World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Watches

1. Baume & Mercier

William Baume Flying Tourbillion
Price: $75,000*

This new edition of the William Baume Tourbillion has a “flying tourbillion,”—a tourbillion held in place on only one side rather than on the top and bottom—black dial, and black alligator strap. The tourbillion escapement is in the 9 o’clock position and a small seconds display at 6 o’clock. It has a 52-hour power reserve. This timepiece is limited to 10 editions worldwide. Baume & Mercier is owned by Swiss luxury goods giant Compagnie Financière Richemont.

2. Tag Heuer

Monaco V4
Price: $80,000

Tag Heuer, which is owned by French luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, used cars as a model for rethinking watches’ mechanical movement and engineered the world’s first and only belt-driven timepiece. This design is more shock-resistant and requires less maintenance because of the belts and micro ball bearings, according to the company. The Monaco V4 has a platinum case and alligator leather strap. Only 150 pieces were manufactured.

3. JeanRichard

Paramount Tourbillion Linear Power Reserve
Price: $128,000

This unique tourbillion watch from independent Swiss watchmaker JeanRichard uses a linear indicator for the 72-hour power reserve. It has an 18 carat white gold case and rubber covered alligator strap.

4. Glashütte Original

Julius Assmann 4 in white gold
Price: $161,000

Glashütte Original introduced this piece for the Assmann edition in 2007. It can be worn as a wristwatch or pocket watch and features a unique retrograde hour display and tourbillion. The watch is also offered in red gold and rose gold ($145,000). More information is available through Tourbillion Boutiques in New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Based in the former East Germany, Glashütte Original is one of the few watchmakers that uses its own proprietary movements. It is owned by Switzerland’s Swatch Group.

5. Porsche Design

Indicator P´6910 in rose gold
Price: $225,000

Made of about 800 individual parts and developed by 12 engineers and watchmakers, the Porsche Design Indicator P´6910 is the world’s first chronograph with a mechanical-digital stopwatch function display. It can record up to 9 hours and 59 minutes. In 2008 the Indicator, available in three design variants, was presented in rose gold with PVD coated titanium.

6. Panerai

L’Astronomo Luminor Tourbillion 1950 Equation of Time in rose gold
Price: $235,000

Recently presented at the 2010 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva as a tribute to Galileo Galilei, the L’Astronomo will be made in a limited number of about 30. While ordering the piece, clients must specify their hometown, which is engraved on the back near a rotating sky chart of the city. The dial also displays the sunrise and sunset times of the chosen city. Panerai is owned by Richemont.

7. Breitling

Grande Complication
Price: $280,716

Unveiled at Baselworld 2010, this pocket watch has a perpetual calendar that displays the date, day, month, leap years, and moon phases and a minute repeater that strikes the hours, quarters, and minutes on demand. It comprises almost 700 parts. The case, made of 18 carat yellow gold, features an engraving of Walter Owen Bentley, founder of Bentley Motors, one of Breitling’s partners.

8. IWC

Grande Complication
Price: $318,000

IWC first launched the Grande Complication about 20 years ago. It combines a perpetual calendar with moon phase, minute repeater, and chronograph with an automatic movement. This version has a platinum case and bracelet. The Richemont-owned IWC recently redesigned it in a Portuguese-style case ($220,567). A total of 50 pieces are produced annually.

9. Concord

C1 Tourbillion Gravity
Price: $320,000

One of the unique features of this watch, which has an 18 carat white gold case, is the seconds display on the side of the tourbillion carriage. The C1 Tourbillion Gravity also features a flyback chronograph and 84-hour power reserve and is water resistant to 30 meters. Although founded in Biel, Switzerland, in 1908, Concord today is owned by Movado Group, which is based in Paramus, N.J.

10. Montblanc

Grand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in platinum
Price: $365,750

Although once known primarily for its signature fountain pens, Richemont-owned Montblanc in recent years has transformed its brand into that of a jeweler and watchmaker. Its most expensive watch is the Grand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in platinum, of which only one has been made so far. This tourbillion is also available in 18 carat white gold (in photo), limited to eight pieces at $319,000 each. The 18 carat red gold version, also limited to eight pieces, is $302,500.