What goes into a $3m wristwatch?

[Mel Fulks]

When I was young ,watch manufacturers made a big deal over watches,especially "dress watches", being thin. Hard to get all those pieces in an "appropriately" thin watch. Then accurate electronic watches made it pretty easy. Nothing to do but
shift the appeal to big manly watches, sometimes on the shopping channels you can catch them on sale . And like sisters
in a fairy tale "each is more beautiful than the one before". AT LAST! They have figured out how to make an expensive
watch almost as big as an alarm clock!

[David Weaver]

the large watch craze is almost comical. Some of the watches weigh half a pound (maybe more?) and I'd imagine CNC manufacturing has made it cheaper to make movements because the cost of watches has generally gone down by spec over the last 20 years.

the first good watch I ever had had a japanese movement in it (a chase durer watch, a brand that I've been told is a "poser" brand) and was relatively plain, but had a sapphire dial. It is 15 years old and has no scratches on the dial despite the rest of the watch showing that I wore it every day and everywhere for 10 years. Anymore, it's a small watch.

I bought the next watch with a swiss movement for the same price. It's bigger and more cosmetic looking, but I wish I would've gotten another one of the same thing I bought before.

I see that expensive watches now have chimes in them (presume that's mechanical, as you could make a watch that chimed - actually all of our digital watches in grade school and jr high school chimed -"armitron" digital watches were the craze back then).

As ray or someone mentioned earlier, it's quite expensive and made mostly by CNC with some artisan adornment. Personally, I'd rather have a plainer watch that was made entirely by hand, even though it would probably require more maintenance and not keep time as well. To me, extremely expensive items should have the greatest level of humanity possible. You couldn't wear this watch much, anyway, it's gold and it would be a shame to dent it.

I know there are a lot of technology focused people out there who don't share my disdain for complicated CNC made items, though.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Well I can't order it on Amazon so its definitely off my Christmas list.
You can get this Patek Phillipe watch for $108k
(Maybe for workshop use)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K78...4167329&sr=8-2

Better be careful you don't hit the single click order button while viewing that link!

[David Weaver]

I love the reviews on that watch:

>>The good people at Patek wanted to ensure that their customers have only the finest watches when they decide to not give anyone else the time... and why would they? It's their time, not that lowly cretin's.................... At just over $100,000, there has never been an easier way to say, "I am better than you and you know it." <<

>> saw this watch and sadly this was also very cheap but the guy said it was the most expesive one. I bought it. I started to like it even though it was so cheap. The next year I got a girlfriend and lost all my money.<<

>>This thing is so pedestrian. I could feel it draining the equity away from my second home. <<

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'm a cheap watch guy by necessity. I have owned over 20 watches I my almost 66 years. The longest any single one lasted before I destroyed it was 5 years. Many only lasted a year or less. I contrast this with my 89 year old father who until 3 years ago had and still used the gold Hamilton watch with gold band my mother gave him upon his graduation from law school in May 1951. He now owns a cheapo too figuring if he bought an expensive one he wouldn't be around to get full use out of it. The thrifty depression raised Massachusetts Yankee hasn't gone out of either my mother or father and they haven't lived in New England for 63 years.

[Myk Rian]

The longest lasting watch I have owned, I bought from some guy at a gas station I worked at. Literally bought it out of his coat.
Really. I paid $12 for it.

[Jim Koepke]

I haven't worn a watch in years. My face must scare them since they would stop while looking at them.

Having a clock here or there is all that it takes to meet my needs.

We are not even aware of how to set the alarm on my wife's bedside 'digital' clock radio.

jtk

[Wade Lippman]

I haven't worn a watch in years.

Does anyone wear a watch? There are clocks everywhere now. But I guess it is an issue of "look how wealthy I am".
I read that Larry Ellison bought Lanai for only $500M. That seems like a much better buy.

[David Weaver]

I wear a watch - same one - all the time during the week. I take it off to sleep and that's it, and sometimes

I suppose it's really not necessary, though.

FIL wears a timex watch, and he also gets one about every ten years. The dials on them look pretty rough and scratched up, though!! But that's probably the only functional difference between a $300 watch with a sapphire dial vs. a $20 watch.

[Darcy Forman]

Interesting video, but a little over the top. I like watches, that one is a bit much. I wear a watch every day. It is the first thing I put on in the morning and last item I remove before bed. I have a couple watches myself. One that I wear every day and one that I wear when I dress up, or am at work in the corporate office. I like to wear them even though a guy doesn't really need one these days.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Love the video. Amazing craftsmanship, even if I disagree with such pricey toys. I live two blocks from some of the most expensive watch dealers in the world. $40k is a starting price in some of these stores. I happen to have a soft spot for watches, but $500 is the most I will pay for one. I had a girlfriend who wanted a Patek Phillipe, and it was weird because she was not materialistic otherwise. No car, no furniture, but she was dead set on getting a Patek Philippe. I broke up with her, thank goodness, but I did look at a Patek out of curiosity. A friend who owns a jewelry store let me view one. It looked like a cheap Timex. The one in the video at least looks expensive. Perhaps it will go well with my amethyst tub. http://www.flooringhunt.com/the-10-m...-in-the-world/

[Bill Orbine]

Love the video. Amazing craftsmanship, even if I disagree with such pricey toys. I live two blocks from some of the most expensive watch dealers in the world. $40k is a starting price in some of these stores. I happen to have a soft spot for watches, but $500 is the most I will pay for one. I had a girlfriend who wanted a Patek Phillipe, and it was weird because she was not materialistic otherwise. No car, no furniture, but she was dead set on getting a Patek Philippe. I broke up with her, thank goodness, but I did look at a Patek out of curiosity. A friend who owns a jewelry store let me view one. It looked like a cheap Timex. The one in the video at least looks expensive. Perhaps it will go well with my amethyst tub. http://www.flooringhunt.com/the-10-m...-in-the-world/

It has just occurred to me.....taking a bath with this $3m Patek Phillippe watch is bad news! For all the money in the world, one of the most complicated timepiece with over 1,400 parts is NOT waterproof! I'm leaning towards that Bugatti......

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

for $3m - you'd think it would have something really rare in it: pegasus tears, unicorn farts...stuff like that.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

It has just occurred to me.....taking a bath with this $3m Patek Phillippe watch is bad news! For all the money in the world, one of the most complicated timepiece with over 1,400 parts is NOT waterproof! I'm leaning towards that Bugatti......

they aren't waterproof either:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-45s1zScPUY

[Greg Peterson]

I think this video goes a long way towards explaining this watch makers target market:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM