The 20 Most Expensive Watches Ever Sold

Whether as an accessory, a practical necessity, or a highly prized collectible, one of the finer things in life is a high end luxury watch. Prestigious watchmakers who have been in business for more than a hundred years, and newer upstarts who are vying to make a name in the industry provide us with some of the finest examples of craftsmanship, complicated masterpiece along with the unique personality that is possessed within many of the hand-made pieces. The admiration of horology is as much a mind-set as it is a lifestyle, and with this, we give you the 20 most expensive watches ever sold.With the use of smartphones, the common practice of wearing a wrist-watch has gone out of use with some segments of the population, particularly with the younger generation, but there is a community of steadfast enthusiasts who will always recognize the inherent charm and dignity of horological masterpiece. Whether a pocket watch or wrist watch, these classic timepieces have long been valued as treasures among the more traditional patrons.

Patek Philippe Rare Platinum Chronograph 1946 Ref 1579 – $2,213,454

Our twentieth most expensive watch ever sold is the Patek Philippe Rare Platinum Chronograph. The watch was manufactured inn 1946. It is signed Patek Philippe & Co., Geneve. This is an extremely rare platinum chronograph in wrist watch style. The movement is number 863’875 with the case number 645;564, It was sold at auction for $2,213,454 in November of 2011.

Patek Philippe 1944 Wristwatch in stainless steel – $2.24 million

This rare example that sold for $2.26 million is a Patek Philippe made in 1944, in stainless steel. It sold for the auction price listed above at Christies. The sale took place in November of 2007 and the purchase was made by a private museum in Switzerland. This example, as all Patek Philippe models are only produced in stainless steel material in limited numbers. It is difficult to locate a perpetual calendar wrist watch in stainless steel material today. There are only six known examples which are currently on the market. Of these, are this example, the reference 1591, now in a Swiss museum, four perpetual calendar with chronograph wrist watches reference 1518, and a perpetual calendar featuring subsidiary seconds, reference 1526. Each of these rare pieces are representations of the value involved with the collection of rare time pieces. There is not only an aesthetic and prestige factor, many of these fine collectibles have a great historical as well as monetary value. Patek Philippe is among the most highly collected watch brands, and certain examples are among the most sought after in the world

Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Wristwatch in Pink Gold – $2.28 million

This example of the Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph is ref 2499 series created in 1957. This piece is crafted in pink gold material and is distinguished by the rectangular chronograph buttons, and is also characterized with a crown that is partially recessed. Additional distinguishing features include applied Arabic hours, a tachometer scale along with hands that are each crafted in the shape of a leaf. Of the series, two particular types were made, one sporting oval edge backs and the other made with flat backs. Of these, a mere fourteen are known to exist. The example we are discussing is Patek Philippe’s second most complicated wrist watch style made. It comes in second with regard to complication only to the 2571 which also included the split-second chronograph.

Patek Philippe Pink Gold Pocket Watch 1894 – $2.29 Million

Patek Philippe is a high end luxury watch brand that continues to increase in value with the passage of time. In particular, limited editions and those which are rare examples tend to gain the most. The unique pink gold 24 hour repeater was made in 1894 and this is also the year of its original sale to the first owner. At the time of its sale in the late 1800s, the price was 3,750 Swiss Francs. This rare Patek Philippe was created to in a way that differs from other examples in that the Patek Philippe designation is absent from the dial, and additionally,instead of the traditional 12 hour time, it features read more......