TrendsMar 17, 2023
Piece of the Week: Anita Ko’s Award-Ready EarringsAuctionsMar 24, 2023
Piece of the Week: The $5.8M Patek Philippe ‘Sky Moon Tourbillon’
Sold by Christie’s Hong Kong, this masterwork of complications now holds the record for most expensive watch ever auctioned online.
The original owner of this Patek Philippe Grand Complications “Sky Moon Tourbillon” bought it at the Patek Philippe boutique in Geneva in 2015. On Wednesday, the watch got a new owner, who paid $5.8 million for the timepiece at Christie’s Hong Kong’s online watch auction.
On Wednesday, Christie’s Hong Kong sold one of Patek Philippe’s “Grand Complications” for nearly $6 million to an internet bidder, raising the bar for online watch auctions.
The Patek Philippe Grand Complications “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 6002G-001 is a double-face wristwatch featuring 12 complications and a total of 705 parts.
The complications include: minute repeater with two “cathedral” gongs, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, retrograde date, moon phases, leap year indication, and, on the second dial, sidereal time, sky chart, and phases and orbit of the moon.
The complications are housed in a 44 mm hand-engraved 18-karat white gold case with, in the case of this watch, a blue cloisonné and champlevé enamel dial and blue alligator strap.
At Christie’s online auction held Wednesday, the hammer came down at $45.5 million Hong Kong dollars ($5.8 million) on this particular Sky Moon Tourbillion, making it the most expensive watch ever auctioned online.
The Sky Moon Tourbillon accounted for more than half of the auction’s total ($8.4 million, with 93 percent of lots sold) and demonstrated consumers’ continued willingness to buy significant pieces online, said Alexandre Bigler, vice president and head of watches for Christie’s Asia Pacific.
“The outstanding results established for ‘Watches Online: Top of the Time’ demonstrate the power of Christie’s online sale platform to present exceptional lots and achieve top prices, on par with our live sales,” he said.
“There continues to be an extremely vibrant market for watches across the world, evidenced through the avid global bidding this sale witnessed.”
For full results from Christie’s Hong Kong’s “Watches Online: Top of the Time” sale, visit the auction house’s website.
Related stories will be right here …
The Patek Philippe Grand Complications “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 6002G-001 is a double-face wristwatch featuring 12 complications and a total of 705 parts.
The complications include: minute repeater with two “cathedral” gongs, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, retrograde date, moon phases, leap year indication, and, on the second dial, sidereal time, sky chart, and phases and orbit of the moon.
The complications are housed in a 44 mm hand-engraved 18-karat white gold case with, in the case of this watch, a blue cloisonné and champlevé enamel dial and blue alligator strap.
The sidereal time, sky chart, and phases and orbit of the moon complications are located on the reverse side of the Patek Philippe “Sky Moon Tourbillon.” The watch is one of the Patek Philippe’s “Grand Complications,” the umbrella term applied to the most complicated, rarest watches the company makes.
At Christie’s online auction held Wednesday, the hammer came down at $45.5 million Hong Kong dollars ($5.8 million) on this particular Sky Moon Tourbillion, making it the most expensive watch ever auctioned online.
The Sky Moon Tourbillon accounted for more than half of the auction’s total ($8.4 million, with 93 percent of lots sold) and demonstrated consumers’ continued willingness to buy significant pieces online, said Alexandre Bigler, vice president and head of watches for Christie’s Asia Pacific.
“The outstanding results established for ‘Watches Online: Top of the Time’ demonstrate the power of Christie’s online sale platform to present exceptional lots and achieve top prices, on par with our live sales,” he said.
“There continues to be an extremely vibrant market for watches across the world, evidenced through the avid global bidding this sale witnessed.”
For full results from Christie’s Hong Kong’s “Watches Online: Top of the Time” sale, visit the auction house’s website.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
Lab-GrownNov 10, 2026
GIA Examines Pink Lab-Grown Diamond Made to Look NaturalThe 6-carat CVD-grown pink diamond was “deliberately modified” to mimic the appearance of a natural rough diamond, the lab said.
SourcingNov 10, 2026
Botswana in Line to Take Controlling Stake in De Beers, President Says If the Global Diamond Consortium emerges as the top bidder for De Beers, Botswana’s stake will double to 30 percent, Duma Boko said Monday.
ColumnistsNov 10, 2026
Who Checks the Facts When AI Writes Your Jewelry Copy?An incorrect AI-generated ad or product description can cost your store valuable consumer trust.
Brought to you by
DSF Antique Jewelry: Fine Jewelry, Signed Designers, and a World of Rare DiscoveriesWith over 50 years experience in the trade, DSF Antique Jewelry offers quality, craftsmanship, condition, and remarkable variety.
Events & AwardsNov 09, 2026
Here Are the 2027 Gem Award NomineesThese nine individuals and brands are up for a Gem Award in the Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation categories.
Weekly QuizNov 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeNov 09, 2026
Jeweler Pistol-Whipped, $900K in Jewelry Stolen During Home Invasion The incident, which happened in Miami-Dade County, serves as a reminder to jewelers of the dangers of selling and storing jewelry at home.
GradingNov 09, 2026
GIA Acquires Thousands of Gem Specimens With ‘Extraordinary’ InclusionsGIA Analytical Microscopist John Koivula curated the collection of 2,665 crystals, gems, and minerals over a 60-year span.
Brought to you by
How Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Makes Custom Engagement Ring Design Easier to SellWith customization becoming more expected in engagement ring shopping, the Bridal Builder makes the process tangible.
CollectionsNov 09, 2026
Bibi van der Velden’s Alligators Become High JewelryThe “Eclipse” collection, the brand’s first high jewelry line, centers its alligator motif in diamond and spinel jewels.
EditorsNov 06, 2026
The Spectrum Pieces I Can’t Stop Thinking AboutFrom a Betta fish brooch to a “dragon’s trove” of zircon eggs, here are seven pieces that’ve stuck with Associate Editor Lauren McLemore.
TrendsNov 06, 2026
Pat Pruitt’s DragonFly Earrings Take Flight on Election NightGroundbreaking New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland wore the earrings, our Piece of the Week, when she declared victory on Tuesday.
MajorsNov 06, 2026
SNL’s Colin Jost Finds the Perfect Gift in Kay Jewelers’ Holiday AdJost goes on an epic journey, traversing rough seas and encountering a cyclops, to discover the perfect holiday gift.
Supplier BulletinNov 05, 2026
Winning With GCAL 8X®: What’s Working at the CounterSponsored by GCAL by Sarine
SurveysNov 05, 2026
What Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearFrom shrinking budgets to AI elves, here are five takeaways from holiday reports by Bain, Adobe, Mastercard, NRF, and insights from YouGov.
CollectionsNov 05, 2026
Judi Powers, Russell Jones Unleash Joy With New CollaborationThe designers combined their talents for Little Pet Portraits, hand-painted miniatures of our best friends set in a piece of jewelry.
FinancialsNov 05, 2026
Brilliant Earth Continued to Resonate With High-Income Shoppers in Q3Its non-bridal fine jewelry remains the star of the show, recently launching new collections inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Goodall.
MajorsNov 05, 2026
Ariana Grande Stars In Swarovski’s Holiday Campaign“Joy: The Swarovski Musical” features Ariana Grande as the leading lady in scenes inspired by classic musical montages.
GradingNov 05, 2026
GIA to Offer Next-Day Holiday ServicesThe lab will bring back its complimentary next-day service for some reports starting next week.
CrimeNov 04, 2026
$250K+ in Undeclared Cartier Jewelry Seized at Philadelphia AirportA Pennsylvania woman failed to declare a ring and a bracelet, discarding the boxes and receipts to conceal the purchases, officials said.
FinancialsNov 04, 2026
Pandora’s Q3 Sales Up 7% Amid Focus on DesignNew collections and relevant marketing pushed the company forward, while Pandora’s lab-grown diamond sales continue to lag.
Events & AwardsNov 04, 2026
NYC Jewelry Week 2026 Is the Largest Edition YetThe citywide celebration, slated for Nov. 16-22, is set to host more than 175 events, including live jewelry-making demos.
MajorsNov 04, 2026
Bergdorf Goodman Names New PresidentLanessa Elrod, former president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Americas, has stepped into the role as the retailer celebrates 125 years.
IndependentsNov 03, 2026
Longtime Jewelry Marketer Arthur Klein Dies at 89Klein, who had his own marketing agency and worked for Gabriel & Co. and Trans American Diamond, is remembered as a kind man.
IndependentsNov 03, 2026
Zadok Jewelers Toasts To 50 Years With Diamond Bracelet GiveawayTo enter the giveaway, locals can purchase a featured beverage from one of eight participating restaurants in Houston and Austin, Texas.
Events & AwardsNov 03, 2026
David Yurman Gem Awards Grant Opens 2027 ApplicationsThe grant recipient will be awarded $50,000 as well as mentoring meetings with executives at David Yurman and other industry executives.
Events & AwardsNov 03, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Name 2026 Scholarship WinnersThe winners include a non-NAJA member seeking training, a member beginning NAJA courses, and a member becoming a Certified Master Appraiser.
CrimeNov 02, 2026
Customs Seizes More Than 400 Fake Audemars Piguet WatchesIt is one of several seizures of counterfeit jewelry and watches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Louisville this year.
