Watches are a necessary accessory, a fashion for which, perhaps, will never pass. In addition, their presence in a person speaks of his status, emphasizes individuality, and often becomes the subject of someone’s envy. Anyway, let's talk about the masterpieces that were made at different times by the best watchmakers. All of them are impeccable technical solutions, and high-grade gold, platinum, diamonds, sapphires and other jewelry were used for the manufacture of elite chronometers.
About "stone hearts" and diamonds
We will start the review of the twenty most expensive watches in the world with female models, since the palm rests on a work of art designed specifically for an elegant female pen.
So, the Manchette Joaillerie 101 bracelet watch opens the rating. It is believed that this is the most expensive watch in the world, and its manufacturer is the world famous house Jaeger LeCoulter, which estimated its masterpiece at $ 26.1 million. To make the bracelet, the craftsmen used only white gold. The product includes 576 units of diamonds.
Onyx stone is placed along the strap in the form of individual crystals in the amount of 11 pieces, and the dial of the model is covered with sapphires. This wrist watch with diamonds was made in 2011. To this day, they are leading in value and extravagance.
Next are the expensive watches (women) from the famous Chopard brand. They cost $ 25 million and are a kind of tandem of an upscale chronometer and elegant jewelry. At the center of this luxury is a dial framed by large multi-colored diamonds that are made in the shape of hearts and weigh about 38 carats. If you measure the weight of all the precious stones that encrusted the bracelet of this product, you get 201 carats.
The world's most expensive chronometer from the Patek Philippe watch house
After the elegant “stone garden” of Chopard, “bronze” is rightfully owned by the Patek Phillipe timepiece. It was made in 1932 and was named Henry Graves Supercomplication. As the name implies, the watch is named after Henry Graves. He was one of New York’s influential and wealthy financiers of the early 1930s. Graves wanted a technically perfect watch, and the only ones in the world. Henry Graves Supercomplication - and to this day the most expensive men's watch on the planet. The famous banker turned to the Swiss watchmakers, who worked on their manufacture for 5 years.
According to the results of the 1999 Sotheby's auction, more than $ 11 million was gained from the sale of this watch. The case of the chronometer is made of gold (750 samples), and the design of the product itself consists of 900 different parts. This masterpiece is an accurate two-way watch equipped with 24 different functions. In the very center of the dial is the night sky, a fragment of the Milky Way galaxy. According to legend, this particular fragment was visible from the window of the house of the eminent rich man. In addition, this two-way chronometer is able to show the approaching time of sunset and sunrise in New York. At the time of manufacture, the product was the most complex watch design in the world.
Caliber 89 manufactured by Patek Philippe
Once again, Patek Philippe has produced watches that amaze the imagination with the complexity of their design and cost. In 2004, at one of the auctions, the Caliber 89 model went for $ 5 million. Watches are expensive, Swiss craftsmen used white 18 carat gold (750th test) to make them, and the total number of parts was 1728 units. To make such a chronometer, it takes 9 years of difficult work. The watch is equipped with more than 30 different functions. No matter what time zone the person is in, he will always know the exact time of sunset and sunrise. According to some experts, in the world there are no more than a dozen chronometers of this model.
About the Louis Moinet Meteoris Wrist Watch
The next, fifth position in the ranking is occupied by the expensive Meteoris Tourbillon Mars wristwatch by Louis Moinet. They are made of white gold, and 56 baguette diamonds were used to decorate the case. These gems weigh a total of 3.5 carats. The power reserve of the product is 3 days, and with them you can be under water, descending to a depth of 30 m. The unusual feature of this model is that the craftsmen used real stones from the planet Mars to make it, and this expensive men's watch costs $ 4.599 million.
PP ─ centuries-old quality
In 2002, at one of the auctions, a Platinum World Time watch model from Patek Philippe’s house was sold for $ 4 million. The product has become the most profitable lot. In the 2002 season, it was the most expensive watch, which, however, is not surprising, because you can safely call it another masterpiece of Swiss watchmakers. The model has an impeccable design, made in a single copy and can show the time of all time zones of the planet.
7. No less interesting are the Heures Universelles watches, which bear the official name “Model No. 2523”, the price of which is $ 2.89 million. For their manufacture, 18-carat gold was used, on the dial you can observe the time of world capitals, and in its center there is a geographical map made by hand enamel.
Watch models closing the top ten
The eighth position is firmly entrenched in the original and unique in its beauty watches, the price of which is $ 2.755 million ─ a Phoenix bird made by Cartier. This women's chronometer jewelry is fully rhodium-plated with white gold. The body of the bird itself is covered with diamonds with a total number of over 3 thousand units, which weigh 80.1 carats.
In early November 2009, the American collector Michael Gold, representatives of the company Franck Muller presented a mechanical watch Aeternitas Mega 4, which today cost $ 2.7 million. They are a complex mechanism with a wide range of various functions.
The German company A. Lange & Sӧhne presented to the judges of luxury watches Grand Complication model, which costs $ 2.497 million. The case is made of pink gold, the watch movement has a repeater with gongs, as well as a chronograph and perpetual calendar.
The first three of the second "tens"
The leader of the second ten, which includes the most expensive watches in the world, is the Fibonacci Pocket Watch chronometer worth $ 2.4 million from Parmigiani Fleurier. Palladium and precious stones were used to make the case of this watch.
Big Bang 2 Million Euro ─ expensive women’s wristwatch worth 2.14 million euros ($ 2.37 million), which are a real masterpiece of watch and jewelry from Hublot. The product is made very elegantly, and inlaid with 72 diamonds weighing 11.15 carats.
In 1957, Patek Philippe made a 2499 ─ First Model, which was sold at Christie’s auction in 2007 for $ 2.28 million. In the entire history of the auction, they became the first model to be sold at such a price. It is believed that in the world there are no more than 5 such items made of 18 ct pink gold.
Patek Pilippe VS Richard Mille
The watch model 1591 from the house of Patek Philippe was made in 1944, and the world community did not know anything about them for 52 years, until they were first presented at the Christie's auction in 1996. After only 9 years, this watch was sold for 2.264 million dollars at the same auction.
Model No. 2499 from PP worth $ 2.12 million is considered one of the most perfect and most technically advanced in the company's lineup. These watches are produced for 30 years, and a total of 350 were made.
In 2014, at the S.I.H.H. Richard Mille introduced the Sapphire RM 56-02. Their main highlight is the presence of a transparent case made of whole parts of sapphire. This is truly a magnificent watch, the price of which is $ 2.02 million.
The "younger brother" of the previous watch model - RM 56-01 from the house of Richard Mille - went under the hammer for $ 1.96 million.We can say with confidence that this is the most expensive watch, for the manufacture of which a large number of solid sapphires were used.
And again, Switzerland
Back in 1925, the watchmakers of Patek Filippe made completely unique chronograph watches designed for left-handed people and possessing left-hand charge. They are square in shape with a convex surface. Such watches were presented by the company in a single copy and cost 1.945 million dollars. The model was called The Grogan.
In 1923, Patek Philippe Corporation introduced the world to the Officier watch model, which was made using exclusively eighteen-carat yellow gold. The model has the functions of an hour counter and a chronograph. At the Anti-Quorum auction in 1999, it was sold for $ 1.918 million.
Closing the twenty world leaders is the Swiss Tour de l’lle watch of the world famous Vacheron Constantin house, as well as the Art Piece 1 model by Greubel Forsey. The cost of both products ranges around 1.5 million US dollars. Art Piece 1 have a modern, stylish design: an unusual shape of the dial and the presence of an inclined tourbillon. The Tour de l’lle watch model was timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the founding of Vacheron Constantin and made of rose gold of 750th test. The working mechanism includes over 800 different parts.
