World’s Top 20 Most Expensive WatchesDiamonds, platinum, fancy tourbillons, chronographs, and perpetual
calendars are only a few of the features watchmakers use to create the
world’s rarest and most expensive timepieces. Scroll down to see the
list of the 20 most expensive watches of the world. More after the
break…
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20. HublotMillion $ Black Caviar Bang
Price: $1,000,000
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The case, crown dial, and clasp of Hublot’s Black Caviar Bang are
encrusted in baguette-cut black diamonds. The watch, which has no
numbers on the face, has 544 diamonds, a total of 34.5 carats. It is 18
carat white gold and has an adjustable leather strap. In 2009, it won
the Grand Prix de Genève Jewellery Watch prize. Founded in 1980,
Hublot today is a subsidiary of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
19. Jacob & Co.Crystal Tourbillion
Price: $900,000
The 18 carat white gold case of the Crystal Tourbillion is covered in
17.48 carats of baguette diamonds and has a transparent skeleton
tourbillion dial. The piece is finished with an alligator band with a
2.22 carat baguette diamond buckle. Jacob & Co. manufactured 18
pieces of the white gold Crystal Tourbillion, available in the New York
City boutique.
18. Audemars PiguetJules Audemars Grande Complication
Price: $780,600
Audemars Piguet’s one-of-a-kind, self-winding skeleton watch has a
titanium case and features a perpetual calendar indicating the hours,
minutes, day, date, week, moon phases, month, and leap years. There is
also a minute repeater and chronograph. It has a crocodile leather
strap. The Jules Audemars Grande Complication is available exclusively
at the watchmaker’s New York City boutique.
17. BreguetClassique 5349 Grande Complication
Price: $755,000
This piece has twin rotating tourbillons in a platinum case lined
with baguette-cut diamonds. The dial is pavéed with more diamonds. It
contains more than 570 parts and has three patents to protect its
“superior precision and technological mastery,” according to Breguet,
which is today owned by Swatch.
16. OmegaConstellation Baguette
Price: $708,742
The one-of-a-kind piece, available at the Omega boutique in Geneva,
shines with 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats.
There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely
covering the 18 carat white gold case. Omega is owned by Swatch Group.
15. Vacheron ConstantinMalte Tourbillion Regulator
Price: $700,000
Part of Vacheron Constantin’s High Jewelry collection, the Malte
Tourbillion Regulator has 263 baguette-cut diamonds in the dial and 274
baguette-cut diamonds in the case. It features a Tourbillion and is
finished on a black leather strap. The case is in the classic tonneau
(or barrel) shape of the Malte collection. Founded in 1755, Geneva’s
Vacheron Constantin is one of the world’s oldest watchmakers. Today it
is part of the Richemont Group.
14. Greubel ForseyQuadruple Tourbillion
Price: $690,000
A total of 531 parts are used for two separate double tourbillons.
This complex watch has an asymmetrical platinum case and alligator
leather strap. Founded by watchmakers Robert Greubel and Stephen
Forsey at Baselworld in 2004, the company (in La Chaux-de-Fonds,
Switzerland) is known for offering two and four tourbillion mechanisms
in the same watch case.
13. de GrisogonoMeccanico dG S25D
Price: $590,000
Founded in Geneva in 1993 by Fawaz Gruosi, de Grisogono recently
launched a Meccanico dG set with baguette diamonds at this year’s
Baselworld. This Meccanico dG, of which there are 20 units, was
designed in three variants: with baguette diamonds (in photo), with
white pavé diamonds, and with black pavé diamonds. The version
featured above, made of 18 carat pink gold, is set with 126
baguette-cut white diamonds. It displays two time zones and has analog
and digital displays and a power reserve indicator. It is also
water-resistant to a depth of 30 meters.
12. A. Lange & SöhneTourbograph “Pour le Mérite”
Price: $508,900
Honey gold was used for the case of this limited edition watch, of
which A. Lange & Söhne has manufactured only 50 units. The watch
has a one-minute tourbillion as well as a double chronograph. The
Tourbograph “Pour le Mérite” can be purchased in New York City,
Dresden, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Like Glashütte Original, the company is
based in the former East Germany. After the Soviet occupation, the
region’s once-thriving watchmaking industry foundered. Lange, which
had been founded in 1845, shut down and was revived in 1990. Today it
is part of the Richemont Group.
11. ChopardSecret
Price: $508,000
This watch has a square pavé-set diamond dial and frame inside a case
composed of brilliant, square and baguette-cut diamonds (19 carats)
on the satin strap and baguette-cut diamond clasp. Chopard has
manufactured only two Secret watches so far. Geneva-based Chopard,
which was founded in 1860, is still privately owned.
10. MontblancGrand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in platinum
Price: $365,750
Although once known primarily for its signature fountain pens,
Richemont-owned Montblanc in recent years has transformed its brand into
that of a jeweler and watchmaker. Its most expensive watch is the
Grand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in platinum, of which only one
has been made so far. This tourbillion is also available in 18 carat
white gold (in photo), limited to eight pieces at $319,000 each. The
18 carat red gold version, also limited to eight pieces, is $302,500.
09. ConcordC1 Tourbillion Gravity
Price: $320,000
One of the unique features of this watch, which has an 18 carat white
gold case, is the seconds display on the side of the tourbillion
carriage. The C1 Tourbillion Gravity also features a flyback chronograph
and 84-hour power reserve and is water resistant to 30 meters.
Although founded in Biel, Switzerland, in 1908, Concord today is owned
by Movado Group, which is based in Paramus, N.J.
07. BreitlingGrande Complication
Price: $280,716
Unveiled at Baselworld 2010, this pocket watch has a perpetual
calendar that displays the date, day, month, leap years, and moon
phases and a minute repeater that strikes the hours, quarters, and
minutes on demand. It comprises almost 700 parts. The case, made of 18
carat yellow gold, features an engraving of Walter Owen Bentley,
founder of Bentley Motors, one of Breitling’s partners.
06. PaneraiL’Astronomo Luminor Tourbillion 1950 Equation of Time in rose gold
Price: $235,000
Recently presented at the 2010 Salon International de la Haute
Horlogerie in Geneva as a tribute to Galileo Galilei, the L’Astronomo
will be made in a limited number of about 30. While ordering the piece,
clients must specify their hometown, which is engraved on the back
near a rotating sky chart of the city. The dial also displays the
sunrise and sunset times of the chosen city. Panerai is owned by
Richemont.
05. Porsche DesignIndicator P´6910 in rose gold
Price: $225,000
Made of about 800 individual parts and developed by 12 engineers and
watchmakers, the Porsche Design Indicator P´6910 is the world’s first
chronograph with a mechanical-digital stopwatch function display. It
can record up to 9 hours and 59 minutes. In 2008 the Indicator,
available in three design variants, was presented in rose gold with
PVD coated titanium.
04. Glashütte OriginalJulius Assmann 4 in white gold
Price: $161,000
Glashütte Original introduced this piece for the Assmann edition in
2007. It can be worn as a wristwatch or pocket watch and features a
unique retrograde hour display and tourbillion. The watch is also
offered in red gold and rose gold ($145,000). More information is
available through Tourbillion Boutiques in New York, Las Vegas, and Los
Angeles. Based in the former East Germany, Glashütte Original is one of
the few watchmakers that uses its own proprietary movements. It is
owned by Switzerland’s Swatch Group.
03. JeanRichardParamount Tourbillion Linear Power Reserve
Price: $128,000
This unique tourbillion watch from independent Swiss watchmaker
JeanRichard uses a linear indicator for the 72-hour power reserve. It
has an 18 carat white gold case and rubber covered alligator strap.
02. Tag HeuerMonaco V4
Price: $80,000
Tag Heuer, which is owned by French luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy
Louis Vuitton, used cars as a model for rethinking watches’
mechanical movement and engineered the world’s first and only
belt-driven timepiece. This design is more shock-resistant and
requires less maintenance because of the belts and micro ball
bearings, according to the company. The Monaco V4 has a platinum case
and alligator leather strap. Only 150 pieces were manufactured.
01. Baume & MercierWilliam Baume Flying Tourbillion
Price: $75,000*
This new edition of the William Baume Tourbillion has a “flying
tourbillion,”—a tourbillion held in place on only one side rather than
on the top and bottom—black dial, and black alligator strap. The
tourbillion escapement is in the 9 o’clock position and a small seconds
display at 6 o’clock. It has a 52-hour power reserve. This timepiece
is limited to 10 editions worldwide. Baume & Mercier is owned by
Swiss luxury goods giant Compagnie Financière Richemont.