GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
AuctionsNov 14, 2019
Patek Philippe Watch Sells for Record-Breaking $31M
Meet the world’s most expensive timepiece sold at auction.
Created for charity auction Only Watch, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A-010 is the only version of the timepiece ever made in stainless steel.
Geneva—A new wristwatch can claim the honor of being the most expensive timepiece sold at auction, and it benefited charity.
At the Nov. 9 Only Watch auction held at Christie’s Geneva, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A-010 in stainless steel sold to an undisclosed bidder for 31 million Swiss francs ($31.3 million).
It’s the highest price garnered for any watch at auction, beating out Patek’s Henry Graves Supercomplication, which sold for $24 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2014, and the Rolex Daytona that once belonged to Paul Newman, which sold for $17.8 million at Phillips New York in October 2017.
At the Nov. 9 Only Watch auction held at Christie’s Geneva, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A-010 in stainless steel sold to an undisclosed bidder for 31 million Swiss francs ($31.3 million).
It’s the highest price garnered for any watch at auction, beating out Patek’s Henry Graves Supercomplication, which sold for $24 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2014, and the Rolex Daytona that once belonged to Paul Newman, which sold for $17.8 million at Phillips New York in October 2017.
Made exclusively for the auction, the Grandmaster Chime reference 6300A-01 has a total of 20 complications, including five chiming modes, two of which are patented world firsts: an acoustic alarm that strikes the pre-selected time and a date repeater sounding the date on demand.
It also has a reversible case, with one dial in rose gold and the other in black ebony.
Unlike its predecessors, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime’s record-breaking hammer price benefitted charity.
The biennial Only Watch auction funds research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Only Watch founder Luc Pettavino, previously the organizer of the Monaco Yacht Show, which counts many timepiece brands as sponsors, created the auction in honor of his son, who died from the disease.
Prior to Saturday’s sale, the organization had raised more than 35 million euros ($38.5 million) since its inception in 2005, Pettavino told Monochrome Watches.
Thanks to the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, the most recent Christie’s Geneva auction doubled that number, totaling CHF 38.6 million ($40 million).
In total, 50 one-of-a-kind timepieces were donated and auctioned in the sale, which lasted more than two hours.
Following the Only Watch auction were a number of Christie’s Geneva sales this week, including Magnificent Jewels, which saw a 7.03-carat fancy deep blue diamond garner CHF 11.6 million ($11.7 million) to earn the top lot spot.
Christie’s Rare Watches sale, meanwhile, totaled CHF $12.7 million ($12.8 million), with the Henry Graves Patek Philippe made to his specific recommendations in 1972 selling for CHF 4.6 million ($4.62 million).
More on Auctions
The Latest
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
Brought to you by
Are Earrings an Overlooked Category? What Retailers Need to Know NowAs the holiday season quickly approaches, consider stocking one category that sometimes gets overlooked: earrings.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch HistoryThe book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive FlagshipHollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink DiamondMaking its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby MineThey were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.
CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
Pristine Gems Names New Director of European SalesGemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.
IndependentsOct 17, 2025
From the Jazz Age to the Information Age: London Jewelers Turns 100In 2026, the jewelry retailer will celebrate a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.
Events & AwardsOct 17, 2025
An Edit of Italian Jewels Is Coming to NYCThe new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.
TrendsOct 17, 2025
Piece of the Week: Judi Powers Jewelry’s ‘Stella’ EarringsTake a gaze at the sky with this pair of platinum diamond-set star earrings with blue lace agate drops.
IndependentsOct 16, 2025
Retailer Hall of Fame 2025: Jeffrey Zimmer Jeffrey Zimmer's decades of leadership at Reeds Jewelers are defined by integrity, a love of sourcing gemstones, and a heart for community.
