Luxury watches can command astronomical prices. The combination of the brand name, the value of the materials used and the labor and technology that goes into each piece creates this value. But with watch companies constantly attempting to improve their creations, innovate and beat their rivals, what is the most expensive watch in the world?
As of 2017, the most expensive watch in the world is Graff Diamonds Hallucination.
Name: Graff Diamonds Hallucination
Price: $55 million
Carat weight: 110ct
Movement: Quartz
Year Created: 2014
Priced at $55 million, this diamond-encrusted Graff masterpiece is said to be the most valuable watch in the world. It is made up of 110 carats of colored diamonds, including pink, blue, green, orange and yellow. Natural fancy colored diamonds are incredibly rare and valuable, typically far more so than white diamonds. This unique combination of so many different colors creates a striking rainbow effect. While baguette and round brilliant cut diamonds are typically the favored diamond cut for diamond watches, Graff opted for a mix of heart, pear, emerald marquise and round cut diamonds. A truly distinctive and inimitable watch, the Hallucination is a one of a kind work of art.
The watch has a tiny dial allowing the diamonds to take prominence. A simple clasp is hidden once the bracelet is closed and only opens when pressure is applied on a specific diamond. Part of the magic of this ladies watch is that the ingenious, invisible platinum setting creates the impression that the diamonds are held together seamlessly. It took gemologists, designer and a team of craftsmen thousands of hours to create this show-stopping watch.
ABOUT GRAFF
Laurence Graff is an English jeweler, born in 1938. A self-taught gemologist, he opened his first jewelry shop in Hatton Garden in the early 1960s. The brand now boasts over 50 stores throughout the world. Graff has been credited with elevating the status of yellow diamonds from a cheap alternative to white diamonds to a valuable stone. His customers include Oprah, Donald Trump and Elizabeth Taylor. Awarded and OBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2013, Laurence Graff has played a pivotal role in shaping the UK jewelry industry. Looking to create something truly exceptional that showcased his love of diamonds, Graff began work on the Hallucination.