Khaberni - The price of some watches is not measured by the gold they are made from, but by the mechanical complexity, documented history, and names associated with them over time.
Sotheby's tracked the top 10 most expensive watches sold at its recent auctions, and here are the details of each one:
Audemars Piguet Grosse Pièce
This watch took first place by selling for $7,736,000 in December 2025, and it is an astronomical masterpiece made of yellow gold, created between 1914 and 1921.
The watch includes a double dial and a complex set of functions, most notably an astronomical map tracking the night sky over London, and a minute repeater with major and minor tones, making it one of the most complex mechanical works in history.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime
The reference 6300G garnered $5,400,000 in June 2024, deriving its value from being owned by the star Sylvester Stallone.
This version is the first "Grande Sonnerie" to enter the brand's permanent collection, including 20 mechanical complications and five resonance modes, ranking it as one of the most expensive pieces in Sotheby's 280-year history.
Patek Philippe Ref. 2499
The "Second Series" pink gold version was sold for $4,320,000 in June 2025.
The rarity of this watch lies in being one of only 9 known examples with this configuration, and globally unique with the dealer "Gobbi Milano" signature on its dial, combining a chronograph, perpetual calendar, and moon phases in a rare aesthetic arrangement.
Patek Philippe John Motely Morehead
This unique piece recorded $3,710,000 in December 2025, featuring two independent movements and six central hands inside a single case.
Made in 1924 for American diplomat John Motely Morehead, Patek Philippe has only two versions in this bold geometric design, which includes a minute repeater and a split chronograph.
Desk Clock Presse-Papier
This rare desk clock "Presse-Papier" achieved $2,734,000 in December 2025 after being rediscovered recently.
Made in 1928 for Thomas Emery, it stands out among its peers with a 10-day power reserve and an engraved wooden base, considered the most technologically advanced version in its extremely limited series.
Patek Philippe Morehead III
The pocket watch with two independent movements was sold for $2,490,000 in December 2025.
This piece is distinguished by its ultra-thin gold case despite its complexity and allows the display of two different timings with completely separate mechanisms, presented with all its archival documents and its original purchase invoice dated 1965.
Rolex Dragon Ref. 6100
The "Dragon" watch registered $1,758,000 in December 2025, a rare artistic piece featuring a dragon depicted on its dial using the handcrafted "Cloisonné" technique.
The dial was designed on a 22-karat gold base to ensure color purity, with experts estimating less than 10 pieces of Rolex featuring this artistic design in the world.
Rolex The Companion Oyster
This historic "The Companion Oyster" watch achieved approximately $1,728,558 in December 2025, marking one of the most important deals of the year.
The significance of this rare piece is due to its previous ownership by the famous British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze, the first ambassador for the Rolex brand, who wore it during her long-distance swimming adventures.
The watch was made at the beginning of 1926 and is considered one of the rare prototypes that preceded the official patent registration of the "Oyster" case, making it a physical document witnessing the birth of the first waterproof watch in history.
Richard Mille RM27-01 (Nadal)
The prototype version of Rafael Nadal's watch was sold for approximately $1,390,000 in May 2025.
The watch weighs only 19 grams, designed from carbon nanotube polymer to withstand the high shocks experienced by Nadal himself, where it withstands accelerations of up to 5,000 G.
Rolex Daytona Tropical 6241
The Daytona "Paul Newman" watch sold for $914,400 in December 2024.
This piece is distinguished by its "Tropical" dial which naturally changed color over time, granting it a rare aesthetic oxidation that makes it a primary target for collectors of iconic historical pieces.
