While the world may be wild for smart watches, the market for classic timepieces is always a haven for the wealthy and stylish.
A high-price, quality wrist watch is an investment. Often seen as family heirlooms, brands from Patek Philippe to Rolex, Hublot and Breguet can be worn to make a statement about who you are now, where you come from, and where you're going in this world.
See Also: This All-Black Hublot x Shepard Fairey Timepiece Is Limited To Just 50 Pieces
Some timepieces offer clean and timeless designs, others are glittering works of art, and more still are just covered in jewels to catch the eye of everyone in the room from a mile away. Whatever your style, the watches in the list below are sure to blow your mind—because these are eight of the most expensive watches on the market.
$1.3 million | Website
This beautiful watch absolutely exudes luxury. Its brown enamel build contains a double-faced case, fold-over clasp, crowns, slide piece, and hour/minute hands. Intricately designed arabesques surround the face of the watch. It's the second-most complex watch offered by Patek Phillipe, one of the most trusted brands in the high-end timepiece world, and it comes with a pair of matching cufflinks.
$1.5 million | Website
The Daytona by Rolex is consistently one of the most in-demand and highly valued timepieces on the resale market. This Cosmograph was designed with racing drivers in mind. It contains unique features such as a tachymetric scale, a dial with chronograph counters, and a start-drive-stop tool that allows racers to time themselves easily. Other features include a water-resistant 18 ct oyster yellow gold case, winding crown, and oyster architecture. You don't have to be a race car driver to get this look, though. You just have to have the cash.
View this post on Instagram
$4.6 million | Website
Louis Monet is known for his detailed tributes to historical personalities, but the Meteoris collection pays tribute to a different subject entirely. This collection depicts the solar system and is sold as a set of four watches. Each unique watch features a rare meteorite, hence the title of the collection: Tourbillon Mars, Tourbillon Rosetta Stone, Tourbillon Asteroid and Tourbillon Moon. This set is truly a perfect intersection for astronomy experts and timepiece connoisseurs.
$5 million | Website
This $5 million watch was a birthday gift to Jay-Z from Beyoncé. Encrusted with more than 1,200 diamonds, it really is a one-of-a-kind piece. A variety of diamond cutters, setters and sources were used to fit the watch. Each diamond was graded A for color and quality, according to Luxury Bazaar, and the construction of the piece took 14 months.
Among the iconic pieces of @jaegerlecoultre #boutique #Paris #Vendôme pic.twitter.com/yfYUjj6Pvz
— Loupiosity (@Loupiosity) August 27, 2014
$26 million | Website
This watch brings an eclectic touch to the field of horology. The timepiece is made up of random polished diamond sets that “conceal the Calibre 101 movements,” according to The Jewellery Editor. These sets can be customized with up to 576 diamonds and a choice of a sapphire dial, too. This was a gift to Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her 60th anniversary on the throne.
$31 million | Website
This watch hit the most expensive watch ever sold list in 2019, retailing at just more than $30 million. The Grandmaster Chime was developed in celebration of Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary in 2014, and earned the title of the brand’s most complicated wristwatch. It strikes every hour and 15 minutes, and chimes hourly and quarterly. Along with these patterns, the watch has a complicated chiming alarm. Holding over six patents, this timepiece is truly one of a kind.
$55 million | Website
With stems from 110 carats of large, colorful diamonds, there is no question this timepiece may be the most valuable watch ever created. The rarity of these colors as well as their unique cuts inherently add to the watch's worth. Its dial is extremely accurate and doesn’t require a power reserve. A tongue clasp is used to secure the watch onto a wrist, and while pressure added to a specific diamond works to unclasp the band. In all of its glory, this watch makes more than a spectacular gift. After all, diamonds are a (very lucky) girl’s best friend.
While many of these watches are extremely limited editions and sometimes one-offs, it's fascinating to look at the watch industry's advancements in design and technology. In fact, millennials are taking a vested interest in the watch market, which only proves the timepiece's staying power as a time-honored investment opportunity. Want to check out some other watches that are proven winners for resale? Check out these coveted, vintage Rolex watches that recently went up for auction.
Photography by: ANTONY DICKSON / Getty; SEBASTIEN BOZON / Getty
