 1925, the watch subsequently sold for a staggering £21 million when it sold in Geneva in 2014.

7. Chopard 201-Carat - £20.2 million

Made in 2000, The Chopard 201-Carat is an incredible piece of horology for every gent and his wrist to lust after.

Source - Maier

Crafted with a swarth of many coloured diamonds in various coloured hues and bizarre shapes, glamour and style is epitomised with this horological beauty. Totalling an incredible price of £20.2 million, the watch may not touch the otherworldly Graff Diamonds Hallucination pricing, but it’s still certainly worth your perusal for a highly expensive piece of both watchmaking art and jewellery.

Made up of 874 exceptional diamonds in different colours and constructions, the Chopard 201 Carat is crafted out of both white and yellow gold. Within the watch itself is a 15.37 carat pink diamond in a heart shaped diamond, a 12.79 carat that comes in a heart shape and made out of a blue diamond and another D-colour diamond weighing 11.35 carats.

Did we mention the 260 pear shaped diamonds and 91 flawless diamonds that total 10.29 carats? There is also a functional aesthetic to the piece too. Featuring a mechanism, the three heart shaped stones open up like flower petals, boasting a 8.45 carat dial face.

And at £20 million plus, we wouldn’t advise you to use this as a kitchen centrepiece.

8. Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” 6239 - £15.1 million

Introduced in 1963, the Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” was the first edition of the Rolex Daytona collection.

Source - Sotheby’s

It’s understood that world famous actor Paul Newman received his watch from his wife, Joanne Woodward. She gifted him the watch with an engraving on the back of the watch entitled “Drive Carefully Me”, for his role in the film “Winning”.

Paul Newman owns the Tri-colour white dial edition which features black chronograph subdials and red features, but there is a black exotic dial available with white registers and a red minute track.

Crafted out of stainless steel, the watch features chronograph pushers and a crown. Powered by the Valjoux 72 or 722 manual wind movement, the Daytona’s would receive their first in-house movement much later in 2000. Worn by Paul Newman until he granted it to his daughter, Nell Newman’s boyfriend, James Cox, it was in the Hollywood star’s possession until it was sold at a Philipps auction house in 2017 for £15.1 million.

As a grail piece that horophiles across the world adore, this is a beautiful timepiece from the luxury, coronet brand to simply stare or drool at.

9. Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch - £14.5 million

Imagine having the word “money” associated with your name. You know you’re world famous when that happens!

Source - Le Grand Mag

Well, that line is two fold as not only is the Jacob & Co. The Billionaire watch is extremely pricey, but it is owned by exceptional boxer, Floyd “Money” Mayweather. Enough said.

Created by an adored jeweller for celebrity clientele across the world like Lionel Messi and Conor McGregor, the watch is made up of 260 carats of emerald cut diamonds and precious stones reaching 3 carats. Bought by Mayweather in 2018, the watch is crafted out of 18K white gold, while the case and bracelet are diamond set with stones.

Featuring a timeless skeleton tourbillon movement atop this stunning spectacle of jewels, this is the sole edition made since its release in 2015.

10. Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 1518 - £9.7 million

The Patek Philippe Steel 1518 is more than a pricey piece, it’s incredibly significant to horological history. Why? Well lend us your ears for a tick.

Source - Philipps

Produced in the extremely limited time frame of 1941 to the early 1950s, reference 1518 represented a breakthrough timepiece for Patek Philippe. Combining both a perpetual calendar with a chronograph, this was one of the first wristwatches to feature such a combination.

The 1518 swiftly became the first perpetual chronograph wristwatch to be produced in a continuous series. Exactly 281 models were made, predominantly made of yellow gold, a smaller amount made of pink gold and just 4 models made from stainless steel.

It was only during the 1970s that Patek Philippe started to release steel watches in bigger quantities. Considered to predominantly use precious metals like platinum and gold to be built around rarer movements, steel is the rarest material used by the luxury brand for their complicated movements as we have seen in the Grandmaster Chime.

The movement is crafted around the ebauche Valjoux 13 movement which was upgraded with Patek’s own technical advisors, eventually resulting in the Calibre 13-130Q movement.

In that regard, this is one of the rarest Patek Philippe watches that money can buy, and why it sold at a Philipp’s auction for around £9.7 million in 2016.

11. Patek Philippe Gobbi Milan ‘Heures Universelles 2523 - £7.25 million

First question we should answer is, who is Gobbi Milan?

Source - Christie’s

In 1842, Raimondo Gobbi was a timekeeping lover who opened his workshop in Modena. He swiftly became the Clockmaker to the Royal Court in 1852. The business continued to expand under his grandsons eyes, Aldo and Gastone, moving to Milan and becoming a leader in Swiss clocks and general jewellery.

Now owned by Luca Pozzolini Gobbi, Gastone’s son, The Gobbi firm is still operating today. The 2523 is double signed with Patek Philippe and Gobbi’s signature. The watch was made by Patek Philippe in 1953 and sold in 1957 to Patek Philippe’s retailer, Gobbi in Milan. Crafted out of pink gold, there are only seven pink gold 2523 models with dual-crowns made!

The real beauty comes with the fantastic Heures Universelles world time system. Patented in the early 1930s by watchmaker Louis Cottier, Patek Philippe employed him to release their famed “World Time” watches.

Capable of setting the local and different global time zones on the two tone 24 hour ring, you can differentiate the day and night through viewing the grey and silvered sections that automatically change. Given a beautiful blue enamel dial centre, the combination with the pink gold case is simply glorious!

Powered by the Cal 12 400 HU movement, it’s stamped with a Geneva seal and houses 18 jewels. It sold for £7.25 million at a Christie's auction in 2019.

12. Vacheron Constantin 57260 - £6.4 million

The Vacheron Constantin 57260 is one of Vacheron Constantin’s most complicated editions.

Source - Brand’s Site

Featuring a double dial, the watch took eight long years to develop and create. Representing one of the greatest additions to horological history, the watch is made up of an astonishing 57 complications, making it one of the world's most complicated movements.

The watch is crafted entirely out of 18K white gold and finished with beautifully polished bezels on either side of the watch. Given a series of buttons and levers like a coaxial button within the crown to allow the start and stop functions of the double retrograde functions, the watch needs as many buttons as possible to deal with all of the beautiful features within it.

Featuring a hebraic perpetual calendar for Jewish users across the world, a double retrograde rattrapante chronograph, Westminster chiming, alarm and special night silence feature, it combines every incredible innovation and update throughout the history of Vacheron Constantin.

Released in 2015, it is arguably the most complicated timepiece in the world, warranting an incredible price of £6.4 million.

13. Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 5016A-010 - £6.38 million

Released for the world famous Only Watch auction in 2015, the Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 5016A-010 is yet another work of art to rival Monet himself.

Source - Brand’s Site

Following on from the original reference 5016, these luxury watches combine a minute repeater, tourbillon, perpetual calendar and a retrograde date housed inside of a gorgeous steel case. The 5016 was originally one of the most complicated Patek Philippe watches during its release dates between 1993 to 2011.

Capped at around 300 pieces, it deviates from its predecessors white, pink and yellow gold cases, opting for a rich blue, Grand Feu dial and steel case. Featuring small seconds, moon phases and a perpetual calendar, the watch executes complex elements to perfection like a tourbillon regulator and a minute repeater.

Powered by the Calibre R TO 27 PS QR movement, the watch is manual winding and runs the perpetual calendar and retrograde date hand. The movement is also hand finished, boasting the high quality construction of the timepiece.

Its complications, one off nature and steel construction meant this sold for an impressive £6.38 million during a Philipps auction in 2015.

14. Patek Phillipe Two-Crown Worldtime 2523 Eurasia - £6.2 million

Breaking the world record for the price of a yellow gold watch sold at auction, the “Silk Road” as it is nicknamed, is the first ever version of a cloisonné dial boasting the world country, Eurasia. Forget Phileas Fogg, this is the real deal timelords.

Source - Phillips

The dial is made up of two rings that feature 24 hour time zones for the world time on one ring and the other has a 24 hour reading. However, it’s separated into nocturnal and diurnal halves to be even easier to read. Harking back to a time where travel was undertaken by boat and rail, we’ll leave the plane inspired watches for the Rolex GMT-Master.

With just 11 Patek Philippe 2523’s with decorative cloisonné enamel map dials released, five of the versions feature North America, three have South America and the final three feature Eurasia. Bring that number down to 2 versions available for the Eurasian models as one is locked away in Patek Philippe’s museum!

Powered by the manual wind 12-400 HU calibre movement, the movement runs the cities and locations which are found on the world time functions on the periphery of the piece.

Launched in 1953, the 2523 was released at 36mm and features two crowns and its city ring which form part of the dial. Suffice to say, its £6.2 million Philipps auction price tag in 2021 is perfect for such an immense piece of horological genius!

15. Patek Philippe White Gold Calibre 89 - £5.57 million

The white gold Calibre 89 was deemed previously the most complicated movement in the world with a fantastic total of 33 complications.

Source - Antiquorum

It showcases immense complications on its double dial like astronomical and astrological functions and a sidereal time, second time zone and an equation of time for world time. First released to celebrate 150 years of the world famous luxury brand, we particularly enjoy the Easter indication. Bizarre? Yes. A very funky addition to a watch that has absolutely everything. If this is showboating then this would be the Lionel Messi of luxury watches

Sizing at a huge 88.2mm, this behemoth showcases technical quality with a stupendous precious metal build. Released in 1989 and sold in 2004 for £5.57 million at an antiquorum auction, this is a wonderous feat of engineering.

16. Patek Philippe Gold Chronograph 1527 - £5.49 million

During the Great Depression, Jean Stern and Charles Stern took over Patek Philippe in 1901.

Source - Christie’s

Charles commissioned a 1527 which is locked away in Switzerland in their museum, but the second edition was the one to look for as it now housed a chronograph mechanism. Given a gorgeous tonneau case shaped with moon and date phases, this gold chronograph features a stunning silver matte finish.

With only two variations of the reference made in the world, this edition is the updated version as it showcases a chronograph with a date and moon phases, features 23 jewels and has the buckle crafted entirely out of 18K gold.

It sold at a Christie's auction in 2010 for £5.49 million.

17. Patek Philippe Titanium 5208T-010 - £5.3 million

Who loves to flaunt their worth at the Only Watch shows? We know! PP of course.

Source - Brand’s Site

They released the Titanium 5208T-010 at Only Watch 2017. As the highest priced watch sold at the 2017 auction for £5.3 million, this is the sole worldwide titanium cased edition of the 5208 Triple Complication.

Made up of a minute repeater with a monopusher chronograph and an instantaneous perpetual calendar, the blue dial is given a hand guilloche “Carbon” motif. The exhibition caseback showcases the calibre R CH 27 PS QI movement and its stunning finissage techniques.

Representing the first time they have had the audacity to adapt a movement for a special edition version, we can only sit back and smile at the beautiful variation.

18. Rolex Daytona Unicorn 6265 - £4.9 million

The Rolex Daytona Unicorn 6265 was unveiled to the world in 2013.

Source - Phillips

Under the possession of eclectic timepiece collector John Goldberger, this timepiece is a highly coveted one off white gold cased, Rolex Daytona reference 6265. In fact, this timepiece is so elusive and lauded by every watch collector that it’s lauded as one of the greatest grail watches in the world.

John Goldberger made the choice, after previously saying he wouldn't, to sell the watch at auction to benefit the Children’s Action Foundation. The Rolex Daytona was generally understood as producing models in either steel or yellow gold, not in any other material, including platinum, pink or white gold.

It turned out that they had created a one off Rolex Daytona in white gold. Crafted in 1970 and released in 1971 for a German retailer, this was by far the most desirable Cosmograph of its era. Named the 6265, this timepiece has negated a leather strap for a large white gold bracelet with a bark finish to link in with the aesthetic of the timepiece.

Boasting a large “Sigma” black dial , the timepiece is exceptionally rare and sold at a Philipps auction in 2018 for £4.9 million.

19. Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Calibre 89 - £4.85 million

The Patek Philippe Calibre 89 was the most complicated movement for as long as Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge at Manchester United…26 years. Following on from its release in 1989, it was the Vacheron Constantin 57260 that swiftly overtook the complication total in 2015.

Source - Bloomberg

As Patek Philippe’s most complicated movement, it is made up of 1,728 components and is made up of four main plates, crafted out of German silver. Boasting 33 complications, including a world time that links into 125 cities around the world, a secular perpetual calendar and a split seconds chronograph, the piece is a hot piece of horological property.

Taking nine years to complete, the yellow gold cased model comfortably fits into the Seal of Geneva requirements. Celebrating 150 years of the Patek Philippe, the timepiece was sold at an antiquorum auction in 2009 for £4.85 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Is The Most Expensive Watch?

The world’s most expensive watch is the Graff Diamonds Hallucination that is currently valued at around £44.5 million at the time of writing.

What Is The Most Expensive Men's Watch In The World?

The most expensive men’s watch in the world is the formidable Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010. Created for the Only Watch 2019 charity auction, the watch showcases two dials, both of which are kitted out with a total of 20 complications with a white gold case.

Which Brand Is the Most Expensive Watch?

The most expensive luxury brand in the world is Rolex for a number of reasons.

Selling around 1.2 million watches, the Swiss powerhouse is pulling in an extraordinary revenue of 9.3 million CHF and takes in a whopping 30.9% of the horological industry. The Swiss outfit has a number of incredibly expensive models like the Rolex Daytona 6239, The Daytona 6265 Unicorn and The Rolex Bao Dai 6062.

The luxury brand pulls in a £7.1 billion total net worth, vastly over second place Patek Philippe that comes in with a net worth of £2.3 million.

Is Rolex The Most Expensive Watch?

Rolex is by far the most expensive luxury brand as a whole in the world. With an astonishing net worth of £7.1 billion and a 30.9% share of the industry, they are much bigger in general when compared to conglomerates Swatch which have 19.8% and Richemont which possess a 19.5% share.

Considering Swatch has Blancpain and Omega, while Richemont has Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rolex really are titans of the industry! They may not have the most expensive watches like The Graff Diamonds collection or Patek Philippe’s astonishing Grandmaster Chime, but they are overall the biggest luxury brand around, known for their prestige, Superlative Chronometer and own materials like Rolesor.

Conclusion

There we have it, Timelords. We have covered the most expensive watches in the world with all their prices neatly laid out for you keen horophiles. Through utilising exceptional precious metals in both cases and straps, rarity and associations with timeless collections, we thoroughly enjoy every single timepiece on the list.

With great luxury brands like Laurence Graff releasing the astonishing Hallucination model and Rolex offering the extremely scarce Daytona Unicorn and legendary Paul Newman models, we can clearly say that expensive watches come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Shall we mention the Audemars Piguet Black Panther one-off edition that comes in a white gold case and features a white gold 3D Black Panther figure on the dial? This bad boy carries a price tag of £4.3 million due to its associations with world famous Marvel Comics and the stunning craftsmanship of Audemars Piguet.

We really hope you enjoyed reading our list of the most expensive watches. We can only see this list expanding as rare models are uncovered and prized collectors start to sell on their beloved models.

After all, time is money and money is time as they say.

Can't wait to buy a Rolex Daytona? Feeling like you only deserve the best prices for watches in a safe and secure environment? Want a no obligation estimate and unparalleled luxury brand expertise? Save time and chat with Chrono Hunter here. Check out our phenomenal reviews on Trustpilot and discover why we are the go-to place to buy a watch or sell a watch.

Benefit from multiple offers from our established network of luxury retailers and accept the offer that’s right for you. Chrono Hunter offers you tailored expertise to enhance your buying and selling experience, not to mention a wealth of knowledge from our staff and highly regarded luxury retailers.

Buy Or Sell A Luxury Watch The Smart Way With Chrono Hunter

If you are considering your new purchase or perhaps the sale of a beloved timepiece, Chrono Hunter is the smart way to buy or sell a luxury watch.

Compare Offers from the worlds most reputable luxury watch retailers.

Save Time.

Save Money.

Personalised Service.

Hassle-Free.