Sapphire Case Luxury Watches: A Market Overview
Sapphire case watches as we know it first hit the scene in 2012, when Richard Mille released the RM056. Each case, made from a solid block of sapphire crystal, took about six weeks of continuous machining to create. Sapphire is almost as hard as diamond, so it’s difficult and brittle to work with. Still, it wasn’t long until Richard Mille had competition in the sapphire case watch space, even though most brands can only make a few per year. Today, solid sapphire cases are one of the hottest things going in the high-end luxury watch world. Crystal Richard Milles can set you back millions of dollars, while most brands are closer to the $100,000 mark. There are also some young brands pushing prices down way below that. In this article I’ll show you sapphire case watches from ten brands that should give you a good picture of the market.
The trajectory of sapphire-cased luxury watches has been similar to rainbow watches in a way: a leading brand made one, and it was immediately popular with some but it took a while for its popularity to explode. And now countless brands are doing them. The sapphire case watch craze could also be compared to the tourbillon craze: the inevitable race to make one as cheaply as possible coincides with the high-end brands making crazier and crazier variants to stay ahead. A huge number of sapphire case watches are tourbillon watches themselves. Skeletonized movements, tourbillons, rubber straps, and meager 30m depth ratings are common in this niche market. We’ll start with the market leader.
The OG Sapphire Case Watch: Richard Mille RM056
The RM056 is the sapphire case watch that started it all. It made a big splash when it debuted at SIHH 2012. Some gawked at the $1.65 million list price, but nowadays they’re worth more than double that. While the sapphire case (and the 1,000+ hours it takes to machine it) is its most defining feature, the RM056 is technically spectacular too. It has a skeletonized split-seconds chronograph movement with a tourbillon, power reserve indicator, and torque indicator. Luxury watch owners are used to switching between winding mode and time-setting mode with the crown position, but the RM056 is different: you use the 4 o’clock pusher to switch between winding, neutral, and time-setting modes. There’s even a function indicator on the dial to show which mode the watch is currently in.
Richard Mille has continued to release new sapphire case watches periodically, usually limited to 5-10 pieces per model. Brown sapphire versions of the RM56-01 can sell for over $4 million, and the one-of-a-kind blue sapphire RM56 is worth closer to $6 million. There’s even a version with a handcrafted sapphire dragon in the middle which is probably among the most expensive watches in the world. Also notable is that Richard Mille seems to be the only brand offering a sapphire case watch for women, the RM07-02. The RM07-02 is one of the only legitimate million-dollar ladies’ watches on the market right now.
Richard Mille RM056 Specs
| Model | Tourbillon Chronograph Sapphire |
| Reference | RM 056 |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 42.7mm |
| Case Thickness | 19.2mm |
| Movement | RMCC1 (Manual-wind, 6 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, split-seconds chronograph, power reserve indicator, torque indicator, function indicator, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (2021) | $1.65 million |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $3.75 million |
| Limited Edition | 5 pieces |
Purnell x Readymade Escape II Sapphire
Right behind Richard Mille in terms of pricing is Purnell. Known for avant-garde sports watches with twin triple-axis tourbillons and other extreme complications, Purnell has now released several sapphire case watches. One of their most interesting is a collaboration they did with Readymade, a popular high-end Japanese lifestyle brand.
Only five examples of the Purnell x Readymade Escape II were released in May 2022, with a list price around $1.4 million. Purnell enlisted the help of movement wizard Eric Coudray to develop the double spherion movement in the Escape II lineup. If you’re able to find a pre-owned one for sale, expect to pay just under list price. Also expect the watch to wear big–not only is it 48mm wide, but it’s also quite thick (19mm).
Purnell x Readymade Escape II Sapphire Specs
| Model | Purnell x Readymade Escape II Sapphire |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 48mm |
| Case Thickness | 19mm |
| Movement | P03 Double Spherion |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, power reserve indicator, twin triple-axis tourbillons |
| Power Reserve | 32 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30 minutes |
| MSRP (2022) | $1.39 million |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $1.2 million |
| Limited Edition | 5 pieces |
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire
Hublot has probably made more models of sapphire case watches than any other brand. Several variants of Big Bang, Big Bang Unico, Spirit of Big Bang, Classic Fusion, and Classic Fusion Orlinski models have been made with solid sapphire cases. Sapphire can be lab-made in any color, but it seems Hublot was the first brand to make to make an orange sapphire watch. 50 examples of the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire were made in 2021, with a list price of $179,000. Real-life secondhand prices are closer to $75,000.
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire Specs
| Model | Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire |
| Reference | 419.JO.0120.RT |
| Case Material | Orange sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 45mm |
| Case Thickness | 15.3mm |
| Movement | HUB6035 (Automatic, 6 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (2021) | $179,000 |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $75,000 |
| Limited Edition | 50 pieces |
Chanel J12 X-Ray
Since the early 2000’s, fashion powerhouse Chanel has been getting increasingly serious about their luxury watch offerings. Notably, they own 20% of F.P. Journe as well as 20% of Tudor‘s movement maker, Kenissi. Chanel’s own watches still aren’t as popular with hardcore collectors as the classic leading watch-only brands, but they’ve managed to elevate themselves beyond the level of “fashion watch.” The J12 is probably their single most successful and recognizable watch design, and they really stepped it up in 2020 with the J12 X-Ray.
In addition to a solid sapphire case, the watch is liberally adorned with baguette diamonds. But the most noteworthy feature of the J12 X-Ray is its sapphire bracelet. Almost all sapphire case watches have rubber straps, and Chanel remains the only brand to have successfully pulled off a solid sapphire crystal bracelet. They only made 12 examples, priced at $626,000. They later also made 12 examples with rubies on the dial and bezel, called the J12 X-Ray Red Edition.
Chanel J12 X-Ray Specs
| Model | J12 X-Ray |
| Reference | H6249 |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 38.6mm |
| Case Thickness | 10.7mm |
| Movement | Caliber 3.1 (Manual-wind, 8 beats per second, skeletonized) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Power Reserve | 50 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (2020) | $626,600 |
| Limited Edition | 12 pieces |
Most Affordable Sapphire Case Watch: Code41 X41 Sapphire
Code41 is the youngest brand in this list, having been founded in 2016. They’re also the cheapest. In fact, Code41’s entire enthusiast-community-centric business model is centered around affordability. They use lots of third-party parts, including Chinese-made cases. They’re proud to have “disrupted the hushed world of watchmaking by offering total transparency on origin and costs,” as they say, and openly state that each sapphire case costs them $4,060 to make.
They’re not shy about their liberal usage of Chinese parts, noting that “a great number of entry-level and mid-range Swiss Made watches are fitted with cases, dials and straps made in China.” Bold move. I feel like their righteous claims about “transparency” would ring a little more true if they told us who makes the movements, but oh well. The Code41 X41 Sapphire first launched in 2022 and every batch so far has sold out.
Code41 has adopted a presale-only sales model that’s becoming popular with newer, smaller watch brands. They announce an edition, they accept pre-orders for a limited window of time, and they deliver the watches 9-12 months later. If you miss one, you’ll have to sign up on their waiting list for the next one. Unlike a Rolex waiting list, it actually operates on a first-come-first-served basis, and you’re guaranteed to get the watch you paid for. Code41 doesn’t just keep watches in stock to sell. Used X41’s rarely turn up for sale on the secondhand market, so they must be doing something right with this model.
Code41 X41 Sapphire Specs
| Model | X41 Sapphire |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 42mm |
| Movement | Unnamed third-party Swiss automatic movement with peripheral rotor |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, big date |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024 Pre-order) | ~$18,800 |
Cvstos Sealiner Tourbillon Sapphire
Cvstos is another relatively new luxury watch brand. Based in Geneva, Cvstos makes tonneau-cased watches made from a variety of materials. The distinctly Franck Muller-esque design language isn’t a coincidence: Cvstos’s co-founder Sassoun Sirmakes is the son of Franck Muller co-founder Vartan Sirmakes. The brand was founded in 2005 but seems to have hit its stride recently. The attractive discontinued Sealiner Tourbillon Sapphire had a list price well into six figures, and its 50m water resistance is better than most of the sapphire case watch competition. And Cvstos has since released a simpler time-and-date Sealiner PS Sapphire with a list price in the $40,000 ballpark. This puts them head-to-head with another fairly young brand in the sapphire case watch space: Artya.
Cvstos Sealiner Tourbillon Sapphire Specs
| Model | Sealiner Tourbillon Sapphire |
| Reference | C00105.4183001 |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 41mm |
| Movement | CVS2600 (Manual-wind, 5 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $85,000 |
| Limited Edition | 10 pieces |
Zenith Defy Zero-G Sapphire
Zenith is famous for having developed the El Primero, the world’s first fully integrated automatic chronograph movement, in 1969. The Defy Zero-G Sapphire, released in 2021, is powered by an El Primero movement–but it’s far different than the original. It’s not a chronograph at all, and it looks like a skeletonized tourbillon movement at first. But the apparatus at 6 o’clock is actually Zenith’s Gravity Control mechanism, which is a gyroscopic module that keeps the balance wheel and escapement horizontal, reducing the effects of gravity and thus decreasing positional variance.
The movement and case aren’t the only impressive features, though. Zenith describes the dial as “handcrafted in a mosaic of meteorite, aventurine glass and grand feu enamel on a gold base.” Zenith has displayed mastery of several disciplines with the Defy Zero-G Sapphire, and it’s not a bad way to spend $100,000.
Zenith Defy Zero-G Sapphire Specs
| Model | Defy Zero-G Sapphire |
| Reference | 04.9000.8812/00.R920 |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 46mm |
| Movement | El Primero 8812 S (Manual-wind, 10 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator, Gravity Control mechanism |
| Power Reserve | 50 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (2021) | $159,700 |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $100,000 |
| Limited Edition | 10 pieces |
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Sapphire Green
Greubel Forsey, founded in 2004 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, quickly made a name for themselves in the independent haute horology world with the world’s first double tourbillon wristwatch. Today, Greubel Forsey is one of the most expensive watch brands in the world, and they continue to make horological innovations regularly (often related to tourbillons).
Like the Zenith Defy Zero-G Sapphire, the Double Balancier from Greubel Forsey may look like a flying tourbillon watch at a cursory glance. But it’s actually something more unusual: two inclined balance wheels, linked by Greubel Forsey’s Constant Spherical Differential, which acts as a constant force mechanism. It essentially averages out the two balance wheels, making the watch more resistant to positional variance. Only 13 Double Balanciers have been made with sapphire cases–11 with blue dials and 2 with green.
Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Green Sapphire Specs
| Model | Double Balancier Sapphire Green |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 47.2mm |
| Case Thickness | 13.8mm |
| Movement | GF04 (Manual-wind, 6 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator, dual inclined balance wheels with constant force mechanism |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $450,000 |
| Limited Edition | 2 pieces |
Franck Muller Vanguard Sapphire Skeleton Tourbillon
Despite their massive success in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Franck Muller often gets overlooked by today’s luxury watch collectors. But the brand is a legitimate Swiss watch manufacture, perfectly capable of keeping up with the leading edge of horological trends. Franck Muller’s first sapphire case watch came in 2017, and now they offer several models in various colorways. Unlike many other sapphire case watches, the Vanguard Sapphire Skeleton Tourbillon doesn’t have any prominent metal screws peppering its case. Sapphire watches are generally quite thick, but this Franck Muller has a downright reasonable case height of 12.7mm.
Learn More About the Brand: Franck Muller Watches: A Collector’s Overview
Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Sapphire Specs
| Model | Vanguard Skeleton Sapphire Tourbillon |
| Reference | V45TSQT5NSAPH |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 44mm |
| Case Thickness | 12.7mm |
| Movement | MVT FM 2001V-1 (Manual-wind, 5 beats per second, skeletonized) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (Mar. 2024) | $264,400 |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $145,000 |
Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light Tourbillon with Three Bridges
Girard-Perregaux was also once among the top Swiss watch brands in the world, and although they still make quality watches, their designs haven’t exactly caught fire with collectors in recent decades. They have, however, stayed at the forefront of watchmaking in terms of manufacturing quality and movement complications. The Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light Tourbillon with Three Bridges is a good example of that.
Not only does it have a skeletonized tourbillon movement, and of course a solid sapphire case–but the brand’s signature “three bridges” are crafted from sapphire themselves. Although the retail price is $340,000, secondhand price is closer to $200,000 (if you can find one).
Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light Specs
| Model | Quasar Light Tourbillon with Three Bridges |
| Reference | 99295-43-001-BA6A |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Case Diameter | 46mm |
| Case Thickness | 15.25mm |
| Movement | GP09400-1128 (Automatic, 6 beats per second, skeletonized) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| MSRP (Mar. 2024) | $340,000 |
| Market Price (Mar. 2024) | $220,000 |
It’s likely that the solid sapphire case watch market will continue to grow, especially as more brands find more efficient (and affordable) ways to make them. It’s also possible that the trend will go the other way, with watch companies realizing that the handful of sapphire case watches they can produce each year aren’t worth the immense effort. But for now, there are a healthy number of solid sapphire watch options to choose from, assuming your budget is large enough.
