The Most Expensive Watches And Jewellery Ever Sold At Auction

Words by Megan C Hills

June 16, 2021

The last decade has seen buyers shatter auction records to the tune of millions. These are some of the most notable record-breaking sales, from Marie Antoinette’s jewels to decadent timepieces from the Roaring Twenties

Every year, an unconscionable amount of money exchanges hands at auction houses as rare jewels and watches go under the hammer. From lavish charity sales in Geneva to jaw-dropping diamond bids here at home, the last decade has seen buyers shatter auction records to the tune of millions.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most Expensive Diamond: CTF Pink Star (US$71.2 million)

In 2017 Chow Tai Fook purchased the Pink Star, an oval, 59.60-carat, fancy vivid pink diamond which Sotheby’s said was “a new record for any work ever sold in Asia”. It was renamed CTF Pink Star to honour the CTF chairman’s late father.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most Expensive Gemstone per Carat: the Blue Moon of Josephine (US$48.4 million)

Some parents buy their children puzzles; in 2015, billionaire Joseph Lau purchased a 12.03-carat vivid blue diamond at Sotheby’s for his seven-year-old daughter Josephine, equating to $4 million per carat.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most expensive antique jewel: Marie Antoinette’s 18th-century pearl and diamond pendant (US$36,000,000)

When the Bourbon-Parma family auctioned their royal collection in 2018, Marie Antoinette’s pendant sparked a bidding war at Sotheby’s. The last queen of France smuggled jewellery abroad during the French Revolution; the pendant made it out safely, though the ill-fated queen didn’t.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most expensive tiara: the Henckel von Donnersmarck Tiara (US$12.76 million)

An anonymous buyer snapped up this 500-carat diamond and emerald tiara at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2011. Experts speculate Chaumet created the unsigned masterpiece, topped with 11 Colombian pear-shaped emeralds.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Christie's

Most expensive jewel sold online: a 28.86-carat D-Colour diamond (US$2,110,000 million)

As the pandemic shut auction houses worldwide, Christie’s courted online bidders and quietly broke a record in 2020. This D-Colour Type 11a diamond exceeded expectations, fetching $2.1 million.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Christie's

Most expensive watch: Patek Philippe’s 6300A-010 Grandmaster Chime (US$31.2 million)

At a 2019 Christie’s charity auction, this 175th anniversary Patek Philippe wristwatch saw bids skyrocket to $31.2 million. The piece in question took 100,000 hours to complete and features an unusual steel frame with 20 functions.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most expensive pocket watch: Patek Philippe’s 1933 Henry Graves Supercomplication (US$24 million)

Sold in 2014 at Sotheby’s, this aptly named timepiece features 24 complications, including a star map of the sky above its original owner Henry Graves Jr’s home. In the 1920s, Graves bet he could make the most advanced watch and commissioned this. Spoiler: he won.

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Most expensive watch by an independent maker: George Daniels Space Traveller I (US$4,560,000)

This 18k gold pocket watch hammered at Sotheby’s in 2019. Created in 1982 and inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing, watchmaker George Daniels described it as “the kind of watch you would need on your package tour to Mars”.