Pocket watches have long been valued as much for their intricate craftsmanship and luxury materials as for their timekeeping abilities. As functional works of art, the most exceptional and rare examples have sold at auction for astounding sums over the years.
In this article, we will explore the stories behind the five most expensive pocket watches ever sold at auction. From a watch commissioned by an Indian prince to one owned by an ill-fated automobile tycoon, these mini-masterpieces give a glimpse into the past while carrying price tags firmly in the present.
5. Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000
Case Diameter: 73.20 mm
Movement: Mechanical
Year of Production: 2000
Image source: Pinterest
Luxury watchmaker Patek Philippe crafted the Star Caliber 2000 pocket watch to usher in the year 2000. Encased in 18K white gold, this showpiece features a Westminster Chimes complication that plays the iconic Big Ben tune on the hour. But the true star is the namesake Caliber 2000 manual-winding movement, comprising over 300 intricately finished components.
It indicates hours, minutes, seconds, and moon phases on the white enamel dial with applied gold Breguet numerals and sweeping hands. With an estimated value of up to $4 million, the Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 stands out for its millennial celebrations, prestigious brand pedigree, sonic ingenuity, and master craftsmanship fusing precision technology with decorative art. It remains an apex example of mechanical watchmaking welcoming the 21st century.
4. Breguet Antique Number 2667
Case Diameter: 26 mm
Movement: Mechanical
Year of Production: 2012
Image source: Christie’s
The House of Breguet has been crafting exquisite timepieces since its founding in 1775. This storied lineage of artistry reached new heights in the Breguet Antique Number 2667 pocket watch, auctioned in 2012. Made of 18K yellow gold, the case encloses not one but two separate watch movements, adding eccentric mechanical complexity.
The front indicates hours and minutes via Breguet hands, Roman numerals, and a subdial for running seconds. The back is equipped with a full perpetual calendar. This remarkable double-movement construction showcases Breguet’s technical innovation.
Fusing aesthetics, complication, and legacy, the Breguet Antique Number 2667 realized an astounding $4.7 million at auction, a testament to devoted collectors seeking masterworks reflecting the pinnacle of watchmaking.
3. Patek Philippe Caliber 89
Case Diameter: 89 mm
Movement: Mechanical
Year of Production: 1989
Image source: Hodinkee
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of storied Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe in 1989, the Caliber 89 pocket watch stands as one of the most complicated timepieces ever crafted. Encased in 18K gold, platinum, or enamel, only four were produced, each unique in materials and mechanisms.
The 89 mm namesake movement comprises a phenomenal 33 complications, the most notable being a triple-date perpetual calendar, moon phase, chart of the night sky, and Westminster Chimes with grand and petite sonnerie.
Auctioned for $6 million in 2009, the meticulously hand-finished Caliber 89 exemplifies Patek Philippe’s heritage of innovation and master craftsmanship. Its remarkable complexity and exclusive provenance cement its status as a crowning achievement of 20th-century horology.
2. Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette Number 160
Case Diameter: 63 mm
Movement: Automatic
Year of Production: 1827
Image source: Breguet
The lore of French queen Marie-Antoinette has endured for centuries, including myths of the bejeweled Breguet pocket watch she allegedly commissioned. The original vanished in the 1800s, but in 2005, Swatch Group-owned Breguet completed a four-year project recreating this Grande Complication.
Engraved with Antoinette’s name, the self-winding movement houses a perpetual calendar, equation of time, and minute repeater in the 63mm 18K gold case. Containing some modern updates, this functioning replica sold at auction for $10 million.
1. Patek Phillipe Henry Graves Supercomplication
Case Diameter: 74 mm
Movement: Mechanical
Year of Production: 1933
Image source: New York Post
The 1933 Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication reigns as the world’s most expensive pocket watch, selling for a record $24 million in 2014.
Commissioned by prominent banker Henry Graves Jr., its creation spanned nearly five years to integrate a remarkable 24 complications into the 18K gold case. The 74mm mechanical movement highlights a minute repeater, a triple calendar with moon phase, sunrise and sunset times, and a celestial chart of the New York City night sky.
Auctioned in 1999 for $11 million, this one-of-a-kind showcase of bespoke technology and decoration showcases the pinnacle of Patek Philippe’s watchmaking prowess. Its stratospheric price cements its status as a horological holy grail that appeals both mechanically and historically to preeminent collectors.
