Watches being sold at auction is a bit weird, just like auctions in general. The most expensive watches known to have been sold have all been sold at auction. Usually, these watches are sold at auction due to their historical significance; sometimes, they were part of a historical event or on the wrist of a world-famous individual.

Most expensive Rolex:

The Paul Newman Daytona is one of the best known watches of all time. The watch refers to the ever iconic Paul Newman, actor, director, and racecar driver, best known for his roles in films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as well as Cool Hand Luke. His wife gave him the watch in the late 60s and had the case back engraved with a now iconic quote. ” Drive carefully me”. This comment reflected her worry for the racing drive of her husband. Paul used the watch a lot and was often seen wearing it in movies, interviews or on the race track.

The story goes that in 1984 Pau l Newman gave the watch to James Cox, James was his son in law. So it goes that Paul and James were building a tree house when Paul asks James for the time, James says he doesn’t know as he doesn’t walk around with a watch. From this conversation James Cox became the owner of the most valuable Rolex watch of all time.

Over 30 years later in 2017 the watch went on auction at Philips in New York and was sold for 17.8 million USD

Most expensive Audemars Piguet

Despite being an incredibly historic brand, as well as being one of the most popular watchmakers in the world right now, Audemars Piguet has not been able to get a relatively high amount at auctions.  In 2021, they sold their most expensive piece, and it only sits in 17th place for the most expensive watches of all time. For those who recognize Audemars Piguet, undoubtedly know the brand’s most popular model, the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak line is by far their most popular, whether it is at authorized dealers or on the second-hand market, which reached new heights in the wake of the COVID pandemic. A big reason for the meteoric rise of the second-hand market is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The watch is also designed by the most iconic designer in the watch world, Gerald Genta.

To say this watch is a Royal Oak is technically true, but emotionally, many are opposed to that statement. The watch is a part of the Royal Oak Concept line and is thus completely different from all other watches within the Royal Oak line, except for other concept pieces. The watch is made in collaboration with Marvel, and Black Panther sits on the dial in 3D. The watch is also not the only weird thing about this sale, as the watch did not go on auction at an auctioneer like Sotheby’s or Philip, instead it was sold at a private auction held by Audemars Piguet. At this event, you had Kevin Hart as the host with superstars like LeBron James and Serena Williams making an appearance.

The watch sold at this auction in 2021 for 5 million USD, despite this amount being extremely high then it is less than a third of what the Rolex watch had sold for a few years prior.

Patek Phillipe

There is no watchmaker in the world that can touch Patek Phillipe when it comes to selling watches at auction. In 2023, they had 9 of the 10 most expensive watches ever sold at auction. The only exception being the Paul Newman Daytona from Rolex that we talked about earlier on.

Where should you start when talking about Patek Phillipe, do you start with the most expensive? Do you start with the least expensive? Do you start with the most interesting watch? If the last option is chosen then you have to ask what is the most interesting watch.

I chose the last and most interesting option, and I think I have chosen the most interesting watch, but what makes this watch the most interesting watch? The most obvious reason is the fact that it is the only pocket watch on the list; my reason, on the other hand, is the story behind it. The watch bears the name Henry Graves Supercomplication, and as the name would suggest, it refers to its original owner, Mr. Henry Graves Jr. Henry was a banker in New York in the 1920s, but alongside his banker duties, he was an avid watch enthusiast and collector. The story goes that he entered a friendly competition with one James Ward Packard, who was best known for Packard Motors, their competition revolved around who had the most complicated watch.

In 1933, Henry asked Patek Phillipe to make him the most complicated watch they could make; it had to be complicated enough to beat Packard’s Patek piece that was made a few years prior. Patek answered the call, making a watch that included 24 different complications. This supercomplication watch made packards Patek Phillipe watch from 6 years prior look like child’s play as it only included 10 different complications.

The watch got passed around to many different parties after Henry’s passing in  1953. For 46 years, this watch was passed around until it was sold at auction in 1999 to Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al Thani for 11 million USD. After Al Thani’s death, the watch went back on auction in 2014, where it was sold to an unknown party for 24 million USD

The most expensive Patek Phillipe

Here we are at last, finally we talk about the pinnacle of the watch-making world, the watch this entire article has been based on and has built towards, the most expensive watch ever sold at auction, which, no surprise, comes from Patek Phillipe. In 2014, Patek unveiled the first Grandmaster Chime to celebrate the brand’s 175th anniversary. The watch is Patek’s most complicated wristwatch. It is important to distinguish the difference between a wristwatch and a pocket watch, as the most complicated watch from Patek is the supercomplication mentioned before, the brand’s most complicated wristwatch is however the Grandmaster Chime. This watch has 20 complications that come together and harmonize in this extremely elegant watch.

The watch also has a good reason for the astronomical price tag that the watch sold for at auction in 2019. Each cent of the sale was donated to charity, it all went to research for a cure to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, better known as DMD.DMD is a disease that affects the muscles in 1 of every 3.500-6.000 young boys.

For this noble cause the watch was sold for the highest amount ever garnered by a watch, nearly double the amount of the Paul Newman Daytona, and over 6 times the amount of the Audemars Piguet. This historic watch was sold for 31 million USD.