Patek watches have gained a lot of fame in the hip-hop culture over the last decade. The culture seemed to take a step away from the Rolex and began to diversify the luxury watch game. That may have helped push the value of Patek even higher. As reported by Christie's, a Patek Philippe wristwatch was recently sold for $31 million in Geneva as part of the company's charity Only Watch auction to benefit research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The sale was historic, becoming the most expensive watch ever auctioned. The Patek Philippe that was purchased is a steel Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 created specifically for the event. Everyone loves a custom piece. The previous record for the most expensive watch was set by a Rolex Daytona once owned by Paul Newman, which went for $17.7 million at the time.
Other units of the same Grandmaster Chime model exist but the one sold at Christie's auction is the only piece crafted in stainless steel. With 20 complications, it packs a grande and petite sonnerie, a 24-hour and minute subdial, an instantaneous perpetual calendar along with a four-digit year display, a minute repeater, and allows the wearer to set a second time zone. What makes the piece even more unique is the fact that the salmon dial can be flipped over and reversed to reveal another dial in black. The new owner of the watch has asked to remain anonymous.
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