From utilizing the sun’s rays to determine the time of day to incorporating intricate mechanical movements for precision up to 1/100th of a second, the field of timekeeping instruments has undergone a significant evolution. Similarly, the definition of luxury watches has transformed. In today’s era, adorning a watch with dazzling diamond elements or housing it in a gold case has become quite commonplace. Consequently, watchmakers face a daunting challenge when crafting premium timepieces.
But just how much does one need to invest to acquire the most extravagant watches? And what accounts for the staggering price tags attached to these models?
Let us guide you through a compilation of the most expensive watches in the world in 2024.
Most Expensive Luxury Watches in 2024:
Graff Diamonds Hallucination
- Price: USD 55 million
Since 2014, the top spot on the list of the world’s most expensive watches has been reserved for Graff Diamonds’ Hallucination. Conceived by Laurence Graff, the chairman of Graff Diamonds, this timepiece transcends being merely a watch; it is an embodiment of opulence. Adorned with an array of 110-carat multi-colored diamonds on a platinum bracelet, the Hallucination seamlessly marries high fashion with watchmaking.
Graff Diamonds Fascination
- Price: USD 40 million
Introduced in 2015, the Fascination by Graff Diamonds follows the Hallucination’s extravagance. With a body comprised of 152.96 carats of white diamonds, this watch can double as a bracelet. A detachable 38.13-carat pear-shaped white diamond serves as the central dial and can be worn as a ring, adding versatility to its allure.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime
- Price: USD 31 million
Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime stands out in the world of horology with its dual-dial feature. The reversible lugs facilitate a switch between front and rear dials, both boasting blue opaline, gold-applied numerals, and 18K solid gold dial plates. With five distinct chiming modes, an acoustic alarm, and a date repeater, the watch’s exclusivity is accentuated by the production of only seven pieces.
Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette
- Price: USD 30 million
Commissioned over 40 years by an admirer of Queen Marie-Antoinette, the Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette is a historical masterpiece. This ‘poem in clockwork’ features 24 complications, a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, and a Westminster chime, representing the epitome of late 19th-century craftsmanship.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette
- Price: USD 26 million
Crafted as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette boasts a white gold bracelet adorned with 576 diamonds and 11 onyx gemstones. The watch’s face is made of sapphire glass, housing the miniature calibre 101 movement, recognized as one of the smallest mechanical movements globally.
Chopard 201-Carat Watch
- Price: USD 25 million
The Chopard 201-Carat Watch, with its 874 diamonds totaling 201 carats, is a dazzling spectacle. Beyond its exterior brilliance, the watch features a spring-loaded mechanism that reveals a pavé-set watch face, adorned with a 15-carat pink diamond, a 12-carat blue diamond, and an 11-carat white diamond.
Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication
- Price: USD 24 million
Commissioned by American banker Henry Graves Jr in the early 20th century, the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication is one of the most complex watches ever made. With astronomical functions, a gold case, and a two-tone silver dial, this watch epitomizes masterful craftsmanship and is a coveted collector’s item.
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch
- Price: USD 18 million
Earned the moniker ‘Billionaire Watch,’ this Jacob & Co. timepiece boasts 189 carats of Ashoka diamonds. Beyond its outward opulence, the watch’s skeleton face reveals a hand-crafted tourbillon movement comprising 167 elements and 18 jewels, making it a choice fit for any billionaire.
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona
- Price: USD 17.6 million
A vintage Rolex watch with cultural significance, Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona, commissioned by his wife Joanne Woodward in 1968, is an icon. Engraved with “Drive Carefully Me,” the watch features contrasting dials and sub-dials, standing testament to Newman and Woodward’s love and becoming one of the most sought-after collectibles.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1518
- Price: USD 11.1 million
Patek Philippe’s Ref. 1518 showcases premium craftsmanship with stainless steel, a material often found in more affordable watches. This chronograph watch, one of the first by Patek Philippe, features a subdial for sunrise and sunset times, marking a renaissance in the brand’s history.
Vacheron Constantin 57260
- Price: USD 8 million
Vacheron Constantin’s 57260 takes watch complications to a new level with two dials and 57 complications. Crafted over eight years, the timepiece, made of solid 18-carat white gold, features a co-axial button controlling the double retrograde chronograph.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1527
- Price: USD 5.7 million
The manual-winding chronograph in the Patek Philippe Ref. 1527 appeals to luxury watch connoisseurs. With a platinum case plated with yellow gold, this formal and elegant watch includes Arabic numerals, three auxiliary dials, and a tachymeter scale.
Hublot Big Bang Diamond Tourbillion Limited Edition
- Price: USD 5 million
Exemplifying sophistication, the Hublot Big Bang Diamond Tourbillion Limited Edition features over 1,200 diamonds, including six three-carat emerald-cut diamonds. This exquisite timepiece, gifted to Jay-Z by Beyonce, reveals a skeleton face with an intricate hand-crafted tourbillon movement and a power reserve of 72 hours.
- Price: USD 4.6 million
With fragments from celestial bodies like the moon, Mars, and asteroids embedded in its body, the Louis Moinet Meteoris Watch is truly a ‘Spacewatch.’ Crafted by Les Ateliers Louis Moinet, this watch embodies exclusivity and remains one of the most expensive and sought-after watches globally.
Piaget Emperador Temple
- Price: USD 3.5 million
Completing the list is the Piaget Emperador Temple, a diamond extravaganza. Adorned with 1,211 diamonds, including an emerald-cut diamond on the main dial, 207 baguette-cut diamonds, and 481 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bracelet, this timepiece showcases opulence. The hidden watch-face below the primary one adds an element of surprise with 11 baguette-cut diamonds and 161 brilliant-cut diamonds.
In 2024, these watches stand as extraordinary examples of craftsmanship, design, and exclusivity, embodying the pinnacle of luxury in the world of horology.
