Top 10 Platinum Watches
Platinum is one of watchmaking’s finest and rarest precious metals, renowned for its striking, silvery white metal finish, distinct heft, and exclusivity. While many of the biggest players in watchmaking reserve the lustrous metal for their most sophisticated timepieces, platinum is also quite versatile and can fly under the radar if paired with the right design elements. That sentiment inspired this guide, featuring the top platinum watches on the grey market, from the ultra-complicated to those many would describe as “stealth wealth.”
Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321
The platinum Omega Speedmaster might not have haute horology clout like other watches on this list, per se, but it’s arguably just as collection-worthy. Reference 311.93.42.30.99.001 marked the return of the highly regarded caliber 321, the same year as the 50th anniversary of the first man to step foot on the Moon, no less. Omega used what is quite possibly the finest materials for the anticipated return of the caliber 321. The case is made of a special platinum alloy that includes gold, plus there’s the black onyx dial with genuine lunar meteorite for the chronograph sub-dials.
The dial is made from two layers of onyx to achieve the same look as the famous “step dial,” and the ceramic bezel has the “dot over 90” tachymeter scale many associate with a genuine Moon Watch. It’s an interesting take on a meteorite dial watch. And yet the movement is arguably one of the most exciting components of this platinum Omega. It follows the same specifications as the original caliber 321 and is visible through the sapphire caseback.
Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 Specs
| Reference: | 311.93.42.30.99.001 |
| Case Size: | 42mm |
| Lugs: | 20mm |
| Case Thickness: | 13.4mm |
| Metal Finish: | .950 Platinum |
| Dial: | Black Onyx/Lunar Meteorite Sub-Dials |
| Bezel: | Black Ceramic Tachymeter |
| Crystal: | Scratch-Resistant Sapphire |
| Bracelet: | Leather/Platinum Pin Buckle |
| Movement: | Caliber 321/Manual Winding 55-Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price: | $65,20 |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024): | $55,000 |
Rolex Day-Date Fluted Bezel
We couldn’t get too far into this list without including one of the most recognizable platinum watches ever made, the Rolex Day-Date. The precious metal has been an option for the Rolex Presidential for decades now, but it’s the modern collection with the fluted bezel that earns a spot on this list. For a long time, platinum Day-Date watches were exclusively produced with smooth bezels (or diamond ones), purely out of necessity because platinum was supposedly too difficult to machine into Rolex’s signature fluted shape.
However, as of 2022, Rolex seems to have perfected the technology needed to commercially produce a fluted bezel in platinum because we now have 36mm and 40mm models sporting the glittering bezel. Both models feature the President bracelet with rounded links and are available in various dial colors, including ice blue, which is exclusive to platinum models in the Rolex catalog.
Rolex Day-Date Fluted Bezel Specs:
| Reference: | 128236 (36mm) 128396TBR (36mm Diamond Bezel) 228236 (40mm) 228396TBR (40mm Diamond Bezel) |
| Case Size: | 36mm, 40mm |
| Metal Finish | 950 Platinum |
| Dial | Silver, Blue Ombré, Ice Blue, White, Mother-of-Pearl, Bright Blue, Pink, Turquoise Stone, Pink Opal Stone, Diamond Pave, Bright Black, Slate, Olive Green, Meteorite |
| Bezel: | Fluted or Diamond-Set |
| Crystal | Scratch-Resistant Sapphire |
| Bracelet | President/Concealed Crownclasp |
| Movement | Caliber 3255 Automatic 70-Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price: | $58,900 – $134,900 |
Read more on platinum Rolex watches:
Platinum Rolex Watch Prices: A Collector’s Guide
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon
The tourbillon, an eye-catching and gravity-defying component that increases the escapement’s efficiency, has graced Royal Oak dials since the late 1990s. Audemars Piguet has produced a few different types of Royal Oak models with this fascinating element since the first iteration was released, from extra-thin models to those with hand-wound or automatic movements. However, none has been quite as spectacular as the platinum ref. 26530PT with an Evolutive Tapisserie pattern dial in light blue.
It features the same octagonal bezel with visible screws, integrated bracelet, and waffle pattern dial we’re used to seeing within the RO collection but in solid platinum and with a Tapisserie pattern that grows outward from behind the Tourbillon at 6 o’clock. This collection was significant because when the Royal Oak Self-Winding Flying Tourbillon 41 was released in 2020, it brought back the option for an automatic movement.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Specs
| Reference: | 26530PT.OO.1220PT.01 |
| Case Size: | 41mm |
| Case Thickness: | 10.7mm |
| Metal Finish: | 950 Platinum |
| Dial: | Light Blue Evolutive Tapisserie |
| Bezel: | Fixed, Octagonal |
| Crystal: | Scratch-Resistant Sapphire |
| Bracelet: | Integrated/Folding Clasp |
| Movement: | Caliber 2950 Automatic Tourbillon, 65-Hour Power Reserve |
| Pre-Owned Price | $200,000 |
More on AP:
2024 Audemars Piguet Watch Releases
How Much Does an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Cost?
Guide to Audemars Piguet Nicknames
Hands-On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 37MM Review
The Cheapest Audemars Piguet Watches
Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse
There is certainly no shortage of platinum timepieces with ultra-sophisticated complications. However, there is something to be said about pairing the premium metal with a simple movement. It’s a duo that flies a little more under the radar and would otherwise go unnoticed unless it was on your own wrist. That watch is the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse in platinum.
The harmoniously proportioned case, which isn’t quite round or square, follows the “golden section,” hence the name “Golden Ellipse.” Amazingly, it is just 5.9mm thick despite having an automatic mechanical movement. It is elegant in its simplicity, featuring a rich blue sunburst dial, a silvery platinum case, and alligator leather.
Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Specs
| Reference: | 5738P |
| Case Size: | 34.5 x 39.5 mm |
| Case Thickness: | 5.9mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Blue Gold Sunburst |
| Bezel: | Smooth |
| Bracelet: | Alligator Leather/Platinum Prong Buckle |
| Movement: | Caliber 240, Automatic 48-Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price | $59,630 |
Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph
Cartier recalls a different model from its archives each year as part of the Privé collection. One of the best Cartier 2024 releases is a tonneau-shaped Tortue model, named after its likeness to a tortoise. A non-chronograph platinum version was also released, but the Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph had many collectors talking. It pays tribute to the single-button Tortue chronograph from 1928 by combining all three chronograph functions into a mono-pusher integrated into the crown.
It’s a fascinating, vintage-inspired watch made even more collectible because it was produced in platinum in a quantity of only 200 watches. The Monopoussoir also delivers a striking balance of finishes and colors, pairing the platinum finish with a silvered opaline dial, a ruby cabochon, and blued steel hands.
Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph Specs
| Reference: | WHTTO0008 |
| Case Size: | 43.7 mm x 34.8 mm |
| Case Thickness: | 10.2mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Silvered Opaline |
| Bezel: | Smooth |
| Bracelet: | Alligator Leather/Ardillon Buckle |
| Movement: | 1928 MC, Manual Winding |
| Limited Edition: | 200 pieces |
| 2024 Retail Price | 53,000 CHF |
More on Cartier:
Cartier 2024 Releases
Who Owns Cartier?
A History of the Cartier Tank
Omega vs. Cartier: The Battle for #2
Vacheron Constantin Les Historiques Chronograph
Vacheron dug deep into its impressive centuries-old portfolio to find inspiration for the platinum ref. 47101. Initially released in the late 1980s, it is almost a vintage watch in its own right. Still, it pays homage to ref. 4178 from 1941 with similar fan-shaped lugs, a bi-compax dial, rectangular side pushers, and a stepped bezel. While its muse has a solid case back, the modern interpretation features an exhibition-style case back to showcase the manual-winding movement. It’s an honest recreation of the original, featuring the Tachymeter scale printed around the dial’s perimeter and long, sleek hands. Cased in revered platinum, the Les Historiques is about as luxurious as a neo-vintage watch gets.
Vacheron Constantin Les Historiques Chronograph Specs
| Reference: | 47101 |
| Case Size: | 36mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Silver, Salmon |
| Bezel: | Chamfered |
| Bracelet: | Leather/Tang Clasp |
| Movement: | Lemania 2310, Manual-Winding |
| Pre-Owned Price: | Approx. $37,000 |
More on Vacheron Constantin:
Vacheron Constantin 2024 Watches and Wonders Releases
The Best Entry-Level Vacheron Constantin Watches
What is the Price of a Vacheron Constantin Overseas in 2024?
How to Sell a Vacheron Constantin Watch
Parmigiani Tonda PF Micro-Rotor
The new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF collection represents a fresh direction for the brand under the stewardship of CEO Guido Terreni. One that speaks to a different niche with its understated design elements and sporty integrated bracelet. For 2023, the brand released a new edition in full platinum. The bracelet, case, dial, and even the micro-rotor are furnished in platinum, creating a striking, all-silver look to complement the sleek proportions of the watch. It has the 3mm thick self-winding movement to thank for its delightfully thin profile, which clocks in at well under 8mm.
Eye-catching finishes and textures elevate the lustrous platinum finish, from the polished and satin links on the bracelet to the micro-fluted bezel and sand-blasted platinum dial. The clean dial ties the entire understated aesthetic today, featuring two centrally mounted hands, a small date display, and the new “PF” logo. There is no text or fancy complications, just a striking all-platinum watch.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Specs
| Reference: | PFC914-2020002-200182-EN |
| Case Size: | 40mm |
| Case Thickness: | 7.8mm |
| Metal Finish: | 950 Platinum |
| Dial: | Grey/Platinum |
| Bezel: | Fluted |
| Crystal: | ARunic Anti-Reflective Sapphire |
| Bracelet: | Integrated/Hidden Tri-Fold Clasp |
| Movement: | Caliber PF703, Automatic 48- Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price | 85,000 CHF |
IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar
The newest IWC offering is more than just a dazzling platinum work of art. It’s a “tribute to eternity.” The caliber 52640 automatic movement includes a revolutionary secular perpetual calendar that accommodates for leap year with no need to adjust the watch for the next 400 years. More astonishingly, it has a moonphase that IWC claims will remain accurate for 45 million years – an impressive and somewhat unnecessary display of the brand’s mechanical prowess.
Still, it makes the latest IWC release all that more exciting and delivers the complicated aesthetic that often accompanies a platinum product of haute horlogerie. The frosted glass dial has immense depth, displaying the complications on fixed glass sub-dials printed with black for optimal visibility – the perfect design for an extra complicated platinum watch.
IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar Specs
| Reference: | IW505701 |
| Case Size: | 44.4mm |
| Case Thickness: | 14.9mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Frosted Glass/White Lacquer |
| Bezel: | Smooth |
| Crystal: | Double Box-Glass Sapphire Crystals |
| Bracelet: | Black Alligator Leather Strap by Santoni |
| Movement: | Caliber 52640 168-Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price | 150,000 CHF |
Breguet Classique Tourbillon
We have another platinum Tourbillon, this time from the inventor of the component – Breguet. Founder Abraham-Louis Breguet developed the regulator over two centuries ago, originally housing it within pocket watches. The legacy lives on with the Classique Tourbillon and other offerings in the modern Breguet portfolio. Ref. 3657PT/12/9V6 is particularly list-worthy with its exquisite hand-finished details to accompany the platinum finish. The solid gold dial is machined by hand to achieve the striking guilloche finish, an effort that is mirrored on the case with a coined middle case and intricately engraved movement visible through the transparent case back. The Tourbillon rotates once per minute and has been outfitted with a blued hand to serve as a continuous seconds counter, while the regular time is displayed on a small dial just below 12 o’clock. Platinum perfection.
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Specs
| Reference: | 3657PT/12/9V6 |
| Case Size: | 39mm |
| Case Thickness: | 10.5mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Silver |
| Bezel: | Smooth |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
| Bracelet: | Leather/Deployant Clasp |
| Movement: | 560.1 Manual Wind 50-Hour Power Reserve |
| Pre-Owned Price: | Approx. $50,000 |
Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Moon
The Duometre challenged watchmaking norms when it was released nearly twenty years ago. It features a “dual wing” design with two separate mechanisms, one ensuring all the complications function properly and the other with precision timekeeping. The copper dial and platinum Jaeger-LeCoultre ref. Q622656J is one of their 2024 releases, featuring the caliber 391 chronograph decorated with Geneva stripes and a mono-pusher.
The open-work dial gives us a glimpse of the movement, which the wearer can also see through the sapphire case back. It features a moonphase indicator, AM/PM complication, two separate power reserve indicators, and seconde foudroyante – aka “Flying Seconds.” That means it has a subdial with a hand that fully rotates every second, enabling the wearer to measure fractions of a second.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Moon Specs
| Reference: | Q622656J |
| Case Size: | 42.5mm |
| Case Thickness: | 14.2mm |
| Metal Finish: | Platinum |
| Dial: | Copper Opaline Dial |
| Bezel: | Smooth |
| Crystal: | Glass Box Crystal |
| Bracelet: | Alligator Leather/Platinum Pin Buckle |
| Movement: | Caliber 391 Manual Wind 50-Hour Power Reserve |
| 2024 Retail Price: | $86,000 |
Platinum Watches: More Expensive Than Gold?
Platinum watches have been regarded as more rare and valuable than gold ones since the dawn of watchmaking. In the past few years, however, gold’s price has soared–at times platinum has traded at more than twice the cost of gold. Gold has been selling for more than platinum since 2011 or so, but the gap has never been so drastic. Keep in mind, though, that platinum in jewelry is typically 95% pure (compared to 18k gold which is 75% pure) and platinum is also denser. That means you need roughly 1.4x more platinum than gold to make the same piece of jewelry, plus platinum is far more difficult to machine. So, it’s not totally unreasonable that platinum pieces are priced higher than their gold equivalents. But at some point, perhaps we’ll see luxury watch price parity between the two precious metals. Regardless, there is no shortage of platinum watches to choose from–if you have the means.
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