20 Dec The 10 Most Expensive Watches in the World (2026)
The 10 Most Expensive Watches in the World (2026)
The most expensive watch in the world is the Graff Hallucination, valued at about $55 million. The most expensive watch ever sold at auction is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010, which sold for about $31 million at Christie’s in Geneva in 2019, a record that still stands as of October 2026. Values for one-off jewelry watches like the Graff pieces are estimates; auction results are actual prices paid.
| Rank | Watch | Value | Type of figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graff Hallucination | ~$55M | Reported value |
| 2 | Graff The Fascination | ~$40M | Reported value |
| 3 | Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 | ~$31M | Auction sale, Christie’s 2019 |
| 4 | Breguet Marie-Antoinette (No. 160) | Not publicly valued | Museum piece (Jerusalem) |
| 5 | Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication | ~$24M | Auction sale, Sotheby’s 2014 |
| 6 | Jacob & Co. Billionaire | ~$18M | Reported value |
| 7 | Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 | ~$17.8M | Auction sale, Phillips 2017 |
| 8 | Richard Mille RM 56-02 Tourbillon | ~$2.2M (2012 launch) | Retail |
| 9 | Rolex GMT-Master II “Ice” | Not publicly listed | Retail |
| 10 | Hublot Big Bang (fully diamond-set editions) | ~$5M (2012) | One-off, Baselworld 2012 |
Why Ultra-Expensive Watches Matter
Luxury watches carry heritage, exclusivity and status that often rival rare art. They are also portable assets that travel with their owners, whether on the deck of a superyacht or at a business summit, which is why serious collectors keep them alongside homes, cars and jets.
1. Graff Hallucination: about $55 million
When Graff unveiled the Hallucination at Baselworld 2014, it set a new ceiling for watch prices: a ladies’ watch set with more than 110 carats of rare fancy-colored diamonds on a platinum bracelet. Graff called it a sculptural masterpiece, and it is as much high jewelry as watch.
2. Graff The Fascination: about $40 million
Also by Graff, The Fascination is a diamond-set watch whose center can be removed and worn as a high-jewelry ring, a rare fusion of fine watchmaking and jewelry craftsmanship.
3. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010: sold for about $31 million
Patek Philippe made the one-of-a-kind Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 in stainless steel for the 2019 Only Watch charity auction. It sold for CHF 31 million (about $31 million), and it is still the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. With 20 complications, two dials and a reversible case, it is a holy grail for collectors.
4. Breguet No. 160 ‘Marie-Antoinette’: not publicly valued
Commissioned for Queen Marie Antoinette, the original Breguet No. 160 took decades to complete and packed in nearly every horological innovation of its era. It has never been sold or publicly valued; it is held by the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem (Quill & Pad, 2020).
5. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication: sold for about $24 million
Commissioned in the 1930s by banker Henry Graves Jr., the Henry Graves Supercomplication was for decades the most complicated watch ever made. It sold for about $24 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva in 2014, making it the most expensive pocket watch ever sold.
6. Jacob & Co. Billionaire: about $18 million
Few watches are as bold as the Billionaire by Jacob & Co. More than 260 carats of emerald-cut diamonds cover the case and bracelet around a skeleton dial. It is less a tool for telling time than a wearable trophy.
7. Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239: sold for about $17.8 million
The Daytona worn by actor Paul Newman sold for about $17.8 million at Phillips in New York in October 2017. The result proved that provenance and history can be worth as much as diamonds or complications.
8. Richard Mille RM 56-02 Tourbillon: about $2.2 million at launch
The RM 56-02 shows off its movement through a sapphire case, closer to engine art than traditional watchmaking. It launched at about $2.2 million in a series of 10 pieces, all ordered before delivery (NBC News, 2012).
9. Rolex GMT-Master II “Ice”: price not publicly listed
Made in white gold and set with baguette diamonds, the GMT-Master II “Ice” shows that even Rolex reaches ultra-luxury territory; Rolex does not publicly list its price.
10. Hublot Big Bang, one-off diamond edition: about $5 million (2012)
Hublot unveiled a one-off Big Bang set with more than 1,200 diamonds at about $5 million at Baselworld 2012 (Luxury Bazaar).
2025’s Biggest Watch Auction Results
No watch beat the Grandmaster Chime’s record in 2025. The year’s top sale was a stainless steel Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 1518, which sold at Phillips for about $17.6 million, the most valuable vintage Patek wristwatch ever auctioned. Phillips also sold an F.P. Journe prototype made for director Francis Ford Coppola for about $10.8 million.
What Drives These Extreme Watch Prices?
Rarity and exclusivity
Many of these watches are one-offs or made in tiny numbers. A unique piece is often worth more than dozens of standard models.
Craftsmanship and complications
Tourbillons, minute repeaters, perpetual calendars and reversible cases take hundreds or thousands of hours of handwork.
Precious materials
Diamond pavé, rare colored stones and platinum or white-gold cases turn many of these watches into high jewelry.
Provenance and history
Famous owners (Paul Newman), legendary commissions (Henry Graves) and landmark auctions (the Grandmaster Chime) add value that no specification sheet can.
Best Practices for Buying and Protecting a Collectible Watch
- Buy only from authorized dealers or reputable auction houses.
- Insist on full provenance, certificates and documentation, especially for rare or one-off pieces.
- Insure the watch and store it securely, ideally in a climate-controlled vault.
- Keep detailed service records, as you would for a classic car.
- For very rare pieces, plan for the watch as part of your estate.
Buying or Selling a Rare Watch?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most expensive watch in the world?
The Graff Hallucination, valued at about $55 million.
What is the most expensive watch ever sold at auction?
The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010, sold for about $31 million at Christie’s in 2019.
What is the most expensive Rolex ever sold?
Paul Newman’s own Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239, sold for about $17.8 million at Phillips in 2017.
What was the most expensive watch sold in 2025?
A stainless steel Patek Philippe Ref. 1518, sold at Phillips for about $17.6 million.
More From Everything Luxury
- The best watches under $2,000
- The most expensive superyachts in the world
- The most expensive private jets
- The most expensive hotel suites in the world
Questions about this list? Contact Mark.
Last updated: October 2026. Auction results are reported sale prices; other figures are reported values or retail prices.
Sources (checked October 28, 2026): Phillips, Winning Icons, lot 8 (Oct. 26, 2017); Quill & Pad, L.A. Mayer Museum and Breguet No. 160 (May 30, 2020); NBC News, Richard Mille RM 56-02 sold out (2012); Luxury Bazaar, $5 million Hublot (Baselworld 2012).
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