Truth be told, people who love Patek Philippe, will not exactly be looking at its price. Some Patek Philippe watches are considered collectible and have a ridiculously high price; in fact, the world’s second most expensive watch ever sold was from Patek Philippe with a price tag of $11 million. To make a comparison, the company produces roughly 45000 watches per year, whereas Rolex produces roughly 1 million per year; so, you can guess the exclusivity of the brand. Still, if you searching for the cheapest Patek you can buy, here’s the list. However, to be honest, even the cheap ones are not exactly cheap.
What is the Cheapest Patek Philippe Watch? The cheapest Patek Philippe watch is the Patek Philippe Twenty-4 Small Quartz Stainless Steel Women’s Watch. The cheapest price list found is $9,990.00, whereas its retail price is $12,150.00.
It’s a women’s watch; for men, the cheapest would be Patek Philippe Calatrava 18k Yellow Gold leather men’s watch, with the least price to be set at $16,800; its retail price is $19,750. The average monthly salary in the USA is around $4000. So, if you can save at least $1000 each month, you can buy yourself a Patek Philippe after 16-17 months.
On the surface, a typical Patek Philippe watch would seem modest but it takes time and expert craftsmanship to produce even a single watch, no wonder the company produces only 45,000 watches per year. After some research we have lined-up top 5 least expensive Patek Philippe watches. However, just to be clear we didn’t list it technically rather it’s a practical list. If we were to list top 5 cheapest Patek Philippe watches, they will all be different varieties of the same model i.e. Twenty-4 with a difference of $1000 or so.
Top 5 Least Expensive Patek Philippe Watches
- Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Small Quartz Stainless Steel Women’s Watch ($9,990)
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch ($16,790)
- Patek Philippe Gondolo 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch ($20,150)
- Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch (Discontinued but available) ($24,600)
- Patek Philippe Complications Perpetual Calendar 18k Yellow Gold Men’s Watch ($33,660)
01. Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Small Quartz Stainless Steel Women’s Watch ($9,990)
The model is 4910/10A-001 and is probably the cheapest Patek Philippe watch available in the market. By cheap, we mean it’s nearly $10,000 and is an exquisite piece of time wear. The case itself is studded with 36 diamonds (~0.45 ct.) and the hour markers are also diamonds. Not just that, it contains 6 other jewels too. It was first created in 1999 as an appreciation to femininity and was designed specifically for young, active and modern women.
The model currently has 5 variations and the company has 13 models in production for the Twenty~4 series of timepieces.
02. Patek Philippe Calatrava 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch ($16,790)
The model is 5119J-001 and is the least expensive watch for men from Patek Philippe. The Calatrava line of watches was first introduced in 1932 and has since become the epitome of elegant design. Since its early release, the design has been changed to charm new generations of watch lovers. The watch in total has 130 parts and is studded with 18 jewels. This manual winding watch gives attention to detail to keep the design timeless and elegant.
This particular model currently has 3 variations and the company produces 31 models in the Calatrava series.
03. Patek Philippe Gondolo 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch ($20,150)
The model is 5124J-001, where the model tries to express the company’s golden ages. It brings design elements from some of its historical pieces which are part of the heritage. Since its initial release in 1993, the company has strived to create some of the most stunning and unique designs in the timepieces. The gondola range of watches is modern and bold with designs that are out of its comfort zone. This watch is comprised of 142 parts and is studded with 18 jewels.
This model currently comes in 2 variations and there are 9 models in the Gondola series of watches.
04. Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 18k Yellow Gold Leather Men’s Watch (Discontinued but available) ($24,600)
The model is 3738/100J-012, but it has been discontinued by Patek Philippe. Since its first appearance in 1968, the model has been known to break the traditional watch designs. It features a slim elliptical shape which is a design on the basis of the divine ratio of 1/1.6181. The design will appeal to the those looking for aesthetics and who are watch connoisseurs. The watch consists of 161 parts and is studded with 27 jewels.
This model is currently discontinued by the company but it is available with many retailers. The Ellipse series currently has 2 models, which are strikingly identical to its older designs.
05. Patek Philippe Complications Perpetual Calendar 18k Yellow Gold Men’s Watch ($33,660)
The model is 5146J-010, which features an annual calendar and moon phases. Its patented annual calendar was first launched in 1996 and the mechanism is one of the company’s flagship models. This is a self-winding watch with an annual calendar, power serves indicator and a moon phase on display. The center rotor is made from 21K gold and is studded with 36 jewels.
The model comes in 3 variations and the Complications series comprises of 48 timepiece models.
What Makes Patek Philippe Watches so Expensive?
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Legacy
For a start, Patek Philippe is a family-owned business running since 1932. The heritage of this company is what makes their watches collectibles. All watches are made in-house in Geneva mostly done manually by trained and experienced watchmakers. The company was started by professional watchmakers who have left their legacy with the craftsmanship and watchmaking technique that are now handed-down for a century. Patek is one of the few family-run watch makers who is held in high prestige in the business. Mr. Stern, the owner of the company also makes sure each watch lives up to the Patek Philippe standards. He, himself listens to each minute repeater personally, before it leaves the workshop. According to the company, each minute repeater is made by one person and nearly takes 2 years to create just a single piece.
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Innovation
Each design of the watch conceived by the company takes years of research and millions of dollars in investments. Even to create a new movement by the company, it could take several years and millions to develop. The company has one of the strongest R&D department, who are working to create more efficient and beautiful designs. Nearly 100 engineers work who bring together old and new technologies to create timepieces that their exclusive customers would love. The company is known for creating some of the most complicated mechanical watches in history. These research work alone involves enough investment to make any of the Patek Philippe watch expensive. Moreover, being a collectible type of watches, the company sells only a few watches each year, which makes each watch even more expensive.
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Craftsmanship
Apart from the legacy, design, research a considerable amount of cost is attributed to its craftsmanship. The company produces roughly 45000 watches per year and for the most part, the watches are assembled and created by hand. Moreover, each piece that goes into making the watch is made the company itself which is not the case with many other watchmakers.
Each piece is made from only the best quality metal, even if it’s stainless steel. Even the gems such as diamond, ruby, emerald etc. used in the watch have to meet strict Patek Philippe standards. According to the company, only the top D to G color range is used. The clarity of the diamonds is of the internally flawless grade.
To have expert craftsmen and watchmakers in their facility, they have established an institute in NYC who trains new watchmakers. Some graduates from the institute get a full-time position at the Patek Philippe in Manhattan.
Related Questions
What is the price of pre-owned Patek Philippe watches? Even for a pre-owned Patek Philippe watch, the cost will not differ much from its original price. Because of the rarity of each timepiece, each Patek watch has high resale value. So, even a pre-owned Calatrava model will cost you nearly $14,000, differing only a few thousand dollars from the original price.
What are the most expensive watch brands? The top 5 most expensive watch brand in the world are F. P. Journe, Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin.
Can I get a loan to buy a Patek Philippe watch? Yes, there are many companies who would provide you loans to buy a Patek Philippe watch. Moreover, many retailers themselves provide numerous financing options.
What is the most expensive watch in the world? Graff Diamonds Hallucination is the world’s most expensive watch with a price tag of $55 million.
Conclusion
Any Patek Philippe watches you buy, irrespective its cost is guaranteed to be the highest quality. Their watches increase in value as it gets old. A watch you buy today from Patek could make your grandchildren rich if it’s vintage enough to go into an auction. It is hard for a normal persona to appreciate the craftsmanship and legacy of a luxury watch unless you are a collector. If you are seriously considering buying a Patek Philippe watch, I would suggest talking to an expert before deciding.