Whether you’re passionate about luxury timepieces or just wear one for convenience, we can all appreciate the beauty of a well-designed watch. But how much would you splash out on one? From under £250 or over £30,000, it’s safe to say you likely won’t be beating the prices paid on the models in this blog post! Read on to discover five of the most expensive timepieces ever sold at auction, from five leading watchmakers.
TAG Heuer — Steve McQueen Monaco
TAG Heuer is known amongst racing enthusiasts as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, so it’s no surprise that motorcycle and race car superfan, the late great Steve McQueen, favoured the brand's timepieces. He was so fond of them, in fact, that he insisted on his character Michael Delaney wearing a TAG Heuer Monaco in the cult classic racing film “Le Mans”
Over 50 years later, that very same watch was sold at auction in late 2024 for $1.4 million. Surprisingly though, this wasn’t the most expensive TAG Heuer sold that day. A different Monaco, which was also bought by McQueen but gifted to mechanic Bevan Weston who worked on the film, fetched a higher price at the same auction — $2.2 million.
Omega — Elvis Presley Tiffany & Co
The story of Omega’s most expensive watch sold at auction is particularly intriguing and shrouded in mystery. For a while, it was believed that a Speedmaster Broad Arrow model was the most expensive watch sold at auction, fetching $3.4 million in 2021. However, the watch was later proven to be a fake… kind of. The watch is composed of real Omega parts, but all from different models, which makes it what is known as a “Frankenstein watch”. In the end, Omega (who bought the watch to display at their museum) pressed charges against former employees who were allegedly behind the scam.
The real highest value Omega watch sold at auction belonged to the king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presley. This particular timepiece is special as it comes with a unique engraving: "To Elvis, 75 Million Records, RCA Victor, 12-25- 60". On top of this, the bezel is encrusted with 44 round brilliant diamonds, making it a true thing of beauty. The timepiece was sold in 2018 for $1.8 million.
Audemars Piguet — Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon
Watch enthusiast and love a superhero film? You may be interested in the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon timepiece — if you have a few million to spare. This truly one-of-a-kind watch features a hand-engraved and hand-painted 3D rendition of Black Panther in the dial, which took a painstaking 30 hours to make.
A white gold version of the timepiece sold at a charity auction for $5.2 million. This makes it not just the most expensive Audemars Piguet model sold at auction, but the 17th most expensive timepiece sold at auction to date. Audemars Piguet is a brand known for crafting complex and truly luxurious timepieces, so it’s no surprise that they have a place in the top 20.
Rolex — Paul Newman Daytona
Paul Newman is synonymous with Rolex and is still one of the brand’s most famous fans. He sported many different models over the years, from the Rolex Datejust in “The Colour of Money” to the Submariner, but he is synonymous with the Daytona. This was by far his favourite model, and he was known to own at least five models throughout his life.
It’s no surprise, then, that one of his beloved Daytonas is among the most expensive watches to be sold at auction. It is currently the third most expensive timepiece ever auctioned, and the most expensive Rolex. The watch sold for a staggering $17.8 million in 2017. With a cream dial and Art Deco–style numerals, this model is truly timeless and one of a kind, just like Newman himself.
Patek Philippe — Grandmaster Chime
You can’t mention luxury watches without talking about Patek Philippe, one of the most revered watchmakers of all time. The brand is famous for crafting truly exceptional watches, known for their beauty and intricate designs. The watchmaker is so luxurious that their timepieces currently make up 15 of the top 20 most expensive watches ever sold at auction.
There are so many standouts we could cover, from former Egyptian Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik’s watch to the Henry Graves Supercomplication, one of the most complex pocket watches to be made. But the one highest in value is the Grandmaster Chime, which is the most expensive watch ever to be sold at auction for a staggering $31 million in 2020. The timepiece, which was crafted exclusively for the charity auction, comes in stainless steel (which is relatively rare for Patek Philippe watches), with five unique chiming modes and a dual-faced reversible case. With “Only One” inscribed at 12 o'clock on the dial, this timepiece truly is one of a kind.
It’s safe to say luxury timepieces can come with quite the price tag. So why not do your watch shopping at H&T? We offer fair prices on our pre-used men’s and women’s watches, with models from leading brands including Hublot, Cartier, and Breitling, amongst others.
And don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog posts for more fascinating timepiece reads, including our blogs on watches at Wimbledon and the most important World War II watches.
