Expensive watches in the world symbolize class, with a reputation for exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and meticulous attention to detail. They make it highly sought after by buyers and collectors.
Time is an invaluable dimension that binds everything together, while timepieces are not merely for telling time. They are the statements of artistry and expertise. Wearing such a work of art showcases unique taste and personal achievement. What’s more enthralling is the blend of tradition and innovation. Consider the extravaganza when centuries-old watchmaking techniques meet modern technology to create aesthetically stunning masterpieces.
Ready to look at more of these symbols of status, elegance, and craftsmanship? We have devised a list of some of the most expensive watches in the world.
Top 10 Expensive Watches In The World
While million-dollar watches are rare, some brands specialize in making timepieces so expensive they’ll astound you. We’re talking about the absolute top tier of fancy watchmaking.
1. Graff Diamonds Hallucination – $55 Million
- Brand: Graff
- Case/Materials: A platinum bracelet set with 110 carats of rare multi-colored diamonds (pink, blue, yellow, green in heart, pear, marquise, emerald cuts)
- Movement: High-precision quartz (dial is almost hidden beneath diamonds)
- Special Features: The Entire watch is wearable art, showcased at Baselworld 2014
- Auction/Retail Info: Remains in Graff’s private collection, not sold publicly
This one tops the list for its aesthetics among the most expensive watches in the world. More than a typical watch, this timepiece combines color and diamonds that border on surrealism. Designed by Laurence Graff himself, the Hallucination is a $55 million masterpiece that redefines opulence. Over 110 carats of rare pinks, blues, yellows, and greens are set into a platinum bracelet. Each diamond is cut in various shapes, heart, pear, marquise, and emerald, and fitted with perfect symmetry. The actual time-telling function is tiny, almost hidden, as if to say this is more about art than the time itself.
2. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A – $31 Million
- Brand: Patek Philippe
- Case/Materials: Stainless steel, reversible case with guilloché hobnail pattern, rose-gold and black ebony gold dials
- Movement: Manual Caliber 300 GS AL 36‑750 QIS FUS IRM with 20 complications
- Special Features: Five chiming modes (including alarm and date repeater, both patented), dual faces, only stainless-steel version produced
- Auction/Retail Info: Unique piece created for Only Watch 2019 charity; sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 31 million (~$31.2 M)
This timepiece shattered records when it sold for over $31 million at auction. The Grandmaster Chime is the most complicated wristwatch ever made by Patek Philippe. It’s a marvel of mechanical artistry with 20 complications, including a perpetual calendar, moon phases, and a minute repeater. The reversible case adds to its uniqueness with two fully functional dials. Crafted in stainless steel, unusual for Patek. It was created as a one-off for charity, making it technically extraordinary and historically significant. It remains one of the most iconic entries on the list of the most expensive watches in the world.
3. Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona– $17.75 Million
- Brand: Rolex
- Case: 37mm Stainless Steel
- Movement: Manual chronograph
- Special Features: Exotic dial, engraved case back, historical provenance
- Auction: Phillips, New York, 2017
The Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona is a cultural relic. This particular timepiece, worn by actor and racing legend Paul Newman, carries a unique history that drives its value far beyond mechanics. Gifted to him in 1968 by his wife, Joanne Woodward, the watch features a now-famous engraved caseback that reads “Drive Carefully – Me,” a sweet nod to his budding racing career. With its iconic off-white dial, contrasting black subdials, and engraved tachymeter bezel, the 37mm stainless steel chronograph became instantly recognizable.
After nearly five decades in the Newman family, it was auctioned in 2017 and shattered records, becoming the most expensive Rolex ever sold. This is one of the most expensive watches in the world and is best known for the story it tells, just as much as the time it keeps.
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4. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” – $6.2 Million
- Brand: Audemars Piguet
- Case: Titanium with Black Ceramic Bezel
- Movement: Hand-wound tourbillon
- Special Feature: Spider-Man-shaped 3D figure inside dial
- Auction Price: $6.2 million (2023)
Audemars Piguet has long been revered for pushing the limits of luxury watchmaking, but the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” took a different turn. Unveiled in 2023, this unique creation blends haute horlogerie with pop culture in a way few brands have managed. Inside the open-worked dial, a 3D figure of Spider-Man appears to swing mid-motion, a sculpture crafted in white gold and hand-painted under a microscope. Powered by a hand-wound tourbillon movement and encased in lightweight titanium with a bold black ceramic bezel, this piece marries innovation with fan-driven fantasy. It was auctioned for a jaw-dropping $6.2 million, making it the most expensive Audemars Piguet watch ever sold.
5. Graff Diamonds The Fascination – $40 Million
- Brand: Graff
- Case/Materials: White gold case, 152.96 ct white diamonds, detachable 38.13 ct pear-shaped center diamond
- Movement: Quartz movement (hidden beneath diamonds)
- Special Features: Center diamond detaches to become a ring, bracelet-to-watch transformation
- Auction/Retail Info: Private sale; part of Graff’s high-jewelry collection
Given Graff’s legacy, this watch is a definite addition to the list of the most expensive watches in the world, known for its craftsmanship. Graff takes luxury a step further with The Fascination, a timepiece that is both a bracelet and a transformable piece of jewelry. With over 150 carats of white diamonds and a 38-carat pear-shaped diamond at its center, the watch doubles as a high jewelry ring. Every element of the piece, from the setting to the transformation mechanism, is handcrafted. It may not be about tourbillons or minute repeaters, but in terms of artistic ingenuity and value, it’s in a league of its own.
6. Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette – $30 Million
- Brand: Breguet
- Case/Materials: Yellow gold case, sapphire crystal, handcrafted components
- Movement: Manual with minute repeater, perpetual calendar, thermometer, and more
- Special Features: Commissioned for Marie-Antoinette, 44-year build time, over 800 components
- Auction/Retail Info: Completed 1827; now in museum collection
Commissioned in 1783, this epic pocket watch took 44 years to complete, long after Marie-Antoinette’s death. It was the most advanced watch made with gold, sapphire, and over 800 individual parts. It features a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, thermometer, and more. The original was stolen and mysteriously returned years later, adding to its lore. Reconstructed in 2008 from original blueprints, it’s a tribute to horological ambition and excess. As far as expensive watches worldwide go, few rival this piece’s historical importance.
7. Chopard 201-Carat Watch – $25 Million
- Brand: Chopard
- Case/Materials: Gold and platinum base with 874 diamonds; centerpiece includes 15 c‑pink, 12 c‑blue, and 11 c‑white heart gems
- Movement: Hidden quartz movement
- Special Features: Floral arrangement of diamonds that open to reveal the dial
- Auction/Retail Info: Private sale from Chopard’s high-jewelry collection
This watch looks more like a floral arrangement than a timepiece and takes seventh place in the list of expensive watches in the world. The centerpiece comprises three heart-shaped diamonds: 15-carat pink, 12-carat blue, and 11-carat white. Surrounding them are clusters of smaller stones, creating a springlike aesthetic. Press a button, and the petals open to reveal the watch dial. It’s pure extravagance and a celebration of high jewelry.
8. Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch – $18 Million
- Brand: Jacob & Co.
- Case/Materials: Platinum case, 260 carats of emerald‑cut diamonds
- Movement: Manual-wound movement with tourbillon, visible through the skeleton dial
- Special Features: Fully iced-out, transparent structure showcasing mechanics
- Auction/Retail Info: Limited production; worn by Floyd Mayweather
True to its name, the Billionaire watch screams opulence. The skeletonized dial reveals the intricate movement beneath, while the 260 carats of diamonds form a solid wall of ice on your wrist. The tourbillon adds technical sophistication. Worn by Floyd Mayweather, this timepiece is bold, brash, and unapologetically flashy.
9. Patek Philippe “Prince Mohammed Tewlik A. Toussou”– $9.57 Million
- Brand: Patek Philippe
- Case: 35mm Rose Gold
- Movement: Manual with Perpetual Calendar and Chronograph
- Special Feature: Royal provenance, rare copper-pink dial
- Auction: Sotheby’s, New York, 2021
This rare Patek Philippe, once owned by Egyptian royalty Prince Mohammed Tewlik A. Toussou, is a standout in horological history. Crafted in 1941, the rose gold watch features a perpetual calendar and a chronograph. It’s one of only 340 ever made and even more exceptional with its copper-pink dial, one of just 14 known. After the Prince died in 2021, the timepiece was auctioned by Sotheby’s for $9.57 million, earning its place in the list of expensive watches worldwide for its rarity, history, and royal connection.
10. Vacheron Constantin 57260 – $8 Million
- Brand: Vacheron Constantin
- Case/Materials: White gold case
- Movement: 57 complications, custom-made by three master watchmakers
- Special Features: Multiple perpetual calendars (Gregorian, Hebrew, etc.), moon-phase displays, alarms, and more
- Auction/Retail Info: Unique creation revealed in 2015, private commission
When it comes to super expensive watches worldwide, this one aims for the top spot. Built by three master watchmakers over eight years, the 57260 is the most complicated watch ever made. It has 57 functions, including multiple perpetual calendars, lunar phases, religious calendars, and even a custom Hebraic perpetual calendar. Housed in a white gold case, it’s not just a marvel; it’s a library of time.
Conclusion
Watches have always been the tools of art, status symbols, and stories frozen in metal and stone. From diamond-encrusted masterpieces to historically significant heirlooms, the expensive watches in the world are all about craftsmanship, rarity, and the tale each piece tells. Whether it’s a royal relic, a pop-culture marvel, or a tribute to timeless engineering, each watch on this list reflects the peak of luxury and human creativity.
