4 of the Best Patek Philippe Watches Money Can Buy

It’s no secret that luxury watches are some of the most expensive things anyone can buy. Sure, most Swiss brands price their watches astronomically – in the tens of thousands, as well as hundreds of thousands, in fact – but when a timepiece reaches the price tag of a million, it becomes on a league of its own. 

In this article, we’ve collated four of the most popular Patek Philippe watches money can buy. Most watch enthusiasts won’t have the chance even to get a viewing of these items, so suffice it to say that these watches are more exclusive than getting on a celebrity party. So without further ado, here are Patek’s best watches:

Patek Philippe Grand Complications

Think Patek Philippe Grand Complication is expensive? Well, then you’ve never heard of the brand’s Super Complication watch. For the uninitiated, the Super Complication is a pocket watch, the brand’s tribute to Henry Graves. It fetched a $24M price at a Sotheby’s auction in 2014. The Super Complication is surely a museum piece, but if you’re one to prefer something that can be worn on the wrist, anything from the Grand Complication collection should do.

The recent 2019 addition of Grand Complications models carried with it a slew of new stylistic choices, but the one to check out is the 5212A. It’s a self-winding watch with one of Patek’s best in-house movements. The calfskin strap in brown and silver opaline dial complement each other to perfection. The stainless steel case and sapphire crystal are top of the line. Trust us when we say, this is the watch to get from the brand – if you’ve saved enough to afford one.

Patek Philippe Nautilus

The Nautilus is arguably the most popular of all the brand’s collections, with a loyal following from famous actors, athletes, and CEOs. Robert Downey, Jr. has a Nautilus, as well as Serena Williams. It’s also the watch of choice of Jeffrey Bezos – among others of course. In its latest iteration, the Nautilus is more powerful than ever, but still with the iconic look that first made it famous.

The stainless steel with blue dial will go down in history as a classic, but if you like your wristwatches with more pizzas, go for the rose gold with a golden brown opaline dial. A word from the wise: if you’re choosing a Nautilus, get the ones with a self-winding movement. These watches will have more value as they age, while the quartz ones will degrade.

Patek Philippe Complications

The little brother of the Grand Complications line, the Complications collection started what is probably Patek’s modern revolution. There are many watches to choose from in this collection, but the 4947G is up there with the best Patek Philippe watches. With a self-winding movement, with an annual calendar and moon phase complications. 

It’s a stunning watch to behold – the silvery-white dial flushed in white gold case plus blue-gray alligator strap instantly makes the watch an eye-candy. On top of that, on the case set, you get 141 diamonds, with a total of fewer than 1.28 carats. The date complication is on the 6th hour, with a powerful center sweep second hand. 

Patek Philippe Aquanaut

The Aquanaut is Patek’s line for its modern consumers. It’s touted as modern, chic, and unexpected, which is what it was described as when it first launched. From this collection, you should get a classic color scheme pairing – silver and black. The 5167/1A with a self-winding mechanical movement is exactly that. 

The movement is an in-house caliber that has a date and sweeps seconds feature, 29 jewels, and a power reserve of 45hours maximum. The central rotor is in 21k gold, a Patek Philippe seal embossed on top. Inspired by the Nautilus’ shape, the Aquanaut has a rounded octagon embossed dial, which is perfect to wear without the worry of UV radiation. 

Takeaway

Since these watches start at tens of thousands of dollars, only a few are made – and sometimes only by order. So if you have a couple of thousand dollars hanging around, you may want to check out these selections. Because let’s face it – only the truly rich with so much indispensable income have the capability to get a closer look at these horology wonders.