Diamonds, platinum, fancy tourbillons, chronographs, and perpetual
calendars are only a few of the features watchmakers use to create the
world’s rarest and most expensive timepieces. Bloomberg Business Week
asked the world's most prestigious luxury watch manufacturers to name
their priciest products currently in the sales rooms. Of course,
diamond-studded designs come with large price tags, such as Piaget’s
Emperador Temple at $3.3 million and Cartier’s phoenix-shaped wristwatch
at $2.7 million. Other pieces stand by their technical merits, such as
Frank Muller’s Aeternitas Mega 4, with 36 complications, at $2.7
million. Louis Moinet’s new piece, Meteoris, is a $4.6 million set of
four tourbillion watches, made using four meteorites from space and
comes with a planetarium of the solar system.
Baume & Mercier
William Baume Flying Tourbillion
Price: $75,000
Price: $75,000
This new edition of the William Baume Tourbillion has a "flying
tourbillion,"—a tourbillion held in place on only one side rather than on
the top and bottom—black dial, and black alligator strap. The tourbillion
escapement is in the 9 o’clock position and a small seconds display at 6
o’clock. It has a 52-hour power reserve. This timepiece is limited to 10
editions worldwide. Baume & Mercier is owned by Swiss luxury goods giant
Compagnie Financière Richemont.
Ulysse
Nardin
Royal
Blue Tourbillion
Price: $1,000,000
This limited edition watch, produced only in 30 pieces and sold at select retailers, has a platinum case and bracelet and is set with a total of 568 baguette-cut Top Wesselton diamonds (33.8 carats) and 234 baguette-cut royal blue sapphires (16.79 carats). It is water-resistant to a depth of 30 meters. Additional pieces, also set with baguette diamonds and sapphires, are available with a leather strap and platinum buckle. Founded in 1846 as a maker of marine chronometers, the company is still privately held.
Price: $1,000,000
This limited edition watch, produced only in 30 pieces and sold at select retailers, has a platinum case and bracelet and is set with a total of 568 baguette-cut Top Wesselton diamonds (33.8 carats) and 234 baguette-cut royal blue sapphires (16.79 carats). It is water-resistant to a depth of 30 meters. Additional pieces, also set with baguette diamonds and sapphires, are available with a leather strap and platinum buckle. Founded in 1846 as a maker of marine chronometers, the company is still privately held.
Piaget
Emperador "Temple"
Price: $3,300,000
The Piaget Emperador "Temple" actually has two hidden watches that are revealed by pushing down on certain parts. On one watch, the case is set with 481 brilliant-cut diamonds, 207 baguette-cut diamonds, and an emerald-cut diamond on the top of the case. On the second watch, which has a tourbillion and a 40-hour power reserve, the Polynesian mother-of-pearl dial is set with 162 brilliant-cut diamonds and 11 baguette-cut diamonds. The bracelet is set with 350 baguette-cut diamonds. This one-of-a-kind piece has already sold, but Piaget says other double secret watches can be commissioned. Piaget is owned by Richemont.
Price: $3,300,000
The Piaget Emperador "Temple" actually has two hidden watches that are revealed by pushing down on certain parts. On one watch, the case is set with 481 brilliant-cut diamonds, 207 baguette-cut diamonds, and an emerald-cut diamond on the top of the case. On the second watch, which has a tourbillion and a 40-hour power reserve, the Polynesian mother-of-pearl dial is set with 162 brilliant-cut diamonds and 11 baguette-cut diamonds. The bracelet is set with 350 baguette-cut diamonds. This one-of-a-kind piece has already sold, but Piaget says other double secret watches can be commissioned. Piaget is owned by Richemont.
Cartier
Secret watch with phoenix decor
Price: $2,755,000
Cartier’s one-of-a-kind phoenix-shaped wristwatch, which
makes its debut in April, is made of 18 carat, rhodium-plated white gold. It
uses emeralds for the eyes and has one pear-shaped, portrait-cut diamond
weighing 3.53 carats. The piece, part of the Merveilles du Nil de Cartier
collection, is covered with 3,010 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 80.13 carats.
Cartier is owned by Richemont.
Patek
Philippe
Sky Moon Tourbillion
Price: more than $1,091,869
Patek Philippe’s first double-faced wristwatch features the nocturnal sky on its reverse side with the motion of the stars, the orbit of the moon, the moon phases, and a display of sidereal time. It has a tourbillion, perpetual calendar, and a minute repeater. Founded in 1851, privately held Patek Philippe is based in Geneva.
Price: more than $1,091,869
Patek Philippe’s first double-faced wristwatch features the nocturnal sky on its reverse side with the motion of the stars, the orbit of the moon, the moon phases, and a display of sidereal time. It has a tourbillion, perpetual calendar, and a minute repeater. Founded in 1851, privately held Patek Philippe is based in Geneva.
Parmigiani Fleurier
Fibonacci Pocket Watch
Price: $2,400,000
The Fibonacci pocket watch features mother-of-pearl counters and a white gold dial. The case is decorated with enameling of a lotus flower, designed to mimic Fibonacci's Golden Rule, represented by the snail shape—a theme continuously used in the watchmaker's other designs. It has a minute repeater with cathedral chimes and a perpetual calendar. The piece is available by special order from the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacturers, and the process can take up to two years. Michel Parmigiani founded the company in 1975 in Fleurier, Switzerland.
Price: $2,400,000
The Fibonacci pocket watch features mother-of-pearl counters and a white gold dial. The case is decorated with enameling of a lotus flower, designed to mimic Fibonacci's Golden Rule, represented by the snail shape—a theme continuously used in the watchmaker's other designs. It has a minute repeater with cathedral chimes and a perpetual calendar. The piece is available by special order from the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacturers, and the process can take up to two years. Michel Parmigiani founded the company in 1975 in Fleurier, Switzerland.
Franck
Muller
Aeternitas Mega 4
Price: $2,700,000
The watch, which contains 1,483 components, has 36 complications, the most of any watch in the world. It displays three time zones and a 999-year calendar, has a flyback chronograph, and chimes the Carillon Westminster melody on the hour (considered a very high complication), with small strikes on the quarter hour. It has a three-day power reserve for the movement and 24-hour reserve for the chime. The Mega 4 is a special-order watch available only in New York and Geneva. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Genthod, Switzerland.
Price: $2,700,000
The watch, which contains 1,483 components, has 36 complications, the most of any watch in the world. It displays three time zones and a 999-year calendar, has a flyback chronograph, and chimes the Carillon Westminster melody on the hour (considered a very high complication), with small strikes on the quarter hour. It has a three-day power reserve for the movement and 24-hour reserve for the chime. The Mega 4 is a special-order watch available only in New York and Geneva. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Genthod, Switzerland.
Omega
Constellation Baguette
Price: $708,742
The one-of-a-kind piece, available at the Omega boutique in Geneva, shines with 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats. There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely covering the 18 carat white gold case. Omega is owned by Swatch Group.
Price: $708,742
The one-of-a-kind piece, available at the Omega boutique in Geneva, shines with 459 Top Wesselton diamonds, totaling just over 30 carats. There are 146 baguette and trapeze diamonds on the dial, completely covering the 18 carat white gold case. Omega is owned by Swatch Group.
Chopard
Secret
Price: $508,000
This watch has a square pavé-set diamond dial and frame inside a case composed of brilliant, square and baguette-cut diamonds (19 carats) on the satin strap and baguette-cut diamond clasp. Chopard has manufactured only two Secret watches so far. Geneva-based Chopard, which was founded in 1860, is still privately owned.
Price: $508,000
This watch has a square pavé-set diamond dial and frame inside a case composed of brilliant, square and baguette-cut diamonds (19 carats) on the satin strap and baguette-cut diamond clasp. Chopard has manufactured only two Secret watches so far. Geneva-based Chopard, which was founded in 1860, is still privately owned.
Porsche Design
Indicator P´6910 in rose gold
Price: $225,000
Made of about 800 individual parts and developed by 12 engineers and watchmakers, the Porsche Design Indicator P´6910 is the world's first chronograph with a mechanical-digital stopwatch function display. It can record up to 9 hours and 59 minutes. In 2008 the Indicator, available in three design variants, was presented in rose gold with PVD coated titanium.
Price: $225,000
Made of about 800 individual parts and developed by 12 engineers and watchmakers, the Porsche Design Indicator P´6910 is the world's first chronograph with a mechanical-digital stopwatch function display. It can record up to 9 hours and 59 minutes. In 2008 the Indicator, available in three design variants, was presented in rose gold with PVD coated titanium.
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