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Patek Philippe SA is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer, located in Geneva and the Vallée de Joux.

Patek Philippe is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious watch manufacturers in the world. Over the years, notable Patek Philippe patrons and timepiece owners include Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Pope Pius IX, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Pablo Picasso, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and, Leo Tolstoy.

As of December 2020, among the world’s top ten most expensive watches ever sold at auctions, eight are Patek Philippe watches. In particular, Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 currently holds the title of the most expensive watch (and wristwatch) ever sold at auction (US$31.19 million/31 million CHF), while Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication, the world’s most expensive watch ever sold at auction (US$24 million/23,237,000 CHF).

Most Expensive Pieces

  • On November 28, 2012, the Patek Philippe Star Calibre 2000 Ref. 990/1 was sold at Christie’s in Hong Kong for a final price of 3.28 million US dollars (HKD 25,300,000), becoming the most expensive timepiece ever auctioned in Asia. The timepiece boasts 21 complications, including Westminster Chimes, minute repeating, lunar orbit, and so on, and was made in 2008.
  • On November 11, 2014, the Henry Graves Supercomplicationwas sold at Sotheby’s Geneva Auction for a record-breaking US$23.98 million (CHF 23,237,000), becoming the most expensive watch ever sold at auction and held the title until November 9, 2019. The Supercomplication was made in 1933 for the prominent banker Henry Graves Jr. The ultra-complicated pocket watch (having 24 complications) resulted from Graves’ friendly horological competition with James Ward Packard. The watch was auctioned for the first time at Sotheby’s in December 1999 for a record-breaking US$11 million to Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani of the Qatari royal family.
  • On November 12, 2016, a Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in steel took the title as the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction (until October 2017). The watch was sold through Phillips’ Geneva auction house and fetched a final price of US$11.14 million (CHF 11,002,000). This was the first time that a steel-case Ref. 1518 (only four were made in steel) went for auction; in fact, this piece was the first of the four steel Ref.1518 manufactured, which features a chronograph and perpetual calendar.
  • On November 9, 2019, Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 became the most expensive watch ever sold at auction, fetching US$31 million (CHF31,000,000) in Christie’s Geneva auction.
  • On December 11, 2021, Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711 with Tiffany blue dial sets a new world record for any wristwatch sold online, realizing US$6.5 million in Phillips New York auction.

Sky Moon Tourbillon was the most complicated wristwatch from Patek Philippe until 2014. It is estimated that only 3 – 5 pieces are made each year, and the price for each piece is over US$1.2 million.