19/11/2025
A rare Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 manufactured in 1943 has once again broken auction expectations, selling for 14.19 million Swiss francs ($17.6 million) to become the world’s most expensive watch.
The stainless steel perpetual calendar chronograph is one of only four ever made, making it vastly more coveted than the gold variants.
It previously set a world wristwatch auction record in 2016 before being surpassed by other notable timepieces, including Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona.
The watch sold after a nine-minute bidding contest in Geneva, reaffirming its status as one of the most historically significant and desirable timepieces in collecting history.
