A single ladies’ watch is valued higher than many private jets: The Graff Diamonds Hallucination, a one‑off quartz timepiece paved with about 110 carats of rare coloured diamonds, is estimated at roughly 55 million dollars. For context, that exceeds the price of many new long‑range business jets sold today.
The Graff Diamonds Hallucination
The Graff Diamonds Hallucination, unveiled at Baselworld 2014, is widely described as the world’s most expensive watch. Its platinum bracelet is completely covered in pink, blue, green, orange and yellow fancy‑coloured diamonds in multiple cuts, with a tiny dial almost hidden among the stones.
Graff chairman Laurence Graff called it “a sculptural masterpiece; a celebration of the miracle of colored diamonds.”
The Graff Diamonds’ Fascination
The Graff Diamonds’ Fascination is a transformable high‑jewellery watch valued at about 40 million dollars.
At its centre sits a 38.13‑carat D‑Flawless pear‑shaped diamond that can be detached and worn as a ring, leaving behind a fully diamond‑set watch dial; in total the piece incorporates 152.96 carats of colourless diamonds. This dual identity as both ring and timepiece underlines Graff’s focus on jewellery first, mechanics second.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A‑010
The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A‑010, created as a unique piece for the Only Watch 2019 charity auction, became the most expensive watch ever sold when it reached 31 million dollars in Geneva.
This stainless‑steel Grandmaster Chime features 20 complications and a reversible double‑faced case, a configuration unique to this single reference. Coverage from Hodinkee described it as “the most expensive watch in the world” after the record‑setting sale.
The Breguet 1160
The Breguet 1160 is a modern recreation of the legendary Breguet No. 160 “Marie Antoinette” pocket watch, originally commissioned in the 18th century and completed long after the queen’s death.
Unveiled in 2008, the Breguet 1160 reproduces the elaborate self‑winding, highly complicated design from archival drawings and is widely regarded as one of the most valuable pocket watches in existence, often cited around 30 million dollars
Jaeger‑LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette
The Jaeger‑LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette showcases the tiny hand‑wound Calibre 101, one of the smallest mechanical movements ever made, inside a fully gem‑set bracelet watch.
A special Joaillerie 101 Manchette set with about 576 diamonds and a sapphire dial was presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne.
Chopard 201‑Carat Watch
The Chopard 201‑Carat Watch is built around three prominent heart‑shaped diamonds: a pink diamond of about 15 carats, a blue diamond of about 12 carats and a colourless diamond of about 11 carats.
Surrounding them are hundreds of smaller white and yellow diamonds, bringing the total to 201 carats and an often‑quoted value of roughly 25 million dollars, placing it among the priciest watches ever created.
A Flower of Diamonds That Reveals the Time
On the Chopard 201‑Carat Watch, a spring‑loaded mechanism allows the three heart‑shaped diamonds to open like petals, exposing a pavé‑set watch dial beneath.
Reports note the watch contains hundreds of high‑grade diamonds fashioned into floral clusters, turning the act of checking the time into a small mechanical performance on the wrist.
Patek Philippe Supercomplication
The Patek Philippe Supercomplication, commonly known as the Henry Graves Supercomplication, was completed in 1932 for New York banker Henry Graves Jr. after several years of work.
Featuring 24 complications and no electronic assistance, the pocket watch sold at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2014 for about 24 million dollars, briefly reclaiming the record as the world’s most expensive watch.
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch
The Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch is an 18‑karat white‑gold skeleton tourbillon encased in roughly 260 carats of emerald‑cut diamonds.
In 2018, boxer Floyd Mayweather publicly stated he had bought the Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch for about 18 million dollars, a purchase widely reported by financial and lifestyle outlets and now closely associated with the piece.
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona, a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona reference 6239 given to him by his wife Joanne Woodward, became a landmark of vintage collecting when it sold for 17.75 million dollars at Phillips in New York in 2017.
Phillips described Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona as “the most iconic collector’s wristwatch of the 20th century,” underscoring how provenance can outweigh precious materials.
Patek Philippe 1518
The Patek Philippe 1518, introduced in 1941, was the first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch. A stainless‑steel Patek Philippe 1518, one of only four known examples in that metal, achieved 11.1 million dollars at auction in 2016, at the time a record for any wristwatch and a benchmark for rarity‑driven value.
Why These Specific Watches Command Such Prices
Across this top‑tier list, each watch’s value is shaped by a different mix of factors: The Graff Diamonds Hallucination, The Graff Diamonds’ Fascination and the Chopard 201‑Carat Watch rely on extreme diamond rarity and complex setting, while Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime 6300A‑010 and Supercomplication represent peaks of mechanical complexity.
Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona and the Patek Philippe 1518 in steel show how provenance and scarcity can rival gemstones in driving prices.
The Role of Auctions and Charity
Major auction houses and charity events have amplified these record prices. Only Watch 2019 provided the stage for Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A‑010 to reach 31 million dollars, with proceeds supporting research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Sotheby’s and Phillips played similar roles in positioning the Patek Philippe Supercomplication and Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona as benchmark lots in the global watch market.
Expert Views on Ultra‑High‑End Timepieces
Specialist writers often describe these watches as sitting between horology, jewellery and art investment.
Hodinkee called the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A‑010 “the most expensive watch in the world” after its sale, while coverage of the Hallucination stresses the years spent sourcing its 110 carats of coloured diamonds, highlighting “the rarity of the diamonds and the skill required” to assemble them.
Sources:
“The World’s Most Expensive Watch: The Hallucination by Graff Diamonds.” DSF Antique Jewelry, 2024.
“Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime for Only Watch 2019 Becomes the Most Expensive Watch Ever.” Hodinkee, 2019.
“Paul Newman’s ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona Sells for Record Price.” Phillips, 2017.
“The Henry Graves Supercomplication Sells for 24 Million Dollars.” Sotheby’s, 2014.