what is the most expensive watch you've seen in the wild?

[iceberg1459]

I'm spoiled as many of you know. It so happens that one of my oldest and dearest friends - maybe even my best friend actually, has one of the largest collections in my state (and in the country for that matter). Two of his pieces come to mind. The Breguet Double Tourbillion (44MM / 20 pieces per year limited / $337,000 USD). The world's first and only rotating dial double tourbillion. It has two tourbillons which work independently of each other and turn around the dial every 12 hours. Breguet has patented this mechanism of two tourbillon movements coupled with 2 differentials: one commands the top plate which rotates and another which commands the arming of the mainspring. The movement has 570 parts...

and the Ulysse Nardin Ghengis Khan (42MM / 30 pieces a year limited / $490,000 USD). It is actually more classy and amazing than the double in a really artsy way. It just seems like a total one off - handmade. Just makes your heart warm in a way that is touch to describe. And the sound! Oh that beautiful sound. Best repeater I have ever heard! It was introduced in 2002 beyond all considerations of practicability, a piece of art more than a mere timepiece. The world's first wristwatch featuring a Westminster chime with minute repeater, automatons and tourbillon escapement. A dial made of star dotted onyx has four figures, hand carved in gold. The figures show Mongolian warriors swinging weapons. Each time the Westminster chimes or the repeater is engaged, the figures are fighting with swords or trying to catch a small ring with a spear while riding a horse. The tourbillon is actually integrated into the aventurine dial. The dial has opaque and translucent crystals that use fire in molten glass, aventurine scintillates, and subtyl flecked with all possible shades of red, yellow and grey. In a phrase, this piece is just sickeningly nice...

Both would literally level you to the ground by even touching them. They sure have me.

I routinely ask him if I can "Pet the sexy tourby's" when I go to his house. He gets annoyed, but I bring my loupe and stare at them for as long as I can get away with.

The saddest part is he could care less to look at them with a loupe. They sit in the custom cabinet along with the other nearly 200 pieces in the collection now mostly. He does actually wear the double sometimes though as he likes the innovative look of it, but doesn't really get blown out by why it is so cool other than how it looks...

i actually saw that brequet at AD, nice movt but ugly.

what about these.

it works just like a real slot machine + tourbillon

ding,ding,ding sound after each reel stops, pretty cool. i think costs for about 400k, like it much better than that UN or brequet

zero-g tourbillon

i saw a vid of this watch in action

the tourbillion wobbles like the round liquid compasses and looks like a toy, but the technology is just amazing

[RobbieG]

Now there is another tacky additon to horology. I swear, these days companies will do anything to try and differentiate themselves. More and more I'm just thinking of the "better mousetrap" fiasco and wondering if watches aren't the same. I get the watch magazines every month and 90% of the pics I see in them I just think oh God, look at that thing. I don't even want to read about how cool it is because I can't get past looking at it and thinking it doens't even look like a watch to me. LOL.

I find myself getting excited if Watchtime is reviewing a Submariner or something just for a break from all the silly stuff. Maybe I'm just getting old. The two watches I posted are about as far our as I'm willing to go. But at least they still have a very familiar feel to them. They look like watches. But a slot machine I have to draw the line at. Absurd is the word that comes to mind for me. To each his own I suppose. I swear when I'm ready for the grave all I'll have left is a Sub or a Datejust. I'll look down and smile at the irony of it and get a laugh just before I croak...

[Demsey]

My Dad's 6263. Other than that, my MD wears a 16613 black dial.

[Nanuq]

I figure this one is going to cost us a Trillion or so.