For billionaires, luxury wristwatches serve more than just the function of keeping time, they are symbols of status, investments, and personal expressions of taste and legacy. Crafted from rare metals and special materials, featuring mechanical brilliance, and often set with diamonds or gemstones, these watches command auction prices in the millions. The wrist time they hold tells us much more than just the hour. Here is a list of the 10 most expensive watches billionaires wear.
1. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A ($31 million)
Owned by a Anonymous billionaire collector. The most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction. The Grandmaster Chime features twenty complications, including a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and double-sided dials. Commissioned for a charity event in 2016, this one-of-a-kind stainless steel timepiece is said to be stored in a billionaire’s private vault.
What makes it unique: One of a kind in steel; holds the highest auction price in history.
2. Richard Mille RM 56-02 Sapphire ($2 Million+)
Worn by Anant Ambani). Crafted from transparent sapphire crystal, the RM 56-02 is a technical marvel featuring a skeletonized tourbillon movement suspended by cables. It blends aesthetic transparency with high-performance mechanics.
Why it’s special: One of only 10 made; extremely difficult to manufacture.
3. Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in Stainless Steel ($11 Million)
The Ref. 1518 was the first perpetual calendar chronograph produced in a series. This particular rare steel version broke auction records and is now privately owned by a billionaire from the Middle East.
What makes it special: A unique stainless steel version in a series otherwise produced in gold; historic value.
4. Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch ($18 Million)
Worn by Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Boxer and Businessman). The Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch features 260 carats of emerald-cut diamonds—an unapologetically lavish creation. Floyd Mayweather famously flaunted this diamond-encrusted piece, as ever, defying modesty.
Why it’s unique: Covered in massive diamonds; made in limited numbers; a bold visual statement.
5. Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” Ref. 6239 ($17.8 Million)
Worn by Paul Newman (The late actor and racing legend), later sold to an anonymous billionaire. Newman’s own Rolex Daytona started the “Paul Newman Daytona” legend. Sold in 2017, it now belongs to a private collector.
What makes it special: Legendary provenance; cult status; highly desirable vintage model.
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6. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Grande Complication ($750,000+)
Worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Actor, Investor, and Former Governor). This mechanical masterpiece features a perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph, and minute repeater, all housed in the iconic Royal Oak case. Schwarzenegger, known for bold watches, has worn many Royal Oak models.
Why it’s special: Merges bold design with intricate engineering; AP’s crown jewel.
7. Richard Mille RM 27-03 Rafael Nadal ($750,000)
Worn by Rafael Nadal (Tennis icon and multimillionaire sportsman). Though technically not a billionaire, Nadal’s net worth puts him in the same league. His RM 27-03 is ultra-lightweight and shock-resistant—engineered to endure the rigors of pro tennis.
What makes it special: A tourbillon watch built to withstand 10,000 Gs of force.
8. Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon ($1.5 Million+)
Worn by ultra-high-net-worth individuals in Asia and Europe. This watch features a double-sided dial, celestial chart, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar. It’s one of the most exclusive and complex watches ever made, popular among royalty and business elites.
Why it’s special: Exquisite craftsmanship and astronomical complexity; extremely limited edition.
9. Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie ($1.2 Million)
Worn by private European collectors and luxury entrepreneurs. Among the most complex wristwatches ever created, the Grande Sonnerie took 11 years to develop. It chimes the hours, quarters, and minutes on demand.
Why it’s special: Remarkably complex chiming mechanism; rare and technically innovative.
10. Hublot Big Bang Diamond ($5 Million)
Worn by Beyoncé (Gifted to Jay-Z). This dazzling Hublot is encrusted with 1,282 individually hand-cut diamonds by a New York jeweler. Beyoncé gifted it to Jay-Z, who is known for his massive collection of high-end watches.
Why it’s special: Blinding diamond display; custom-made; the ultimate expression of luxury.
In a world where billions are at play, watches are more than timekeepers, they’re portable wealth, conversation starters, and sometimes world-class investments. Whether worn to impress or bought to leave a legacy, these pieces reflect the taste, identity, and lifestyle of the ultra-wealthy. As we continue to track time, the race to own the rarest and most extravagant watches rolls on functioning as currency, legacy, and proof that in the world of luxury, exclusivity is priceless.
Written by Pranjal Data
