When it comes to high-end watches, Patek Philippe easily surpasses all other watch brands in record-setting prices. However, some watches that don’t get the same fortune during auctions are very rare, often pieces that were customized for special customers. Most of these watches were made back in the 20th century, during a time when Patek Philippe was more open to experimentation and designing.
Though some of its most valuable timepieces (which includes both pocket and wristwatches) have been produced in the modern era. We’ve compiled an assortment of the world’s most expensive Patek Philippe watches.
1. The Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication — $23.98 million
The title of the most valuable and pricey watch goes to Supercomplication, One of the best watches on earth by Patek Philippe. This watch was created for a Newyork based banker and millionaire, Henry Graves Jr, in the year 1933. It took almost five years to assemble a masterpiece with two dials and 24 complications. The watch had more than 900 parts and it weighs over 1 pound.
The brand pushed all the limits of the watchmaking industry by introducing an 18-carat gold pocket watch with a perpetual calendar and a feature like a minute repeater. Among other complications were the sidereal time and a celestial chart including a mapping of the sky over Manhattan which made it extra unique.
The watch was named after its first owner and the man responsible for some of the most expensive Patek Philippe watches ever made. The Supercomplication held the title of the most complicated watch for almost 6 decades now, and yet a world record holder as the most expensive watch ever sold.
2. Reference 1527 Perpetual Calendar in 18k Rose gold — $5.71 million
Another most fascinating and expensive watch by Patek Philippe released under the ref 1527. First of all, it was made during the time of second world war between 1943 and 1944. The most notable fact was not that it was produced during these years, but rather the fact that this timepiece served as a fore-runner to some of the most iconic watches by Patek Philippe.
This watch is no less than a time machine for a knowledgable Patek Philippe watch collector. The outlook is aesthetically pleasing and the elongated curved lugs beautifies the watch in a classy way. It has a large diameter for the time of 37.6mm. Furthermore, the overall design is timelessly elegant even after it’s creation.
There’s only a brief record present regarding this watch, ultimately thanks to the archives of Patek Philippe, it was revealed that this particular ref was first made for the member of stern family, the first owner of this watch was Charles Stern. Morever it was stated that it was a perpetual calendar in a reference 1527 case and as such, among the two complicated iterations of this model number ever made by the manufacture.
3. Caliber 89 Grand Complication Pocket Watch — $ 4.95 million
Patek Philippe is a brand known for crafting the most complicated timepieces ever made in the history. Among other references, the caliber 89 is the most complicated and expensive one. On the ocassion of the brand’s 150th anniversary the manufacturer presented a masterpiece, Caliber 89 grand complication packet watch.
It took 9 years to develop a watch like this, It’s 4 level movement comprises 33 complications, among which are the perpetual calendar, sunset-sunrise and sidereal time displays, Westminster-chime on four gongs, Grand and Petite sonnerie, alarm, thermometer and a titanium-caged two-minute tourbillon. The movement itself contains 1,728 hand-finished parts, 126 jewels and weighs in at an incredible 600 grams - yes, that's just the movement!
A lesser-known fact about the Caliber 89 is that not one but actually four iterations exist, one each in white, yellow and pink gold as well as one in platinum. Shown above is the yellow-gold version as sold by Antiquorum for nearly 5 million US dollars in 2009. While this remarkable piece is referred to as a pocket watch, with it being 88 millimeters in diameter and 41 millimeters thick, accompanied with an overall weight of 1,100 grams (or 2.4 pounds), it is best to keep it at home, in a safe, locked away.
4. Reference 2458 Observatory Chronometer for J.B. Champion — $3.99 million
This pieces above is believed to be absolute rarity among the company’s most coveted watches. Most importantly, the ref 2458 is a unique chronometric certified timepiece. COSC is the official Swiss institution testing subjected watches individually for their timekeeping performance and issuing certificates once they pass the tests.
It was equipped with a special movement of which although thirty were made to enter Observatory contests with, only two had ever been cased. To top it all off, this piece remains the only Reference 2458 in platinum and it also comes with a platinum bracelet, a leather strap, as well as an additional diamond-set dial.
5. Reference 5004T Titanium for Only Watch Auction — $3.99 million
Although Patek has stopped producing their Reference 5004, for the 5th Only Watch auction (held in September, 2013) they went on to create one final and completely unique version, the 5004T. It is housed in a highly polished titanium case, a seldom-used material by Patek. Making the design even more distinct compared to other 5004 versions (and other Patek watches in general) is a dial made of solid gold, hand-engraved with a checkered pattern. The watch features the Manufacture's amazing caliber CHR 27-70Q, based on a blank movement created exclusively for Patek by Nouvelle Lemania. Its functions include a split-second chronograph as well as a perpetual calendar with phase of the moon indication. The 5004T, without doubt, was an unusual and very special watch from Patek Philippe.
This sentiment was strongly reflected in the price the piece achieved at the auction. It had an estimate between around 400,000 and 600,000 Euros, a range this unique offering far exceeded with a final bid of 2,950,000 Euros, coming in just below 4 million USD at the time of the event.