Top 10 Most Expensive Watch Brands
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Have you ever been curious about the world’s most precious commodity? Some might say gold, diamonds, natural gas, or other treasuries. These things are indeed precious and expensive, and they have one thing in common, all of these can be created through time. When you dwell on this question long enough, you will soon identify that time is the most precious commodity. It cannot be bought nor replenished, but it is something that everyone needs.
Although it is established that time cannot be reproduced, a timepiece, on the other hand, is something that can be crafted, treasured, and enjoyed for a very long time. Luxury watch brands have been perfecting their products for decades giving even more value to every watch they manufacture. These timeless wearables are made resilient and reliable, making them something you can pass on to the next generation.
Choosing and buying a luxury watch can speak volumes about a person’s character. It allows an individual to express their personality depending on the preferred model, whether dependable, adventurous, traditional, practical, or successful; for every brand, there are different models. Here you will find what we believe to be the Top 10 most expensive watch brands:
In 2001 this luxury watch brand made a debut and claimed that a new era of watchmaking was on its way. Richard Mille established his brand in collaboration with an esteemed player, Audemars Piguet. Their tagline “A racing machine on the wrist” seems to be an interpretation of how their watches are made. The watchmaker shared that his love for cars, aircraft, and watches inspired him to use components from formula one, aeronautics, and aviation.
Their watches are so costly, which appeals to wealthy people. Despite its high complications and advanced engineering, these watches are made to be very resistant and are loved by high-profile individuals who are inclined to sports.
Patek Philippe is regarded as one of the oldest luxury watchmakers in the industry. Established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1839, the company named the brand after the founders Antoni Patek and Adriane Philippe. Patek Philippe is also known as the last family-owned independent manufacturer by the Stern family and holds the title of the most expensive watch sold at an auction, USD 31.19 m.
In this day and age, technology like cell phones, computers, and tablets depreciate over time. However, value depreciation isn’t the case for luxury watches, especially for the Patek Philippe brand. Buying a watch from this brand is similar to investing in gold, where the price may increase over time. Some specific factors make their watches valuable: tradition, expertise, vision, and, most importantly, quality. Quality is the most precious resource at Patek Philippe, and they spare no expense in providing it to their customers. Employees of Patek Philippe experience the highest standards in terms of training – from the watchmakers to the salesperson, including after-sales customer support.
The company’s slogan says, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You just take care of it for the next generation.” It implies that their watches aren’t simply a device for telling time; it is an heirloom that transfers value through generations. It also means that watches are so well made that it holds such sentimental value to keep them in your family for years to come. Yes, it is a luxury purchase, but it does not only have a monetary value. It also holds a great deal of sentiment and nostalgia.
In 1873, in Switzerland, two men from watchmaker families, Jules Louis Audemars and an economy student Edward Auguste Piguet started as nothing more than an experiment. These two individuals opened a watch factory which later proved to be a huge success. The brand stands out mainly due to its precision of work and the high quality of timepieces. Their advantage is found primarily on the inside of the watch when it comes to finesse, attention to detail, and high complication to impress watch enthusiasts, always prioritizing quality over quantity.
Audemars Piguet is famous for its Royal Oak series, which was first released in 1972. It is an iconic collection of watches with octagonal bezels and eight hexagonal screws. The group eventually led to another variant called the Royal Oak Offshore, which had a sportier look. Watchmaking communities worldwide recognize Audemars Piguet as one of the ‘Big Three,’ the holy trinity of watches, along with Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.
Hans Wilsdorf founded the Rolex brand in 1915, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Although the youngest manufacturer on this list, it is undoubtedly the world’s most instantly recognizable luxury watch brand. Rolex’s success is based on its extremely high product quality. The lifespan of a Rolex watch even extends through decades of existence. Some timepieces are so robust that they are even tested to survive the harshest environments known to man. Rolex primarily focused on durability because it strove to associate itself with sportsmen, adventurers, and athletes of both sexes.
One of the driving factors for its luxury price, aside from crafting a timepiece with precious gems and metal, is the brand’s heavy investment in research and development. A new collection usually takes a whole year to develop, ensuring that every watch is masterfully crafted based on their very high standards.
One couldn’t speak about elegance without having Cartier in mind. This brand from Paris had a long history of sales to royalty. King Edward VII of Great Britain even referred to Cartier as “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers.”
Cartier watches are known for their intricate approach to style, which brims with elegance and sophistication. As you might have guessed, since Cartier is a well-known jeweler, most of their watches are made with precious gems and metals. They have earned their place as one of the most expensive watch brands while making them one of the top brands to invest in.
This brand has consistently crafted watches for over 170 years, dating back to 1848 when its founder Louis Brandt started the company in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The brand is well known for its exclusivity as their limited edition watches are often sold out upon release as they have excellent resale value.
Aside from the brand being sported by NASA, celebrities such as Ryan Gosling, Nicole Kidman, and Cindy Crawford, to name a few, also love this James Bond watch, making it an additional status symbol supporting a higher price tag.
This luxury watch brand is well known for fusing different raw materials to create extraordinary results. Their “art of fusion” philosophy gave birth to groundbreaking inventions such as the following:
Patrons of Hublot attribute its high price to its distinctive craftsmanship, unique designs, and superior materials. Wearing a Hublot watch on your wrist is often a sign of wealth and privilege.
This brand is a historically rich watchmaking company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. They have been manufacturing watches since 1860. In addition to timepieces, Chopard also manufactures high-end jewelry for the rich and famous.
The brand focuses on a more lavish and refined approach rather than a timepiece that can take a beating. Most of their watches are crafted with diamonds, gold, white gold, and rose gold components.
Tracing back even before Napoleon Bonaparte was born, Vacheron Constantine is the oldest among the holy trinity of watches. In fact, the french military leader himself had a timepiece made by this company. The watch brand was founded in 1755 by Swiss watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron. Due to its centuries of expertise, this brand is no stranger to challenging timepieces and historical achievements.
In 2015, Vacheron Constantine introduced a pocket watch – Reference 57260, with 57 complications, made by 31 individual hands with 242 jewels, 2,826 parts, and ten new complications that are entirely new to timepieces. This watch currently holds the record of the most complicated timepiece ever produced. The record-breaking features inside a mechanical watch exemplify the brand’s innovation, history, and prowess.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s key strength is in its ability to innovate. There are over 430 patents to its name with its number growing yearly. The history of this brand goes way back to when its founder, Antone LeCoultre, opened his first watchmaking workshop in 1833. Since then, the company has continued to create, develop, decorate, and produce all timepieces by hand within its workshops. This brand introduced the first automatic alarm on a wristwatch, a collection called Memovox, a mechanical chiming watch.
Another popular collection of Jaeger-LeCoultre is the Reverso, a rectangular watch that you can flip over to protect the watch’s crystal and dial. It was initially made for a sport named Polo, a gentleman’s game that can be pretty perilous, especially for their watches. Several collections have been released to date that appeals to different individuals.
All the brands mentioned have made their name in the industry. Suppose you are looking to purchase a luxury watch as a gift for a special someone, for yourself, or even to start a tradition. There is little room for error when choosing between the brands listed above due to their longstanding practice of focusing on durability, elegance, reliability, and innovation.
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