Most Expensive Watches

Collecting watch is probably one of the most expensive hobbies yet rewarding. Quality watches are not hard to find, but they are hard to resist and if you have all the money to spend for exquisite timepieces you sure will not let antique and classic watches slip your eye. Most expensive watches are those antique and those that are crafted by modern watch innovators. For anyone who has an eye for watches knows that time is gold and the most expensive watches are great investments or addition to the collection. You might be curious now what the most expensive watches are. Well, here are some of the noted watches for the nobles…

• Vacherin Constantin’s Tour de I’lle – This can cost as much as $1.5 million. Made by a Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, this watch marked its 250th anniversary in 2005, claiming its title as the most complicated wrist watch – the Tour de I’lle. This watch is considered as one of the most expensive watches because it took 10,000 hours of research to complete, design and create this watch.
To be counted as the most expensive watches, few models should be released. The Vacherin is a limited edition with only seven pieces marketed. It is among the most expensive watches because of its complicated double faced feature. This watch is engineered with a totally unique combination of horological complications and astronomical indications which includes 16 different points such as a minute repeater, sunset time, perpetual calendar, equation of time, representation of the night sky, tourbillion device, and second time zone.

Priced at $1.5, indeed this is one of the most expensive watches.

• Patek Phillippe’s Platinum World Time – In 2002, this watch was sold in an auction for over $4. It is believed to be the only one created in the world thus making it the most expensive watches. Patek Phillipe is known to produce ten most expensive watches in the world. They had a solid reputation of creating watches for the Queen Victoria, Pope Pius IX, and all other known figures in the world.

• Chopard’s $25 million watch – You will be WOWED by this gaudy timepiece that is adorned with three heart-shaped diamonds – a 15 carat pink diamond, 12 carat blue diamond, and 11 carat white diamond. With these most precious stones, this really is among the most expensive watches. This is uniquely crafted with good measure and balance. It has a total of 201 carats of diamonds, making it look like a shiny, shimmery piece of jewelry, which actually tells the time. The exquisite design of this watch is what makes it among the most expensive watches around the world.

There are lots of other watches categorized as the most expensive watches. They maybe real expensive and almost priceless, but the fulfillment of having to own one of the most expensive watches is a pleasure. You can find other pricey watches at world’s renowned watchmakers or popular watch websites. You can also find them at prestigious auction sites. So if you are a watch collector who craves for more addition to the collection, consider finding some of the aforementioned most expensive watches.

A gold watch is an ultimate accessory that you can wear on a daily basis. While it helps you to keep your commitments in a timely manner, you also feel on top of the world as you get the attention of every onlooker. There are many watch making companies that offer gold watches for both men and women, but Rolex is the brand that creates a masterpieces. A Rolex gold watch is crafted in 18k yellow gold or white gold embedded with precious stones that add to its beauty. Some of the most beautiful gold watches that have been gifted by Rolex to all true watch admirers are the following: •    Champagne Diamond Dial Rolex Day Date Presidential: This model is popular among both men and women. It can be a great choice for those who are looking for a superb gold wrist watches. The case is made from 18k yellow gold with 18k yellow gold crown. Its champagne diamond dials are inlaid with 8 round cut and 2 baguette cut diamonds is also set in 18k yellow gold. Other popular dial colors are silver, blue and mother of pearl. Its beadset diamond bezel with 40 round cut diamonds set in 18k yellow gold is an added attraction. •    Ladies White Gold Pave Dial Rolex Super President: It is a superb ladies gold watch with incomparable style and elegance. It is a great combination of yellow and white gold. On one hand, it features pave diamond dial with 110 round cut diamonds set in 18k white gold while on the other its case is made of 18k yellow gold with 18k yellow gold crown and custom diamond lugs. It has custom .70 ct. beadset diamond bezel with 30 round cut diamonds set in 18k yellow gold. Its maximum charm lies in its Italian-made 18k yellow gold President bracelet fitted with 232 diamonds. Similarly, many other models of Rolex wristwatches have always been regarded as the ultimate gold watches with maximum panache. Now, you may be thinking about the price that you need to pay to own such an accessory. Well, if you are looking for a gold watch that falls within your budget, pre-owned Rolex watches will be your choice. This is because, while Melrose Jewelers offer you the same style and quality as that of a brand new Rolex, they will cost you something which you can always afford. All thanks to Melrose Jewelers that offers authentic used Rolex watches at wholesale prices. Every watch that they offer for sale receives a full appraisal by the Los Angeles International Gemological Laboratory to verify its authenticity. Just by visiting their site at www.melrosejewelers.com you can get your first Rolex gold watch. Also offered are custom accessories for your Rolex starting from Italian-made gold and diamond bands, bezels to diamond dials.

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A brilliant inventor and self-taught watchmaker, Antoine-LeCoultre founded his first workshop in 1833, following the invention of a machine to produce watchmaking pinions. Ever since, the Manufacture Jaeger-Lecoultre has developed constantly around the founder’s original workshops.

Surprisingly enough, it was neither a physicist nor an engineer who first measured the micron; it was Antoine LeCoultre, in 1844. He had created watch components that were so perfect no tool could actually detect their degree of inaccuracy. He followed that up by inventing the world’s most accurate instrument: the Millionometer, which served as a benchmark for over half a century.

In 1847, LeCoultre created a revolutionary system that was to do away with the need for keys to rewind and set watches. His simple and brilliant solution was a pushbutton that activated a lever to switch from one function to another. It was the first keyless winding mechanism, and the first reliable system that eliminated the need for keys to wind or set a watch.

In 1866, when Swiss watchmaking was still structured around small home-run workshops, Antoine LeCoultre and his son Elie decided to bring together under one rood the many skills involved in making watches, and installed a steam-driven machine to operate their new tools. LeCoultre & Cie thus became the first Manufacture in the Vall?de Joux.

It was in 1903 when the Parisian Edmond Jaeger set Swiss watchmakers the challenge of producing ultra-thin calibres. It would lead to the Calibre 145, the world’s thinnest mechanical movement, measuring no more than 1.38 mm, and the friendship of Antoine LeCoultre’s grandson, Jacques-Devid LeCoultre. These two men would give a rise to a range of horological wonders, and eventually the birth of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in 1937.

In the year 1908, the Manufacture created its first rectangular-shaped calibre in response to the challenge created to miniaturize watches to wear on the wrist. By the “Roaring 20s” (1920s), very small ladies’ wristwatches were all the rage, but extreme miniaturization always led to a loss of reliability and precision. The Duoplan brilliantly solved this problem by arranging its parts on split levels. It would lead to the world’s smallest movement, Calibre 101. Outdoing the Calibre 145, Jaeger-Lecoultre miniaturized the Duoplan caliber to the extreme, weighing in at barely one gram and comprising of 74 parts. Its record is still unmatched to this date.

Since its founding, the Manufacture has created and produced over 1,000 different calibres in many varieties. Over 200 patented inventions have contributed to the progress of Swiss watchmaking in the field of movements, as well as that of cases, bracelets, dials, and watch functions.

Watches not only tell time, they also send messages. Not the ubiquitous e-mail or text messages, but personal statements about their owners.  Just as astute observers draw different conclusions about people from cars they drive— whether they’re luxury models, hybrids, SUVs, or minivans—so, too do they discern meanings in someone’s choice of a watch.Even since Shakespeare’s time, a watch’s function has been secondary to its form, and today, its form is determined by its intended use: for sports, business, or formal occasions. This is why many people own three or more watches.The first timepieces dates back to the 16th century, when Peter Henlein, a German locksmith, invented the first pocket watch. This invention was made possible by the development of mainspring and escapement mechanisms, which worked together, along with the balance wheel, to measure time. (“Escapement” refers to the unwinding of the watch, causing the ticking sound.) Henlein’s pocket watch—called the Nuremberg Egg because it was oval and bulky— only measured hours.In the mid-17th century, the balance spring, or hairspring, was added to the balance wheel, dramatically improving its accuracy. Although Queen Elizabeth inspired the use of wrist watches among women in the late 1500s, men continued to use pocket watches because they were considered more masculine. In 1780, the self-winding pocket watch was developed in France that eliminated the need for manual winding. In 1922, the self-winding, or automatic, wristwatch was patented. Timepieces that use mainsprings and escapements have what is known as mechanical movements, with an analog display—a numbered dial with moving hands. These watches—the more expensive, the better—are the favorites of collectors and watch aficionados because of their fine craftsmanship and intricate design. Of these watches, the Rolex is without question the finest example of quality, craftsmanship, and elegance.The other best-known type of timepiece has an electronic movement. Electronic movements have few, if any, moving parts and rely on batteries. They use tiny quartz crystals that oscillate at very stable frequencies to ensure considerably more accuracy than mechanical movements. These watches, frequently called quartz watches, also have analog displays. Quartz watches were first produced commercially by a Japanese watchmaker 1969; at the time they reportedly cost as much as a car.Most consumers are familiar with digital watches; they were first produced in the ‘70s and are inexpensive because they can be mass-produced. Digital watches have electronic movements; what sets them apart is their liquid crystal displays, or LCDs,  which present the time as blocks of numerals. Digital watches are appropriate for children and teenagers, and for people whose occupations make it impractical to wear a more costly watch.Chronograph watches, first patented in the early 19th century, are preferred by athletes because of their stopwatch capabilities. In addition to the main dial that displays the time, chronograph watches can have one or more smaller dials, each with its own function: for example, to display day and date, register a specified quantity of hours, register a quantity of minutes, or show lunar phases. An example of the chronograph is the Rolex Daytona. Chronographic watches can have mechanical or electronic movements.The choice of a particular watch is most often based on one’s lifestyle, place in the pecking order, discretionary income and personal preference. One can find a watch in the drugstore that tells time just as accurately as a fine Swiss watch with a six-figure price tag. The real difference? Each carries a different message. One’s decision will tell more than just the time.

The Chronomat B01 is Breitling’s latest foray into the luxury watch market and – as always – they have made quite a positive impression with this noteworthy mechanical timepiece.

It features a unique, powerful and quintessentially classic Breitling design as well as pinpoint self-winding movement that is completely made in house.

This high-end timepiece is designed specifically for those whose top concerns (aside from aesthetics and style) are functionality, reliability and precision.

While the case of the watch is designed for comfort and a “can’t even feel it” connection to the wrist, it also delivers extraordinary shock and impact resistance, water resistance, and an unmatched sturdy strength for a watch of this caliber.

Matching the case, the sporty looking bracelets on the B01 are designed with easily mobile lugs that ensure that comfort and a perfect fit on the wrist will be achieved.

It has a rotating unidirectional bezel for aeronautical and diving purposes and, along the same lines, it has an easily readable face thanks in part to its luminescent engraved hour marking numerals.

The arrival of the Breitling B01 is in many ways the product of the continuous evolution and innovation of the Breitling brand. Breitling started making chronographs in 1884. It made the first chronograph wristwatch thirty-one years later that featured three different chronograph functions: start, stop and reset, that were located separately from the crown of the watch. Improvement and improvement and innovation after innovation lead to the year 1969, when Breitling famously launched the Chronomatic Caliber 11, which was the first self-winding chronograph movement in history. And these forerunning accomplishments have essentially led to their present achievement – the B01, which puts Breitling in the exclusive and rare company of watch manufacturers that have their own mechanical chronograph movement. This genuinely marks a new era for an already storied brand.

One of the most noteworthy qualities of the Breitling B01 is how it manages to combine its elegant design features with its technical and mechanical mastery.

There is a good amount of variety in this collection with dials that can feature colors that are metallic or matte, bold or understated, which allows the buyer to find a B01 that correlates to his own unique style sense.

There are four versions of the Breitling B01: all-gold, all steel, steel with a bezel with four gold markers on the bezel, and steel with a gold bezel. But every model in their entire collection is assured to have four unifying descriptive features: reliability, sturdiness, precision and aesthetic sophistication.

The B01 is simply one of the best and most noteworthy timepieces Breitling has ever introduced.

Omega always seems to be doing the right thing at the right time in order to get good press and promote both their established and new watch collections.

Just this last week, two significant events took place. The much beloved and admired Edward Kennedy passed away. His death conjured up memories of other Kennedy men gone too quickly and the world’s obsession with the Kennedy dynasty. Until his passing at age 77 on August 25, 2009, the Senator, known as the “Lion of the Senate” had survived his two famous brothers: John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy (both assassinated) and his nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr.

When news of his passing hit the media, Omega was not far off. Fashion and good, all-American looks have always been associated with the Kennedy family and it’s been duly noted that former President John F. Kennedy, was a fan of Omega watches, specifically the Omega ultra thin timepiece given to him as gift in 1960. JFK loved this watch and would wear it throughout his presidency. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy wrote to Grant Stockdale, the friend who gave her husband the watch, thanking him for the “thinnest most elegant wristwatch.”

Although Senator Edward Kennedy was not known for wearing a particular watch, it’s possible that he, like his brother, appreciated Omega’s timepieces for men as well. Omega watches combine durability and a classic sense of style and can be worn just as easily with a suit as out on a sail boat.

The other area in which Omega found itself this week was on China as it launched new watches for 2009: the Constellation Collection. To kick off the launch, Omega created an environment where those attending would feel like they were in space, literally. Against a sky-like backdrop, stars emerged, forming themselves in the shape of constellations, which then converted into watches from this new Constellation Collection. The master of ceremonies is a star in her own right. Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang was there with the President of Omega to receive and show off the new watches. Zhang herself has worn a Constellation watch by Omega for years and was just recently signed to be one of the brand’s new global Ambassadors.

Omega is smart, that’s for sure. The company plays its cards well. Even in this global financial crisis, the Asian market is still buying up luxury goods such as watches. So, to present this new collection, with a woman of Ziyi’s stature, in her homeland, was right on the money. Omega even opened a new boutique in Shanghai. I’m sure they’re counting on floods of consumers pouring in. To entice would-be buyers, Omega offered a chance for one lucky winner to win a brand new watch from the 2009 Constellation Collection that comes in an autographed box by Zhang.

Omega has a wide appeal. Offering both men’s and women’s watches, their watches can be worn to work and for play. Since its founding in 1848 Omega Watches have become and remained one of the most well-known and well respected watch brands in the world. Certain models like the Seamaster, Speedmaster and Planet Ocean are particularly popular men’s watches; even James Bond and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps wear the Seamaster!

Within the women’s collection, famous faces like Cindy Crawford and Nicole Kidman have brought attention to watches found in the Constellation, De Ville and Quadrella collections.

The Cartier watch brand is one of the most recognized luxury trademarks in the world. The name is synonymous with sophistication and luxury design. To truly admire the greatness of their legacy, one should read the history of the grand watch and jewelry Maison. The luxury brand’s overbearing presence in the jewelry, fragrance, accessory and watch industry are undeniable evidence of its massive international success.
The Cartier Company is a subsidiary of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. Before 1964, the company was owned and controlled by the Cartier family of French jewelers. The Cartier family was renowned as artists of elaborate jewelry, commissioned by royalty from all corners of the earth. The brilliance of their technique and exotic choice of jewel ensembles created such grand pieces as the “Bestiary” (illustrated by the Panthère brooch in 1940, created for Wallis Simpson,) the diamond necklace that Yadavindra Singh Maharaja of Patiala wore in 1904, and of course the famous Santos wrist watch, made for the Brazillian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont.
The company’s origins lie in Paris 1847, when young Louis-François Cartier took over his master’s workshop. Soon after, the apprentice became one of the most skilled jewelry-artisan of his time. In 1874 son Alfred Cartier took over the company. Although the company basked in success, it was not until Alfred’s sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques took the reins of the company, that the Cartier brand would enjoy such international notoriety.
In 1899 the company decided to expand internationally. Louis Cartier remained in Paris to control the local branch. He has been credited for some of the most famous Cartier designs such as the “Mystery Clock” and the employment of “Tutti Fruti jewels.” In 1907 Cartier rose to the challenge of making the world’s first men’s wristwatch. The watch was made for the great aviator Santos Dumont, who complained of the impracticality and unreliability of wrist watches. The watch was named after him, and is still in production today.
Inspired by the powerful and newly-born war machines of the western front, Louis designed one of the most famous Cartier watch designs of all time. The Tank series debuted in 1917 and has been in production for more than 90 years.
In 1920 The Cartier Company formed a joint venture with Edward Jaeger. Jaeger would provide movements for the Cartier time pieces on a contract of exclusivity. This venture and the mass production of Cartier watches with trustworthy, precise movements mark the beginning of Cartier’s unstoppable rise to the top of the international watch industry.

New Designer Watchesmovado womens watches are often welcome as gifts – but in some cases, have real symbolism. For example, in Spain, just like many other Western countries, it is traditional for men to present women with engagement rings when their proposals are accepted. However, Spanish women often return the gesture by presenting their future husbands with designer watches. This is only one of the more unique ways in which mens watches are presented as gifts.

A Short History

Designer watches and luxury watches have actually been around for about 500 years, although they were usually signs of status or a tool of one’s trade, as was the case for railroad mens’ pocket watches and dive watches. The first men’s watches appeared around the time of Martin Luther in the mid-16th Century; they were essentially miniature versions of the spring-wound wall clocks that had been invented less than a century earlier. Rather large and unwieldy, these early men’s watches were worn around the neck, fastened by a chain.

“Bracelet watches,” which were the first true wristwatches, were not mens watches at all; first appearing shortly after the American Civil War, they were actually intended to be worn by women. Men used pocket watches exclusively. It wasn’t until the invention of the airplane that it became necessary to develop a time piece that allowed pilots to tell time without removing their hands from the stick.

Louis Cartier, who later became well known for the production of luxury watches, was actually the first to come up with a practical mens watches designed to be worn on the wrist for the benefit of those early aviators.

Citizen watches are yet another famous name in luxury watches. These were first manufactured in 1918 by a Japanese company, Shoshoka Watch Institute, which changed its name in 1930. To this day, Citizen watches are considered some of the finest and most accurate timepieces in the world.

However, the standard by which true luxury watches are measured is Movado. Watches by this famous Swiss company have been famous since the first one came out in 1912. Movado diamond watches and Movado gold watches are known not only for exceptional quality, but for sleek, minimalist design. Women’s movado womens watches come in almost 100 different designs. Movado mens watches also come in many different designs – so if you are planning on presenting one as a gift, it may take you some time to decide on which one to buy!

Diving watches are designed for divers who need to rely on an accurate and sophisticated timepiece, no matter their environment. A divers watch is designed so, at a minimum, they are able to offer a water resistance of ten atmosphere units. This is equivalent to one hundred meters, or three hundred and thirty feet. Typical diver watches, which are available on the market, are going to offer their wearers a water resistance of two hundred to three hundred meters, which is equivalent to diving depths of six hundred and sixty to nine hundred and ninety feet. Modern technology has been impressive in this field and today’s diver watches will allow their wearers to enjoy deeper diving depths without hurting or injuring the watch itself. The International Organization for Standardization, or the ISO, defines the test standards and features in order to help determine which watches are more capable as diver’s watches. A true diver’s wristwatch will often be in accordance with the standards set forth in ISO 6425. In order to distinguish which watches are in line with ISO 6425 and which are not, the watches that do adhere to the standards are marked with the word “DIVER’S”. If a watch has this word printed on it, it is a suitable one for scuba diving.
Some additional requirements for diving watches include the presence of a bezel that is unidirectional. The bezel needs to have at least every five minute markings as well as a pre-select marker to denote a specific minute marking. Minute markings on the face need to be clear and easy to read. These watches also need to have readability or visibility at 25 centimeters, or 9.84 inches, in total and complete darkness. These watches also need to be designed to be chemically resistant. In order to test this, the watches are immersed in a solution for twenty four hours in order to test the watch’s resistance to rust.
Diver watches have been improved upon over time, but in the early days of diver watches they were developed in response to the needs of military and professional divers. It is believed that Omega enjoys the distinction of creating the world’s first diving watch. While watch dealers offer a number of more modern Omega and other divers wristwatches, the first diver’s watch Omega had created was the Omega Marine, which was introduced in the year 1932. In addition to Omega, there are a number of companies that are able to offer consumers highly functional watches designed for diving. They are designed as tool watches, but they can also be designed with fashion in mind. Diver watches have been designed for both men and women, in either an analog or a digital format.
Diver watches need to have a case that is adequately water resistant. It also needs to be able to endure the seawater’s galvanic corrosiveness. Many, including those featured by online watch dealers, are made out of materials such as stainless steel, titanium, ceramics, resin or plastic. Some of the most impressive and popular diver’s watches include the Omega Seamaster 300 M Diver Chronometer, the Breitling Avenger Seawolf Chronograph and the IWC Aquatimer Minute Memory.