15 of the World’s Most Expensive Watches [Photos]

Rucuss staffNovember 5, 2012

Diamonds, platinum, gold, fancy chronographs and wrist bands are just a few of the features watchmakers use to create the world’s rarest and most expensive timepieces.

The world’s most prestigious luxury watch manufacturers spare no expense when they put together these special edition pieces. And the richest people in the world buy these exquisite pieces to add to their lucrative collections.

Diamonds, 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. Complex.com put together a list of some of the most expensive watches in the world. Take a look below.

 

The Hublot Big Bang

Price: $5 million

According to the Time Zone forum, the Hublot Big Bang includes more than three different carats of diamonds. It consists of 100 carats and 1,282 diamonds, specially cut to fit the watch’s design. The Big Bang has 18K gold in the dial, clasp and bracelet.

Hublot’s Black Caviar Watch

Price: $1 million

Hublot’s Black caviar watch was a draw dropper when it came out in 2009, well, it has long since raised the bar, but this wristwatch, covered in 501 baguette-cut black diamonds and 18-carat white gold is a classic, surprisingly understated piece.

Patek Philippe 18K World-Time Wristwatch with Two Crowns

Price: $1,022,500

Known for its ridiculously sophisticated watches with exorbitant price tags (as you’ll see later), Patek Philippe has been holding court on quality watches since 1851. Made in 1933, this 18-carat gold watch has 18 jewels and a two-tone day-night 24 hour dial.

Chopard Super Ice Cube Watch

Price: $1.1 million

This Swiss-made watch has 60-carats of diamonds cut into perfect cubes.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks Watch

Price: $1.3 million

With an 18-carat white gold bezel, 104 baguettes on the case and a dial encrusted with 116 diamonds, Audemars Piguet’s diamond Royal Oaks watch is a standard entry into elite wristwatch terrain.

Richard Mille RM 56 Felipe Massa Sapphire Watch

Price: $1.7 million

Limited to five pieces in the world, the Richard Mille RM 56 Felipe Massa Sapphire watch has a tourbillon movement that’s completely covered in sapphire crystal. With 1,000 hours to machine the case, 430 hours to grind and 350 to finish, this timepiece says: “If you’re wondering what’s going on in my head, don’t ask questions. Check the watch.”

 

Blancpain Tourbillon Diamants Watch

Price: $1,812,7000

Stuffed with 480 baguette-cut diamonds, this self-winding wristwatch has 239 parts with a seven day power reserve. It has a white gold case that’s water resistant.

 

Patek Philippe Model 2499 First Series Watch (1957)

Price: $2,280,000

This Patek Philippe watch has a 18-carat yellow gold and 23 jewels with an estimate of only five in the world.

Parmigiani Fleurier Fibonacci Pocket Watch

Price: $2.4 Million

This Swiss-made watch can take up to two years to make. With luxurious features like Mother-of-Pearl counters and a white gold dial, the lotus flower embellishment on the front kind of gives it a feminine flair.

Cartier Secret Watch with Phoenix Decor Watch

Price: $2,755,000

Made of 18-carat, rhodium-plated white gold with small emerald embellishments, this Cartier watch, covered in 3,010 brilliant-cut diamonds has an additional portrait-cut diamond that weighs 3.53 carats.

Patek Philippe Model 2523 Heures Universelles Watch (1953)

Price: $2,899,373

An 18-carat yellow gold world time watch with a North American diagram was sold at the watch auctioneer Antiquorum in 2002.

Piaget Emperador Temple Watch

Price: $3.3 million

It’s two-watches-in-one, one face is concealed by in a case covered in 481 brilliant-cut diamonds, 207 baguette-cut diamonds, and an emerald-cut diamond. While on the second face the Polynesian mother-of-pearl dial has 162 brilliant-cut diamonds, 11 baguette-cut diamonds and a bracelet set with 350 baguette-cut diamonds. The watch was a one-of-a-kind and was gone as soon as it was released.

Louis Moinet “Meteoris” Watch

Price: $4,599,487

It may look like a lot, but considering the series comes in a set of four tourbillion watches, the price isn’t that bad. Moinet decided to use pieces of meteorites to make each watch. He teamed up with Meteorite hunter Luc Labenne to collect pieces from the moon, a Mars meteorite, and an asteroid.

Breguet & Fils, Paris, No. 2667 Precision Watch

Price: $4,682,165

A 18k gold precision with two movements sold in 1814 for 5,000 francs. It’s worth a lot more now.

Chopard 201-Carat Watch

Price: $25 million

This watch has three heart-shaped diamonds (a 15-carat pink one, 12-carat blue one and a 11-carat colorless one) that swivel around a flower-motif encrusted bracelet with white gold, yellow gold hardware and a handful of diamonds in between making up the grand total.