The most rare and expensive Patek Philippe watches to ever exist
The name Patek Philippe is one of the most recognized names in the luxury watch-making industry. Patek Philippe reflects classic aesthetics, elegance, and high value. It has produced some of the best-looking watches ever. Patek Philippe defeats all the other luxury watch-making brands and consistently sets new heights when it comes to high-value auctions.
Today we have gathered the most rare and expensive Patek Philippe watches to ever exist.
10. REFERENCE 2523 WORLD TIME – $2,990,154
At number 10 comes the Patek Philippe 2523 World Time. It was an odd piece rather than a practical one, and thus it was not so popular. It is essential to know that intercontinental business trade was less common at the time of its release, which significantly hindered its success.
As time passed, this timepiece gained importance in the eyes of the collectors who now appreciated this watch. It was sold for nearly $3 Million by Christie’s in 2012.
9. REFERENCE 2499/100P “ERIC CLAPTON” IN PLATINUM – $3,637,844
Patek released 2499/100P in 1951, and it was produced for only 35 years(10 per year). It is one of the most admired Patek Philippe watches among the collectors. Its case, dial, and complications all contribute to its desirability. Out of the 349 pieces, most came in yellow gold, 10 came in rose gold, and only 2 were cased in Platinum.
Patek decided to keep these 2 Platinum 2499’s with themselves until eventually one was sold privately in 1899. It eventually fell into the hands of Eric Clapton. This was the only Platinum 2499 available. This was sold in public for the first time in 2012 when Christie’s sold it for more than $3.6 Million.
8. REFERENCE 5004T TITANIUM FOR ONLY WATCH AUCTION – $3,992,858
Although Patek stopped producing the 5004, they built one final 5004 for the Fifth Only Watch Auction. It was utterly unique, the 5004T. It was encased in a polished Titanium case. A solid gold dial and checkered pattern made this design even more special and desirable.
It featured the Caliber CHR 27-70Q and functions such as split-second chronograph, perpetual calendar, and phase of the moon indicator. Being the only one ever created, the 5004T was auctioned and sold for nearly $4 Million.
7. REFERENCE 2458 OBSERVATORY CHRONOMETER for J.B. CHAMPION – $3,992,858
Another rare watch that makes this list is the 2458 Observatory Chronometer. This watch was ordered by Joe Ben Champion, a successful criminal defense lawyer.
According to the rumors, Joe Ben Champion was obsessed with accuracy. He received an accurate timepiece from Patek in the form of this timepiece. A unique movement was used in this watch. Although Patek sent thirty of these watches to be tested in an observatory contest, only two were cased. To sum up, this was the only reference 2458 which was cased in Platinum. It also has a platinum bracelet, a leather strap, and an extra diamond-set dial.
6. CALIBER 89 GRAND COMPLICATION POCKET WATCH - $4,953,000
The Caliber 89 is regarded as the most complicated watch Patek Philippe ever created. It was released on Patek Philippe’s 150th Anniversary in 1989. Among its 33 complications are a perpetual calendar, sunset-sunrise, sidereal time display, alarm, thermometer, Westminster-Chime on 4 gongs, grand and petite sonnerie, and a two-minute tourbillon cased in Titanium. 4 iterations of the Caliber 89 exist. One each in yellow, white, Platinum, and pink gold.
5. REFERENCE 1527 PERPETUAL CALENDAR IN 18K ROSE GOLD - $5,708,885
This Patek Philippe watch was made between the years 1943 and 1944. The reference 1527 serves as an ancestor to the most iconic watches Patek Philippe made ever since. Even after more than 70 years, this model remains elegant.
It was last sold almost thirty years ago until it came up for auction at Christie’s in 2010. This timepiece is known as a time machine as it preceded some of the most iconic watches Patek Philippe ever made by a decade.
4.PATEK PHILIPPE CALATRAVA - $642,500
The Patek Philippe Calatrava was introduced in 1932. Its first model was ref.96. This original Calatrava ref.96 was produced for more than 40 years. The Calatrava had a lot of other versions after the ref.96.
Some Calatravas have date functions, while others only show hours and minutes.
3.PATEK PHILIPPE 5970 - $100,000-300,000
The Patek Philippe 5970 was produced in 2004 as a successor to the ref.3970. It was the last Patek Philippe perpetual calendar to use the Lemania-2310 based movement.
When you look at this timepiece, you don’t exactly know if this timepiece is vintage, modern, or somewhere in-between. Patek ended its production in 2004. This Patek Philippe for sale costs around $100,000 to $300,000.
2. THE HENRY GRAVES JR. SUPERCOMPLICATION – WAS $11,002,500, NOW $23,984,106
This was another one of the most complicated Patek Philippe watches ever produced. The Supercomplication was a watch made for Henry Graves Jr., a millionaire banker and watch collector from New York. This watch advanced the limits of mechanical complexity. It had two dials, 24 complications, a weight of over 1 pound, and was wrapped in 18 karat gold.
In 1999, the Supercomplication made a world record as it was sold just above $11 Million at a Sotheby auction. In 2014, the Supercomplication broke this record when it was sold for over $23 Million. The following watch then broke this record.
1. THE PATEK PHILIPPE GRANDMASTER CHIME 6300A-010 - $31,194,370
The most costly watch ever sold at an auction, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime is also among the most complicated watches ever created. It is powered by the Caliber 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM. It has 20 complications and two dials.
The ‘A’ in its name refers to ‘Acier’. Acier means steel, which makes it the only Steel-cased Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ever. This Patek Philippe watch was sold for over $31 Million which makes it the most expensive watch ever sold.
Conclusion:
When it comes to rarity and classic watches, nothing comes close to Patek Philippe. These iconic timepieces are surely hard to get your hands on!
