Another rare, beautiful and magnificently designed Patek Philippe watch is up for auction this weekend in Oklahoma, US for $5,000.

 

Swiss watchmakers Patek Philippe are considered the leaders in innovation and building – and one of their watches became the most expensive in the world at an auction in Hong Kong, in April.

 

At Paul Fraser Collectibles, we think this is the perfect excuse to show you the five most expensive watches in today’s global market.

 

Read on to see some watchmaking masterpieces...

 

5. Blancpain 1735, Grande Complication, $800,000

 

Blancpain’s expert watchmakers devised a daunting challenge: merging their six earlier masterpieces into a single construction - for no other reason than the secret pleasure of outdoing themselves.

 

Against all odds, it took them six years. The watch is magical in its intricacy, a truly inspired achievement with740 parts and components.

 

The 1735 is the fruit of a year of loving labor by a single watchmaker, and remains the world’s most complicated automatic winding wristwatch produced in a series.

 

The platinum case measures 42 mm, the strap is croco leather. Movement is the automatic Caliber 1735, with 950 platinum rotor and a power reserve of 80 hours.

 

4. Louis Moinet Magistralis, $868,000

 

This watch contains real pieces of the Moon. They are from a lunar meteorite that was ejected from the Moon 2,000 years ago – authenticated by the University of California. Moonstone is extremely rare, and more expensive than gold and platinum combined.

 

The Magistralis’ movement is based on a hundred year-old design from the Vallée de Joux. It beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour, within a case made of 5N and 3N 18-carat rose gold.

This watch is truly one of its kind, never to be repeated.

 

3. Hublot Black Caviar Bang, $1m

 

This $1m watch is very complex, a white gold, one-piece construction that does not reveal one grain of gold. The diamonds, cut in mysterious ways, seem to hold together as if by magic.

 

Its case, in 18kt white gold, is covered with 322 black diamonds – in a seamless fusion of watchmaking, technology and jewellery and the watch’s only visible feature.

 

The watch is manufactured in limited edition of just one piece.

 

2. Vacheron Constantin Tour de l’Ile, $1.4m

 

This is the most complex watch ever made, with a combination of 16 complications that can be read on a double-face display.

 

Its design-engineers have developed a caliber that smoothly integrates a series of grand horological complications and astronomical indications, making it a wristwatch that is perfectly suited to and comfortable on the wrist.

 

Over 10,000 hours of research and development helped create this masterpiece of horological technique. Its 834 parts are housed within a gold case measuring 47mm in diameter.

 

This marvel will likely go down in the history of the wristwatch and of watchmaking in general - and is produced in a strictly limited edition of just seven.

 

1. Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002 P, $1.49m

 

This became the most expensive modern wristwatch when it fetched $1.49 million at auction in Hong Kong on April 10, 2008.

 

The “Ref. 5002 P Sky Moon Tourbillon” wristwatch with a double dial is considered the most complicated wristwatch ever produced by the renowned Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe.

 

Only two such watches are made every year, one in platinum and one in rose gold. The watch, made in 2003, was bought by an Asian private buyer at the Sotheby’s auction.

 

It is also the workshop’s first double-face wristwatch. Its movement consists of 686 parts, some of which are microscopically small.

 

The watch's mechanical movement must be manually wound, it contains two chime “cathedral“ gongs and a perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand all within a platinum case measuring 42.8 mm.

 

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