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The Top 5 Diamond Watches of all Time
In the jewelry industry, just as with certain precious metals, different varieties of gemstone drift in and out of fashion; but as a wise man once said, ‘diamonds are forever.’
Diamonds are always in vogue. Often given as a token of love and worn as a symbol of commitment, they project an image of purity, light and permanence.
Their allure can be traced back centuries. The Archduke Maximilian of Austria was the first person in recorded history to present a diamond engagement ring to his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy, in 1477.
But it wasn’t really until the 1940s and one of the most effective marketing campaigns ever that the stones became more than an entirely royal privilege. When De Beers came up with the completely fabricated advertising concept that a diamond ring should cost no less than two-months’ salary, the perception of the gems was transformed overnight. Suddenly they were an essential, an unsurpassed emblem of romance which saw sales skyrocket and the notion of diamonds as the ultimate marriage tradition became embedded into Western culture.
Diamonds in the Watch Industry
The idea that diamonds could enhance the appeal of wristwatches dates back, literally, to the invention of the wristwatch.
The first example in recorded history, Abraham-Louis Breguet’s 1812 oval bracelet watch made for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, is believed to have been set with various gemstones, including diamonds. I say ‘believed’ because the watch has never been seen publicly.
But by the early 19th century and the dawn of the Art Deco era, more and more high status women took to wearing wristwatches, often adorned with precious stones.
During the 1920s and ‘30s, elite manufactures like Cartier, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin created a number of lavishly decorated models for their discerning clients. And from the mid 20th century onwards, diamond watches transitioned to become male accessories too, symbolizing achievement, wealth and status.
That is still the case to this day. You will find men’s pieces from almost every luxury brand embellished with diamonds—either subtle accents or full pavé decoration.
So, for this article, we’ve decided to spotlight five of our favorites.
Often spectacular, always expensive, these are the watches that tell more than the time; they tell a story of lavishness and opulence.
The Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Ice’ ref. 116769TBR
As you probably know, another portfolio of watches exists behind the standard Rolex collection. The ‘off-catalog’ models are the ones the brand doesn’t advertise. Usually reserved for the most I of VIPs, you won’t find them listed on any website or brochure, and they are produced only in tiny quantities—sometimes one-offs.
Generally, this is where you will see the most liberal use of gemstones of all denominations; and, more often than not, diamonds.
Such was the case in 2007 when Rolex came out with the GMT-Master II ref. 116769TBR, known colloquially and for obvious reasons as the ‘Ice’.
At the time, it was the most expensive watch the brand made, with a retail price of $485,000. Of course, ‘retail price’ is fairly meaningless in this instance. Although Rolex, as usual, has never released official figures, it is thought fewer than 100 units of the ‘Ice’ were made. All of those were sold long before they reached an AD, mainly to Middle Eastern royalty, although former boxer Floyd Mayweather wore his with pride too.
At its heart, the ref. 116769TBR was a white gold example of the first Super Case-housed GMTs. However, the case and bracelet metal had to be guessed at, as not one millimeter could be glimpsed due to the presence of some 30 carats of diamonds swamping every surface.
To many experts, this was the point at which Rolex secured their reputation as a leader in the art of gem setting, with the stones apparently affixed so securely the watch could conceivably be used as an everyday wear without fear of a single diamond working loose.
All told it is believed some 1,200 to 1,300 stones enhance the ‘Ice’. Of those, around 450-500 brilliant-cut gems are on the case and lugs, 48 baguettes go into the bezel, the bracelet accounts for about 500-550, and on the dial, between 200 and 250 are set in a beautiful wave pattern. All are classified as internally flawless, with a color range from D to G and each one is hand set by the brand’s in-house gemologists. The watch itself weighs in at nearly half a pound.
The good news is, examples of this extraordinary watch occasionally surface at auction for you to buy. The bad news is that, unlike many heavily diamond-enhanced watches, its price has actually increased over the years. If you fancy one yourself, be prepared to part with something in the region of $700,000.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5719/10G-010
As with the Rolex, beneath the extraordinary façade of the Patek ref. 5719/10G-010 is one of horology’s most famous icons.
The Nautilus has gone down as a design archetype in the history of watchmaking; as important and culturally relevant as the Porsche 911 is to the car industry.
Also just like the GMT ‘Ice’, the ref. 5719/10G-010 is, somewhere underneath it all, a white gold piece. The 40mm model is built on the same mechanical foundation as the ref. 5713/1G-010, another simple three-hand-and-date watch descended from the classic 5711 lineage. But where the 5713 restricts itself to just a diamond-studded bezel, the 5719 is its fully iced-out evolution.
The case houses some 100+ brilliant-cut diamonds, leaving only the famous ‘ears’ free. 32 baguettes cover the surround, with three more acting as hour markers on a dial flooded with over 250 variously cut stones. Even more extraordinary than that, however, the white gold bracelet is swamped in 803 gems, with a further 150 on the clasp.
So, over 1,300 flawless diamonds altogether, total weight around 18.7 carats. Subtle? No. Polarizing? Yes. A magnificent achievement whether it’s your bag or not? Absolutely.
This is, make no mistake, hyper luxury. This is haute joaillerie of the hautest order. You’ve heard of stealth wealth; this ain’t that. The diamond-drenched Nautilus is intended for those for who stop time rather than tell it.
All that, obviously, has to be paid for. A lot. Should you want to join this most exclusive of clubs, you’re looking at half a million at a minimum to gain entry. But, if extreme versions of one of the most significant watches of all time cranks your scooter, you probably won’t find better.
The Jacob & Co. Billionaire 1
When you get beyond our two previous examples, conventional albeit luxury models dialed up past maximum, you start to enter the realm where the actual watch part of the creation becomes an afterthought; redundant except for providing a framework on which to pour diamonds and other gems by the Pick ‘n Mix scoopful.
Case in point; the Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch. This piéce unique emerged in 2015, a collaborative effort between brand founder, Jacob Arabo, and Flavio Briatore, head of the Italian Billionaire fashion label.
Despite the presence of superior watchmaking’s favorite (and most superfluous) complication, the tourbillon, and the technically demanding skeletonized mechanical movement, no one’s here for that.
Those are mere garnish to the main dish served up by the sight of 260 carats-worth of diamonds. How many actual stones does that equate to in this instance? Around 240.
It is an astounding effort, irresistible to some, offensive to others but never less than outrageous. Not for this watch the tiny flecks of diamond embedded into some pieces. Here, the stones are emerald-cut—great flat-surfaced hunks which provide eye-searing levels of reflected illumination.
The 47mm x 58mm white gold behemoth was originally built as a statement piece to showcase just what the two brand leaders were capable of when they put their heads together. And it was sold, with the price tag of a mere $18m, to a public figure with a similarly larger-than-life profile; the aforementioned notorious wallflower, Floyd Mayweather.
After that, other Billionaire models started to come through. The custom-order only Billionaire II featured a slightly refined design with more but smaller diamonds. Billionaire III, IV and later versions came with colored diamonds, rubies or different case metals. All of them, though, fit into the ultra-rare category.
There is very little to compare the Billionaire Watches to—they exist almost in a field all their own. Very few of us will ever even see one, let alone be in a position to buy. And many would pass even if the opportunity presented itself.
It is simply an expression of what can be done when the concept of money is no longer relevant.
Graff Diamonds The Fascination
The final two entries on our list come from the same source; London diamond house, Graff, which launched its own watch division in 2008.
One of their first releases came in 2015. Called The Fascination, it holds the record as the world’s most valuable transformable watch.
Penned by former Louis Vuitton and Van Cleef & Arpels designer, Anne-Eva Geffroy, the utterly extraordinary timepiece is comprised of some 152.96 carats of white diamonds, including a stunning central pear-shaped stone of 38.13 carat, into which is fitted a watch face. That gem is the key to The Fascination’s appeal. It can be left as it is so the piece remains an exquisite bracelet. Or, should occasion demand, it can be removed and worn separately as a ring.
As a testament to the skill and dedication of the world’s leading metallurgists, gem setters, designers and horologists, there is nothing to beat it. There is also very little to compete with the price tag, either. The one-of-a-kind masterpiece commands a layout of $40m.
Graff Diamonds Hallucination
Number one on our list actually predated The Fascination by a year.
The nonsensically extravagant Graff Hallucination was unveiled at Baselworld in 2014, designed by the founder himself, Laurence Graff.
It consists of a platinum bracelet bejeweled with 110 carats of rare, multicolored diamonds—Fancy Vivid Yellow, Fancy Intense Pink, Fancy Intense Blue, Fancy Light Pink, Fancy Light Grey Blue, Fancy Intense Blue, Fancy Green, and Fancy Orange—all in a variety of cuts; heart, pear, marquise, emerald, radiant, and round.
The end result is something akin to looking into one of those tins of sweets you only really get at Christmastime, with all the different shape chocolates in their individually colored wrappers (or maybe that’s just an English thing!)
Oh, and there’s a tiny little quartz clockface in the middle, swaddled in pink diamonds.
The culmination of two years’ work sourcing, cutting and setting some of the world’s finest stones, the Hallucination is, like the Billionaire I, an exhibition demonstrating the apex of luxury and craftsmanship converging.
Truly and completely spellbinding, and verging on the tasteful, it is also one of the most expensive watches ever made. If it was to go on sale—which it isn’t currently—you could buy it for $27.5m. If you had a friend chip in the same amount.
Featured Photo: Mixed art by Oriol Mendivil for BKT Archive.
