1. Baume & Mercier
William Baume Flying Tourbillion
Price: $75,000*
Price: $75,000*
This new edition of the William Baume
Tourbillion has a “flying tourbillion,”—a tourbillion held in place on
only one side rather than on the top and bottom—black dial, and black
alligator strap. The tourbillion escapement is in the 9 o’clock position
and a small seconds display at 6 o’clock. It has a 52-hour power
reserve. This timepiece is limited to 10 editions worldwide. Baume &
Mercier is owned by Swiss luxury goods giant Compagnie Financière
Richemont.
2. Tag Heuer
Monaco V4
Price: $80,000
Price: $80,000
Tag Heuer, which is owned by French
luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, used cars as a model
for rethinking watches’ mechanical movement and engineered the world’s
first and only belt-driven timepiece. This design is more
shock-resistant and requires less maintenance because of the belts and
micro ball bearings, according to the company. The Monaco V4 has a
platinum case and alligator leather strap. Only 150 pieces were
manufactured.
3. JeanRichard
Paramount Tourbillion Linear Power Reserve
Price: $128,000
Price: $128,000
This unique tourbillion watch from
independent Swiss watchmaker JeanRichard uses a linear indicator for the
72-hour power reserve. It has an 18 carat white gold case and rubber
covered alligator strap.
4. Glashütte Original
Julius Assmann 4 in white gold
Price: $161,000
Price: $161,000
Glashütte Original introduced this
piece for the Assmann edition in 2007. It can be worn as a wristwatch or
pocket watch and features a unique retrograde hour display and
tourbillion. The watch is also offered in red gold and rose gold
($145,000). More information is available through Tourbillion Boutiques
in New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Based in the former East
Germany, Glashütte Original is one of the few watchmakers that uses its
own proprietary movements. It is owned by Switzerland’s Swatch Group.
5. Porsche Design
Indicator P´6910 in rose gold
Price: $225,000
Price: $225,000
Made of about 800 individual parts and
developed by 12 engineers and watchmakers, the Porsche Design Indicator
P´6910 is the world’s first chronograph with a mechanical-digital
stopwatch function display. It can record up to 9 hours and 59 minutes.
In 2008 the Indicator, available in three design variants, was presented
in rose gold with PVD coated titanium.
6. Panerai
L’Astronomo Luminor Tourbillion 1950 Equation of Time in rose gold
Price: $235,000
Price: $235,000
Recently presented at the 2010 Salon
International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva as a tribute to Galileo
Galilei, the L’Astronomo will be made in a limited number of about 30.
While ordering the piece, clients must specify their hometown, which is
engraved on the back near a rotating sky chart of the city. The dial
also displays the sunrise and sunset times of the chosen city. Panerai
is owned by Richemont.
7. Breitling
Grande Complication
Price: $280,716
Price: $280,716
Unveiled at Baselworld 2010, this
pocket watch has a perpetual calendar that displays the date, day,
month, leap years, and moon phases and a minute repeater that strikes
the hours, quarters, and minutes on demand. It comprises almost 700
parts. The case, made of 18 carat yellow gold, features an engraving of
Walter Owen Bentley, founder of Bentley Motors, one of Breitling’s
partners.
8. IWC
Grande Complication
Price: $318,000
Price: $318,000
IWC first launched the Grande
Complication about 20 years ago. It combines a perpetual calendar with
moon phase, minute repeater, and chronograph with an automatic movement.
This version has a platinum case and bracelet. The Richemont-owned IWC
recently redesigned it in a Portuguese-style case ($220,567). A total of
50 pieces are produced annually.
9. Concord
C1 Tourbillion Gravity
Price: $320,000
Price: $320,000
One of the unique features of this
watch, which has an 18 carat white gold case, is the seconds display on
the side of the tourbillion carriage. The C1 Tourbillion Gravity also
features a flyback chronograph and 84-hour power reserve and is water
resistant to 30 meters. Although founded in Biel, Switzerland, in 1908,
Concord today is owned by Movado Group, which is based in Paramus, N.J.
10. Montblanc
Grand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in platinum
Price: $365,750
Price: $365,750
Although once known primarily for its
signature fountain pens, Richemont-owned Montblanc in recent years has
transformed its brand into that of a jeweler and watchmaker. Its most
expensive watch is the Grand Tourbillion Heures Mysterieuses in
platinum, of which only one has been made so far. This tourbillion is
also available in 18 carat white gold (in photo), limited to eight
pieces at $319,000 each. The 18 carat red gold version, also limited to
eight pieces, is $302,500.