The Worlds Most Expensive Luxury Watches at Auction
Can you imagine spending more money on a watch than you would on a house? If the lack of a shortage of buyers for such exclusive time pieces is anything to go by, it seems there are plenty of people who're willing to part with huge sums of money for the chance to own something both beautiful and exclusive.
Hublot
A diamond-encrusted watch by Swiss watchmaker Hublot is believed to be the world's most expensive watch. With a price tag of around $5 million, it's hard to argue with that. It has 140 carats of diamonds set in white gold which cover the face of the watch as well as the band. This astonishing watch took 14 months to design and make and involved 17 people!
Patek Philippe
Consistently achieving prices higher than those of a house, Patek Philippe watches are in high demand. Here are a few sold by Christies over the last couple of years.
A platinum automatic minute repeating wristwatch sold in Hong Kong for over $700,000. Its value came partly from the fact that very few examples of this model were made.
When it comes to the double-dial sky moon tourbillion, one of the most complicated ever made with each gear polished for less friction, there's a five year waiting list to own one, despite the $1 million plus price tag.
Pink gold is unusual by itself, but marry it with the coveted Patek Philippe name and you have a package worth around $1.7 million. Again, rarity plays a part in the value, with just seven pink-gold watches of this particular design being known to exist.
Rolex
No expensive watch list would be complete without a reference to Rolex and this brand too has its share of watches that sell for more than it costs to buy the average house.
A 1942 Rolex chronograph sold for $1.6 million at auction in Geneva and is one of only eight in existence from the twelve originally made. These Ref 4133s were reputed to have been originally given as gifts to racing drivers and team owners during the 1940s.
Given the long history of well-known and respected watch manufacturers, the fact that they have their imitators comes as no surprise. If you want to sell a luxury watch, it's for this reason that you need to deal with reputable traders.
While you may not sell your luxury watch for more than the price of a house, it's reassuring and rewarding to know that the watch in your possession rubs shoulders, at least in its name, with some of the record-breaking watches across the world.
