Originally published in 2014, The World’s Most Expensive Watches is a book written by aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams that highlights some of the most exclusive timepieces in existence. Following the success of the original volume, it was decided that a second edition would be created that could include some of the notable new watches that had been released since the first volume was originally published. After nearly five years since the follow-up project was first green-lighted, The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition is officially here, and it builds upon the previous volume with additional information and even more watches.
“The goal of this book is to take the world of high horology, which has traditionally been a rather esoteric topic that is difficult for the average person to understand, and turn it into a fun and engaging subject that is accessible to a much more mainstream audience,” says author of The World’s Most Expensive Watches, Ariel Adams. “I wanted to evoke a strong sense of curiosity and chose watches that would tell the story of what a high-end watch should be, in a visually and emotionally superlative way. The timepieces featured in the book start out at about $200,000 and reach well into the millions, with the idea being to create an entertaining experience for readers, where each page reveals an increasingly expensive watch, along with color photographs and in-depth information about what exactly makes it special.”
Just like volume one, The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition will be available in multiple languages, and it includes a wide variety of different timepieces and brands, ranging from internationally renowned manufacturers to small-scale independents that only produce a handful of watches per year. The hardcover book measures 9.45” by 11.42” and it spans 400 pages consisting of 454 color images and detailed written information, all from a unique perspective on the luxury watch industry that could only come from someone like Ariel who has seen just about every new release from the past couple of decades.
The book starts out with an overview of the different types of watches that can often be accompanied by astronomical prices (advanced complications, gem-set and high-jewelry pieces, etc.) before diving into the actual watches themselves. All of the timepieces featured in the original volume of The World’s Most Expensive Watches also make an appearance in the new updated and expanded edition, although they are joined by an additional 50% more entries. Arranged in ascending order of price, the book takes readers on a journey through high-end horology, and rather than selecting the watches simply by price alone, the timepieces included in The World’s Most Expensive Watches have each been selected in order to paint a more complete picture of the ultra-exclusive side of the watch industry.
Rather than focusing on record-setting results from the auction world, The World’s Most Expensive Watches is largely grounded in the actual retail prices of the timepieces that appear within it. The market value of watches is always fluctuating, and sometimes a record-breaking auction result isn’t so much due to the actual value of the piece itself, but rather the byproduct of two wealthy bidders who were each determined to secure the watch for themselves that day. With the exception of a few notable auction pieces that help provide greater context for the ultra-exclusive side of watch collecting, the vast majority of the timepieces featured in The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition are all included due to the formal retail prices that were charged by their respective manufacturers.
Today (June 29th, 2023) marks the official publication date for The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition, and it also happens to be the author and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adam’s birthday (so feel free to send him your birthday wishes in the comments section). Published by ACC Art Books in collaboration with aBlogtoWatch, The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition (ISBN: 9781788840330) is accompanied by an official retail price of $75 USD, and it represents significantly more than just an image-centric coffee table book, as it includes in-depth descriptions that outline some of horology’s most exclusive creations.
Lastly, let us know if you would like us to organize some type of Q&A session with Ariel on either the aBlogtoWatch Discord or one of our podcasts, where we can open up the floor to the community and have him answer all of your questions about his latest book. To learn more about The World’s Most Expensive Watches Updated and Expanded Edition, please visit the publisher’s official website.