$31 Million Patek Philippe Is the Most Expensive Watch in the World

Want to wear the equivalent value of Wayne Manor on your wrist? Well, somebody just ponied up $31 million last week for a Patek Philippe wristwatch that easily makes it the world’s most expensive watch ever sold at auction. It was supposed to go for no more than $3 million, but it went for over ten times more due to the combination of its singular production and the proceeds going to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. The Grandmaster Chime stands out in the world of high-priced watches sold at auction because it’s a new watch, rather than one with real history. It’s also marked on the dial as “The Only One,” meaning there’s not another one like it on earth. Oddly, the case is stainless steel, a common material on watches costing far, far less. No carbon fiber composite, no platinum, or even bronze. Underneath, however, lies Patek’s most complex movement with 20 complications that include an acoustic alarm, an audible date repeater. Further setting it apart from plebeian horology, the Grandmaster Chime also has a reversible case, so you can flip from the stunning rose gold time dial to an ebony black calendar dial. The lucky and perhaps now seriously broke owner can pride himself/herself on owning a truly special timepiece for a good cause. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether it will appreciate in value.