Words: Charlie Thomas
A luxury watch is one of the finest purchases a gentleman can make. Normally, one would expect to pay anything in the region of £1,500 to £20,000 for such an investment, but these timepieces blow that notion completely out of the water. Every watch on this list is north of $1m, which is as scary as it is mind-blowing.
Here are the world’s most expensive timepieces.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN TOUR DE L’ILE, $1.5m, , The Vacheron Constantin Tour de l’Ile was introduced back in 2005 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the famous Swiss watchmaker. Representing the height of exclusivity and absolute luxury, there are only seven examples of this dual-faced, highly intricate timepiece, which boasts a perpetual calendar, minute repeater and sunset time as well as a whole host of other complications.
Vacheron Constantin Tour de L’ile, $1,538,160
RICHARD MILLE RM 56-02, $2m, , The RM65-02 is, to put it quite simply, sensational. Whether you’re a fan of the design or not, you have to appreciate the wondrous attention to detail that has gone into creating this horological masterpiece. Its case is made of sapphire and it features Richard Mille’s innovative cable-pulley system, skeletonised movement, which is on full show through the front and rear sapphire crystal.
Richard Mille RM 56-02 Sapphire, $2,020,000
A. LANGE & SOHNE GRAND COMPLICATION, $2.49m, , In order to be classed as a grand complication, a watch must boast at least three functions separate to telling the time. This A. Lange & Sohne timepiece has a total of seven, and it’s the most complex watch to ever come out of Glashutte, as well as the most expensive.
A. Lange & Sohne Grand Complication, $2,497,000
FRANCK MULLER AETERNITAS MEGA 4, $2.7m, , When it comes to complexity though, the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 trumps all. It’s all about the numbers. It features a total of 36 complications as well as 1483 components and 99 jewels, and it looks like something out of a steampunk novel, which isn’t a bad thing.
Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4, $2,700,000
PATEK PHILIPPE REF.1527, $5.7m, , Patek Philippe are regarded as the finest watchmakers on the entire planet. Their catalogue of watches spans well over a century and is made up of some of the most stunning horological creations ever. This one-off piece dates back to 1943, and has directly inspired numerous complicated Pateks over the years, which isn’t hard to believe when you look at it and absorb its yellow gold beauty.
Patek Philippe Ref. 1527, $5,708,885
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