Whats the most expensive watch you've tried on ???

[Mrcrowley]

Has to be this white gold Ulysse Nardin Freak Blue Phantom, Listprice at approx 60K.

A technical wonder to stare at for hours..

Boo hoo I don't like you :D

[lenlec]

at at patek evening at a leicester ad last year i was lucky enough to try over £50k of watches on,
great evening, free food and champagne

andy

[gollUM]

AP ROO, some "obscure" Hublots and Patek Nautilus... nothing much and unbelievably exciting, I would say :mrgreen:

[bazza.]

It would have to be my AP ROO on a bracelet I got myself last week
List is just under 14k

[watch-nut]

A mil sub

But the watch i liked the most in the serious money bracket that i tried on was a Philippe Nautilus Chronograph 5980, it left a massive impression on me, loved it

[Verso]

An AP Royal Oak Grand Prix LE. Know someone with that watch, but for me it wouldn't be my choice, too ugly (I like the standard AP Royal Oak model very much, I don't like all the things that AP added/changed to the original design).

On the second place is an IWC Portugiese Perpetual Calender in Rose Gold. That's (again of course personal opinion) a stunning, extremely beautiful watch.

[Captain Chaos]

Girard Perregaux Jackpot Torbillion at Salon QP last year.



Only about £450,000. Peanuts.....

They took it away from me eventually when I played it like I was in Vegas, it is the single most amazing complication I have ever seen. And the most pointless. But so much fun.

[Malcolm68]

Tried the Rafa Nadal Richard Mille on in Harrods once, just short of £400k which is the most expensive in a shop.

Went on a factory tour at Patek and tried on a Sky Moon there, think that's about £650k.

Malc

Was it the double face, or celestial where moon chart is on front

It was the double face.

Malc

[Snowdon]

I tried a Patek at £180k and another at £185k within a few minutes of each other. I can't recall the exact references, although one was the 10 day platinum tourbillion. The other was some moonphase with several other complications.

Both platinum, both very heavy.

I'd love to try a PP minute repeater. Next on the to-try list.

[Broussard]

Girard Perregaux Jackpot Torbillion at Salon QP last year.



Only about £450,000. Peanuts.....

They took it away from me eventually when I played it like I was in Vegas, it is the single most amazing complication I have ever seen. And the most pointless. But so much fun.

Yes, the Jackpot was a lot of fun.


GP Jackpot Tourbillon by Noodlefish, on Flickr

I'd also add a UN Alexander the Great and Royal Blue Tourbillon to the list. Plus a Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon.

[Snowdon]

Tried the Rafa Nadal Richard Mille on in Harrods once, just short of £400k which is the most expensive in a shop.

Went on a factory tour at Patek and tried on a Sky Moon there, think that's about £650k.

Malc

Was it the double face, or celestial where moon chart is on front

It was the double face.

Malc

wow on the RM! Did you have to make an appointment? That's what I was told but I didn't bother with the appointment because the sales guy and me both knew I didn't have 400k for a RM!

[Malcolm68]

Tried the Rafa Nadal Richard Mille on in Harrods once, just short of £400k which is the most expensive in a shop.

Went on a factory tour at Patek and tried on a Sky Moon there, think that's about £650k.

Malc

Was it the double face, or celestial where moon chart is on front

It was the double face.

Malc

wow on the RM! Did you have to make an appointment? That's what I was told but I didn't bother with the appointment because the sales guy and me both knew I didn't have 400k for a RM!

I knew someone who worked there quite well, he was seriously into watches and knew I was so every time I was in London, I'd pop into Harrods and have a couple of hours in one of the booths in the old watch room. He'd bring stuff out to show me like the Nadal Mille, was a great way to pass some time.

He doesn't work there now, but there's still some good guys working in there. Always got on with them and they always seem ok to a little but of browsing.

Malc

[Pendragon69]

Blancpain 1735 - £620K

What the hell??? Thats gotta be a typo :shock:
Cant believe how much a watch can cost!

[mountmusic]

Rose gold Blancpain FF - a comparatively modest £20k.

[Kurtz]

Blancpain 1735 - £620K

What the hell??? Thats gotta be a typo :shock:
Cant believe how much a watch can cost!

Not a typo, one of 30 made.

[al1991]

I'd love to try a humble Rolex on :(

[DaanL]

Has to be this white gold Ulysse Nardin Freak Blue Phantom, Listprice at approx 60K.

A technical wonder to stare at for hours..

Boo hoo I don't like you :D

It's actually my ADs watch, he is a collector as well as a seller. This seems like a rather deadly combination, he has bought some real beauties..

[robcat]

Blancpain 1735 - £620K

What the hell??? Thats gotta be a typo :shock:
Cant believe how much a watch can cost!

Not a typo, one of 30 made.

The prices at the ultra-high end just get surreal. You could argue that you get massively diminishing returns on any watch over about £100, but I think it really starts to accelerate over about £10k. It's almost "pick a number" at this level but, as you say, you are paying for something that is made in extremely small numbers, presumably by the very few people who can actually craft such a piece. I don't think for a minute it is like ultra-exclusive cars though, where the company barely breaks even on a car that costs hundreds of thousands. It doesn't really relate to tooling/R&D/labour time etc, it is more like a piece of art where the value is supported by relative "uniqueness" and "specialness" of the object, and people's desire for such pieces. It also creates a "halo effect" for the rest of the brand, and the more exclusive the brand, the more spectacular (in prices and desiriability) the flagship pieces need to be.

Although if I was worth 100's of millions, I would certainly have a few of these pieces to go with my Bugatti Veyron, luxury yacht, and private jet.

[soegaard]

I tried the IWC Grande Complication in platinum two years ago in Schaffhausen. I guess the price is around 140K Pounds.

[Raffe]

An AP Royal Oak Grand Prix LE. Know someone with that watch, but for me it wouldn't be my choice, too ugly (I like the standard AP Royal Oak model very much, I don't like all the things that AP added/changed to the original design).

On the second place is an IWC Portugiese Perpetual Calender in Rose Gold. That's (again of course personal opinion) a stunning, extremely beautiful watch.

The IWC PPC has also been the most expensive watch on my wrist so far, and it has impressed me so much that it won't be long until she moves in with me!

[Pendragon69]

Blancpain 1735 - £620K

What the hell??? Thats gotta be a typo :shock:
Cant believe how much a watch can cost!

Not a typo, one of 30 made.

The prices at the ultra-high end just get surreal. You could argue that you get massively diminishing returns on any watch over about £100, but I think it really starts to accelerate over about £10k. It's almost "pick a number" at this level but, as you say, you are paying for something that is made in extremely small numbers, presumably by the very few people who can actually craft such a piece. I don't think for a minute it is like ultra-exclusive cars though, where the company barely breaks even on a car that costs hundreds of thousands. It doesn't really relate to tooling/R&D/labour time etc, it is more like a piece of art where the value is supported by relative "uniqueness" and "specialness" of the object, and people's desire for such pieces. It also creates a "halo effect" for the rest of the brand, and the more exclusive the brand, the more spectacular (in prices and desiriability) the flagship pieces need to be.

Although if I was worth 100's of millions, I would certainly have a few of these pieces to go with my Bugatti Veyron, luxury yacht, and private jet.

So abit like a painting then which can be stupid money also. Only for the veeeerrrrry rich that has pretty much everything.

[darrenw]

I just remembered, I also tried on a couple of silly money B&Rs at an event at K1999 in Bond Street last year.

One was the Tourbilon, the other, theIr diamond encrusted airborne (skull) :shock:

I liked the Tourbilon, but the less said about the other the better !

[Mrcrowley]

I tried the IWC Grande Complication in platinum two years ago in Schaffhausen. I guess the price is around 140K Pounds.

My grail.

DON'T THINK i like you :lol:

Seriously how was it to hold one?

[hhhh]

I tried the IWC Grande Complication in platinum two years ago in Schaffhausen.

Now I do not believe you wanted to do that.

[Pendragon69]

I just remembered, I also tried on a couple of silly money B&Rs at an event at K1999 in Bond Street last year.

One was the Tourbilon, the other, theIr diamond encrusted airborne (skull) :shock:

I liked the Tourbilon, but the less said about the other the better !

So what price range our we talking here?

[Titan1000]

My local jeweller let me try on a Romain Jerome Tourbillon that had a bezel made from a bit of the Titanic .



It was one of only 9 made I think they said, and it could have been mine for just £97,000.

I declined because it looked a bit rusty.

Snap I tried that one on too. The sales guy didn't tell me how much it was until until I had it on my wrist. Needless to say I said it was a bit out of my price range and then very carefully handed it back to him.

[Pendragon69]

My local jeweller let me try on a Romain Jerome Tourbillon that had a bezel made from a bit of the Titanic .



It was one of only 9 made I think they said, and it could have been mine for just £97,000.

I declined because it looked a bit rusty.

How deep in water could this go? It wasn't 3,840.48 meters was it?

[Raffe]

Girard Perregaux Jackpot Torbillion at Salon QP last year.



Only about £450,000. Peanuts.....

They took it away from me eventually when I played it like I was in Vegas, it is the single most amazing complication I have ever seen. And the most pointless. But so much fun.

Yes, the Jackpot was a lot of fun.


GP Jackpot Tourbillon by Noodlefish, on Flickr

I'd also add a UN Alexander the Great and Royal Blue Tourbillon to the list. Plus a Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon.

Never seen this one - does it really resemble a slot machine? What happens if you got three identical symbols. Does it write you a cheque?

[tozzleozzle]

It would have to be this:



I belive its about £750k! Tried it on at the salonQP :)

[MMC]

Would be a Maitres du Temps Chapter 1.

When their COO told me how much it was, I took it off very carefully and gave it back.

More art than a watch though.

[soegaard]

Seriously how was it to hold one?

Just the bare weight of it commands respect. When you hear the minute repeater you are sold. It is a very impressive piece of engineering!

JK

[mackay45]

Good thread!

My SD is the most expensive I've tried on so far, some ridiculous watches in this thread!

[monochrome]

Roughly half a million....

[tozzleozzle]

JEALOUS!!!!

[Broussard]

Loved wearing this one - just a shame you have to take it back off again to tell the time...


Harry Winston Histoire by Noodlefish, on Flickr

[Volvomanuk]

i am sure the OP said watch, not these god forsaken monstrous design throwbacks


V

[Naving]

When reading this thread I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm OK if I've never even tried on anything priced over ca £300

My watch which I bought when I was ten....priceless!!! Lol

[Pendragon69]

Did it have a ladybird on it or Darth vader? :lol:

[Mazza]

I was at the Chelsea player of the Year awards a few years ago and one of the high end jewellers were there with an awesome display of watches.

They had a Patek Phillipe, not sure of model (was before i joined this forum so knowledge was nt as good back then!) but was platinum, complication, was actually a customers that had loaned it to them and I tried it on... Price was a whopping £250k!!!

[scarto]

Tried this on at Salon QP a few months ago. The CEO of De Bethune kindly let me try it on. It's a DB25 Deadbeat tourbillon regulator (ticks like a quartz but it ain't a quartz for sure!) Think it's about 150 grand... :shock: Might even be more (my wife thinks she remembers 250 grand but not sure about that) can't remember exactly..but definitely the most expensive watch I've tried on.

[Broussard]

Tried this on at Salon QP a few months ago. The CEO of De Bethune kindly let me try it on. It's a DB25 Deadbeat tourbillon regulator (ticks like a quartz but it ain't a quartz for sure!) Think it's about 150 grand... :shock: Might even be more (my wife thinks she remembers 250 grand but not sure about that) can't remember exactly..but definitely the most expensive watch I've tried on.

Beautiful piece. Decent enough photo...

This one wasn't bad either. One day I'll grab a DB...


De Bethune by Noodlefish, on Flickr

[samswatch]

Nothing as exotic as the others, but a rolex submariner has been mine.

[scarto]

Tried this on at Salon QP a few months ago. The CEO of De Bethune kindly let me try it on. It's a DB25 Deadbeat tourbillon regulator (ticks like a quartz but it ain't a quartz for sure!) Think it's about 150 grand... :shock: Might even be more (my wife thinks she remembers 250 grand but not sure about that) can't remember exactly..but definitely the most expensive watch I've tried on.

Beautiful piece. Decent enough photo...

This one wasn't bad either. One day I'll grab a DB...


De Bethune by Noodlefish, on Flickr

Should have said, that wasn't my photo...taken from the 'net.

Tried that other one on too...beautiful and unusual!

[Pendragon69]

Does anyone actually own some of these high rolling watches?????

Optimus prime actually lol......robots in disguise.

[gentlemenpreferhats]

Does anyone actually own some of these high rolling watches?????

I wonder what happened to this guy- raced to 50 posts and then tried to sell a collection I could buy a house with using iPhone pics in the fog:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=171385

[Pendragon69]

Does anyone actually own some of these high rolling watches?????

I wonder what happened to this guy- raced to 50 posts and then tried to sell a collection I could buy a house with using iPhone pics in the fog:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=171385

Wow, that is nuts. How could anyone think that would work :S
He prob still trying to sell them with them dodgy pics. How funny :lol:

[dandanthewatchman]

IWC Grand Complication in platinum. Watch belongs to a client and I wore it for a couple of hours. So heavy my arm was lengthened by 2cm !!

Amazing watch with a list price of about 130k at the time. Now prob 200k if you wanted one ....just discontinued

Also was at Salon QP this year where there was some pretty expensive pieces

[Mrcrowley]

IWC Grand Complication in platinum. Watch belongs to a client and I wore it for a couple of hours. So heavy my arm was lengthened by 2cm !!

Amazing watch with a list price of about 130k at the time. Now prob 200k if you wanted one ....just discontinued

Also was at Salon QP this year where there was some pretty expensive pieces

I want one!