Top 10 Most Expensive Watches In The World - Forbes India (2024)

Luxury watches have long been coveted not merely for their function but as symbols of status, craftsmanship, and timeless elegance. People buy the most expensive watches in the world for various reasons—as a statement of success, an appreciation for precision engineering, or simply as heirlooms that transcend generations.We've compiled a list of the world’s most expensive watches for the curious. Each watch on this list justifies its staggering price tag through unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Top ten most expensive watches in the world

Here is a list of the world’s most expensive watches, compiled from industry sources:

Now, let’s look at the reasons why these watches are so expensive: Also Read: Why are products marketed to women sometimes more expensive?

Graff Diamonds Hallucination

• Material used: Platinum
• Manufacturing year: 2014
• Movement: Quartz

The Hallucination, crafted by Graff Diamonds, is the world’s most expensive watch. Laurence Graff, the visionary Chairman of Graff Diamonds, ideated the masterpiece.

Boasting an assortment of 110 carats of multi-coloured diamonds in various cuts embedded into a platinum bracelet, The Hallucination seamlessly integrates high fashion with the world of watchmaking. Unveiled at Baselworld in 2014, The Hallucination is ideal for those seeking a shimmering and captivating spectacle. Also Read: 5 most expensive islands to visit

Graff Diamonds The Fascination

• Material used: Diamond
• Manufacturing year: 2015
• Movement: Quartz

Securing the second spot on our list of the world's most expensive watches is The Fascination. It was created by Graff Diamonds again- a renowned British jewellery brand celebrated for its expertise in procuring and refining some of the globe's most renowned diamonds.This watch can also be styled as a bracelet. It has an impressive 152.96 carats of white diamonds, with a rare 38.13-carat pear-shaped diamond serving as the central dial. The pear-shaped diamond can be detached and worn as a ring. Also Read: Top 10 most expensive paintings in the world

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2019
• Movement: Manual

The Grandmaster Chime proudly stands as the most expensive Patek watch ever sold. This watch was created in honour of the brand's 175th anniversary in 2014. What makes this watch truly exceptional is its dual-dial feature. Both dials are adorned with blue opaline, complemented by gold-applied numerals and 18K solid gold dial plates. Also Read: 10 most expensive things in the world
Its other impressive features include five distinct chiming modes, an acoustic alarm, and a date repeater. The case, fashioned from white gold, and the navy blue alligator leather strap together complete the look of this masterpiece.

Breguet Grande Complication Marie Antoinette

• Material used: Gold
• Manufacturing year: 1827
• Movement: Automatic

This watch is believed to have been initially commissioned by one of her lovers for the French queen, Marie Antoinette. The creation of this watch spanned an astonishing 40 years, a saga that unfolded tragically with Marie Antoinette's execution before the masterpiece was completed. The historical backdrop only adds to the romance and mystique surrounding this timepiece.Also Read: The top 10 most expensive houses in the world
It was designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet and has been called a poem in clockwork. Encased in gold, the watch is a marvel of its time, featuring every attribute imaginable in that era, from a perpetual calendar to a thermometer. Despite a turbulent history, including a theft in the late 1900s, the watch now finds a secure abode in the L.A. Mayer Museum.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2012
• Movement: Manual

Jaeger-LeCoultre, a top-tier brand renowned for its craftsmanship, crafted this watch as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating the milestone of her 60-year reign. This watch is crafted from white gold and features a sleek hand-wound mechanism and a sapphire glass-covered clock. Five hundred seventy-seven diamonds are inlaid into the design, elevating it to a unique level of luxury and craftsmanship. The pièce de résistance features the miniature calibre 101 movement, recognised as one of the smallest in the world.

Chopard 201- Carat

• Material used: White gold and yellow gold
• Manufacturing year: 2000
• Movement: Mechanical

Adorned with a staggering 874 diamonds, totalling 201 carats and spanning a spectrum of colours, this $25 million watch stands as the magnum opus of the Swiss watchmaker Karl Scheufele III. It is a favoured choice among A-listers and royalty alike. The allure of this watch extends beyond its dazzling sparkle. When you press the spring-loaded mechanism, three heart-shaped diamonds (15-carat pink, 12-carat blue, and 11-carat white ones) blossom open like flower petals, revealing the pavé-set watch face. Within are three pear-shaped yellow diamonds, totalling an impressive 8.45 carats.

Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication

• Material used: Gold
• Manufacturing year: 1932
• Movement: Manual

Crafted in 1933 for the American banker Henry Graves, this Patek Philippe gold pocket watch stands as a testament to an era when watchmaking relied on the skill of artisans. The design and construction of this timepiece spanned an impressive seven years. The watch is one of the most complicated pocket watches ever created. It includes a calendar, a minute repeater with Westminster Chimes, details on sunrise and sunset times, and a celestial chart mirroring the night sky as observed from Graves' residence in New York.

Rolex Paul Newman Daytona Ref. 6239

• Material used: Stainless steel
• Manufacturing year: 1968
• Movement: Manual

Celebrated actor Paul Newman, renowned for his passion for exquisite timepieces and a love for racing cars, has been linked with this watch, as his wife commissioned it for him in 1968. Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman’s wife, engraved the watch with the words ‘Drive Carefully Me’. Newman’s Daytona was auctioned in 2017, and it lasted only 12 minutes before the watch found a new owner via a telephone bid. The swift sale comes as no surprise, considering Rolex's status not only as the world's most renowned watch company but also as one of the most celebrated luxury brands globally.

Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch

• Material used: White gold
• Manufacturing year: 2015
• Movement: Manual

The Jacob & Co. Billionaire watch lives up to its grand title, adorned with stunning 189 carats of Akosha diamonds. These diamonds are cut to create the illusion of being 30 percent larger than a standard emerald-cut diamond. The watch's skeleton face reveals the intricate hand-crafted tourbillon movement, comprising 167 elements and 18 jewels.Crafted with 18-karat white gold, both the bracelet and dial exude luxury. The final touch, a rose-cut jewel on the crown, is the proverbial cherry on top.

Patek Philippe Stainless Steel Ref. 1518

• Material used: Stainless steel
• Manufacturing year: 1943
• Movement: Manual

This watch stands out due to its unique case as part of an exclusive four-piece series. Reference 1518 marked a pivotal moment for the company, representing a Renaissance and returning to its foundational principles of blending innovation with tradition. Crafted from high-grade stainless steel, it deviates from the norm of Patek Philippe luxury watches, commonly found with yellow or rose gold cases. While one might assume that a steel case would diminish its value compared to its gold counterparts, the scarcity of high-end watches in this material acts to the contrary.