WatchTime New York 2019 has come to a close, and reflecting on such a great event we have been recalling some of the most expensive, once-in-a-lifetime pieces we were fortunate enough to see. While the show featured a wide range of brands, from value-driven to haute horlogerie luxurious, a few manufacturers stood out with timepieces that were undoubtedly some of the most expensive in the world today.

Greubal Forsey Grand Sonnerie

The first on our list is, no surprise, Greubal Forsey. This maison was founded in 2004, and in its short history has established itself as a go-to haute horlogerie inventor, producing some of the most complicated and expensive watches on the market. At WatchTime New York, Greubel Forsey showcased its pinnacle invention, the Grande Sonnerie. This model was eleven years in development, has an assembly of 935 components, and costs right around $1,200,000 ? making it one of the most expensive non-vintage watches on the market, today.
The actual grande sonnerie mechanism is quite interesting. Upon each passing hour it independently chimes out the time ? which the brand was kind enough to demonstrate to myself and a few other onlookers. This complication differs from the related minute repeater in that the latter requires manual activation. While the Grande Sonnerie can also act as a minute repeater in its silent mode, it also features two other modes of chiming: Grande Sonnerie (striking the hours and quarters in passing), and Petite Sonnerie (strik...