Since they were first introduced, wristwatches have become an essential accessory and even a class statement for men and women. Design, functions and mechanisms have evolved tremendously over time, with a myriad of brilliant watchmakers creating timepieces that can easily be considered topnotch and most expensive watch brands.
Today we take a look at the most expensive watch brands in the world, with prices ranging from a thousand to over a million dollars for a unique piece. With the best materials, extremely delicate mechanisms and high-quality precious stones, carefully assembled by expert hands, the watches of these brands are reserved for a privileged group.
Once you’ve found the perfect watch for yourself, you might want to invest more in a watch strap. You can find a watch brand to match your style in many different malls, but make sure it is befitting your status and very good quality leather. Let’s take a closer look at the ten most expensive watch brands in the world.
Top 10 Most Expensive Watch Brands
Here are the topmost expensive watch brands in the world:
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Vacheron Constantin
- Patek Philippe
- Roger Dubuis
- Piaget
- Audemars Piguet
- Louis Moinet
- Blancpain
- Breguet
- A. LANGE & SOHNE
#1. Jerger-LeCoultre
The Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture has not ceased to renew its creativity and inventiveness since 1833. One hundred and eighty experts come together to design, assemble, decorate or crimp; every different stage required for the creation of a Jaeger-LeCoultre Since its creation, the Maison has created more than 1,200 calibres, which today have earned it unique fame and the watchmaking industry.
The fine watch bands from Jaeger LeCoultre cost around $4,000 and could reach well over one million for exquisite watches like the Hybris Mechanica a Grande Sonnerie which sells for $1,474,070.
#2. Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin has a history to one of the most expensive watch brands from ancient times with Patek Philippe and Piguet. They made watches for Napoleon Bonaparte, Pope Pius XI, Harry Truman and the Duke of Windsor, and are also behind the world’s first motorized rotating discs.
For their 250th anniversary, they created a seven-piece edition called Tour de I’lle that featured two sides to have enough space for all of their exhibits. This watchband has a different time zone a perpetual calendar, a sunset time indicator, a host of different characters priced at $ 1,538,160. The minimum cost of Vacheron Constantin goes for $11,000 to pay.
#3. Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe is another most expensive watch brand perpetuating the tradition of Genevan watchmaking. As the last family-owned independent watch manufacturer in Geneva, Patek Philippe enjoys total creative freedom to entirely design, produce and assemble what experts agree to be the finest timepieces in the world – following the vision of its founders Antoine Norbert de Patek and Adrien Philippe.
Their timepieces have some of the most complicated mechanisms and they usually sell for $10,000 to $780,000.
#4. Roger Dubuis
Also among the most expensive watch brands is Roger Dubuis has a history of the latest contemporary watchmaking since 1995. His daring creations, firmly anchored in the 21st century, embody important know-how that is expressed through the most beautiful watch movements combined with design.
Boldness and extravagance are the hallmarks of the brand and determination is its driving force. You could get a Roger Dubuis timepiece from somewhere between $11,000 to $156,000 but there are some exquisite pieces selling for way more than that.
#5. Piaget
From 1874 Piaget has been crafting luxury watches and luxury jewellery treasures by blending a jeweller’s refinement with its watchmaking sophistication. Within this unique savoir-faire resides the Piaget secret to fine jewellery making. Nearly a hundred crafts performed side by side at the heart of the Manufacture give life to works of art that sparkle with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Filled with emotion, Piaget high-end jewellery is a source of joy for all those who wear it.
Their prices range from $10,000 to $210,000 nowadays and some of their watches could be actually considered fashionable jewellery, like the Altiplano Caliber 1200D that’s just loaded with gems, an internal structure crusted in diamonds and a highly complex mechanism which costs $152,000.
#6. Audemars Piguet
Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet was founded back in 1875 by two friends, Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, who wanted to produce complex watch movements that would soon take over the world.
Right now Audemars Piguet is one of the world’s most renowned watchmakers and each component of their timepieces is still made with traditional techniques. Their watches are being priced between $8,000 and $250,000.
#7. Louis Moinet
Inventor of the chronograph in 1806, Louis Moinet’s workshop made extraordinary timepieces for world leaders and celebrities such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Tsar Alexander I, King George IV of England and Thomas Jefferson. Louis Moinet’s loose watches and a true art recital and his early watches can be seen in museums such as the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles or the Palazzo Pitti. His company’s regular watches cost between $ 8,000 and $ 26,000.
#8. Blancpain
Jehan-Jacques Blancpain created this company in 1735 and every single one of their products is made by just one watchmaker, making these timepieces highly exclusive and valuable. The prices range between $6,000 and $500,000 and according to their slogan they never made quartz watches nor will they ever.
Rolex makes around 2,000 watches every day while Blancpain only creates around thirty – that’s why it’s much more difficult to get one. One of their most impressive watches is also one of the world’s most complicated timepieces, produced in a limited run of just 30 pieces, with one more added every year.
#9. Breguet
Breguet is proud to be one of the most expensive watch brands and oldest watchmakers still in activity and in production, whose history begins in 1775 in Paris. The company moved to Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, in 1976 and its inventions include the tourbillon invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet, as well as the world’s first wristwatch made in 1810.
The prices of the watches today oscillate between 6,000 and 400,000 dollars, but they could go even further for unique pieces. Breguet even made watches for King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette with the large Breguet No.160 complication also known as Marie-Antoinette, which contains the entire clock known at the time, enclosed in known as Marie Antoinette, which contains every watch function known at the time, encased in gold which sapphires inside to decrease friction.
#10 A. LANGE & SOHNE
A luxury German watch manufacturer founded in 1845, A. Lange & Sohne is known for producing exclusively mechanical movements. The brand’s logo is “state of the art tradition”, merging tradition and innovation. Notable wearers of A. Lange & Sohne include Ed Sheeran, Bill Clinton and Alexander II of Russia.Starting Price: $11,200 and the most expensive goes for $2,500,000.
Most expensive watch brands for ladies
Here is a selection of top expensive women’s watches you can upgrade to:
- Cartier Bestiaire Evol D’un Phoenix Dark Purple Mother of Pearl with Diamonds Feather Dial Ladies’ Watch – $173,000
- Tank Anglaise Watch – $134,000
- Tank Solo Watch – $4,600
- Cartier Crash Watch – $133,000
- David Yurman Women’s Classic 38mm – $5,200
- Christian Koban Clou Black Diamond Dinner Watch – $16,055
- Chopard Happy Sport Diamond & Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch – $17,600
- Jaeger LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Silver Dial 18kt Rose Gold Ladies Watch – $21,995
- Rolex Datejust Pearlmaster Diamond Pave Dial 18kt Yellow Gold Ladies Watch – $93,560
SEE ALSO: LUXURY WATCHES FOR WOMEN: TOP 10 EXPENSIVE WATCHES
What to Look for When Shopping for a Watch
Below are what you should look out for when planning to purchase any of the most expensive watch brands. To ensure you invest in the right model for your particular taste.
- Balance wheel: a weighted wheel that rotates back and forth, allowing the hands of the watch to move
- Balance spring: also known as a hairspring, this is a delicate spring that controls the speed at which the balance wheel oscillates
- Bezel: the metal or ceramic ring that surrounds the crystal
- Calibre: another word for a watch movement
- Chronograph: a watch with a stopwatch function
- Complication: any function of a watch that goes beyond just telling the time
- Escapement: releases the gear train, allowing the clock’s hands to move forward
- GMT: a GMT watch can track two time zones simultaneously
- Tourbillon: a type of escapement in a rotating cage, designed to counter the effects of gravity and increase accuracy
How Much is Right to Spend on a Watch?
A Casio digital quartz watch won’t set you back much more than $30, making it an affordable option if all you need it to do is tell time and be reliable for a long time. The Seiko 5, on the other hand, will cost you about $170 and is a good investment if you want a decent mechanical watch.
Furthermore, an entry-level Swiss watch from a brand like Hamilton or Tissot costs closer to $500 if you are looking for something a little finer. The lowest-priced Rolex can be purchased for approximately $5000. That being said, it is important to consider why you desire a watch in the first place.
What Factors Contribute to the High Cost of Watches?
Some of the reasons why luxury watches are so expensive are that they are often made of precious metals, they are only made in small numbers, and they have complicated mechanisms that are hard to use. Even watches like Omega and Rolex, which are made in fairly large numbers, take hundreds of hours to make. The level of polish, craftsmanship, and precision that goes into a premium watch requires a significant amount of manual labor. In addition to that, luxury watches are also regarded as assets and are exchanged in the same manner as other investments.
Conclusion
Ultimately, a luxury watch is more than a symbol of status and class; it does all the timing for you. It tells people that you can afford to pursue sentimental investments, not just business. Also, designer brands are especially capable of blending fashion and reliability. They design and manufacture watches that live up to their prices while making a style statement as the most expensive watch brands.
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