Patek Philippe ‘Packard” One of the world first alter complicated watches. A Mr James Packard wanted to own the most complex watch in the world. He ordered Patek Philippe in Switzerland to make him such a thing. In 1923 they sent back a pocket watch with sixteen features, including a star map that showed the night sky from Mr Packard’s home in Ohio.
Patek Philippe ‘Graves’ The most complicated watch for over fifty years.
Not to be outdone by Packard, with who he had a long standing rivalry, New York banker Henry Graves also commissioned a watch from Patek Philippe. This took three years to design and five years to build. The result with over 24 complications - that's watch speak for 24 features - sold for $11 million dollars in 1999 making it one of the most expensive watches in the world.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. This is the watch that used steel, titanium and ceramic, making them popular watch making materials. Whilst their watch making neighbours concentrated on creating timepieces with jewels and precious metals, in 1972 Piguet hired Gerald Genta to make the worlds first stainless steel luxury watch. Its gone through many incarnations since then, but the oaks octagonal case remains true to its early self.
Breguet “reveil du tsar. One of the most elegant complex watches on the market,
in 1813 Parisian watch maker Breguet made a pocket watch for Tsar Alexander of Russia, it included pedometers for his marching arms. In 2003 the company now based in Switzerland created a wristwatch based on the original. The new version includes miniature alarm, multiple retrograde hands, and time zone indication.
Jaeger-LeCoulture Gyrotourbillion. The first watch to use ‘space age’ techniques to offset the effects of gravity on the internal balance wheel. Known as one of the most mechanically stunning watch movements in the world. Inside this watch a tiny globe rotates on all axes like a miniature planet.
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