From businessmen to train conductors to novices, pocket watches have been a staple among men and women over the course of history in terms of timekeeping. Whether the timepiece is constructed of gold, silver or platinum, the engineering beneath the protective cover is what matters first and foremost when creating a record of account with these bite-sized machines. Below are the top 5 most expensive pocket watches to date.
5. Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000: $4 million
A watch that took 8 years to design and a bevy of watchmakers to perfect, the Star Caliber 2000 is the third most complicated pocket watch in the world. With a running equation of time, sunset/sunrise display and the ability to correctly play London’s Westminster Chime, the 2000 proves to be a remarkable time piece any person, collector or not, would be proud to own.
4. Breguet Antique 2667: $4.7 million
Made of 18 carat yellow gold and two oscillating bodies, this watch was a bit of an experiment when Breguet created it in 1814. The design and process revolved around the chronometer. The dual faced watch features both Roman and traditional numerals.
3. Patek Philippe Caliber 89: $6 million
To celebrate their 150 year anniversary, Patek Philippe engineered a highly intricate piece of machinery. After 9 years of collaboration, including 5 years of research, the company released the anticipated model in 1989. The watch has everything one can think of including temperature, day of week, date of Easter, star chart and time of sunset, amongst others.
2. Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette Number 160: $10 million
Presented in a box made from the Royal Oak Tree of Versailles, which has an estimated value of $100,000 alone, the Marie-Antoinette Number 160 is on display in a museum and currently not available for sale. Initially created for its namesake, the original was presented to her family who then donated it to a museum in Jerusalem from which it was stolen and never recovered. The item now in existence is a replica ordered by Swatch. The self-winding, minute repeater with double parachute anti-shock, is by far a spectacular piece of history.
1. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication: $11 million
Completed in 1932 after 4 years of research and brainstorming, the Henry Graves was birthed after Graves commissioned Patek Philippe to create a watch with the highest number of complications. In addition to the usual specs, the two faced, yellow gold watch also has a celestial chart based on the night sky above Graves’ New York home.
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