Yes, you read that headline right: French jewelry company Van Cleef and Arpels‘ latest offering, the Complication Poétique Midnight Planétarium, will run you a cool $245,000, but in exchange you get a watch with 396 moving pieces that shows all of our solar system’s visible planets moving around the watch’s face in real time. Did we mention that it accurately features the rotation of the Earth and five other visible planets  — Mercury in 88 days, Venus in 224 days, Earth in 365 days, Mars in 687 days, Jupiter in 12 years, and Saturn in 29 years? Because it totally does. As if that wasn’t enough, a shooting star that rotates around the outermost area of the face will tell you the time. Your move, Timex.
Speaking with Cool Hunting, Van Cleef master watchmaker Denis Giguet explained the difficulty of constructing the watch: “The complication is not only to make orbits for the planets, the biggest or the most complicated is to make it with this type of case—it’s very thin.”  Comprised of two separate parts, an internal movement mechanism designed in-house and a custom-made module designed by boutique designer Christiaan van der Klaauw, who specializes in astronomy-related design, the automatic winding mechanism itself is a thing of beauty.
You may be saying to yourself, “Gee, that seems like an awful lot to pay for a watch. Are the planets all tiny precious and semi-precious gemstones?” Yes, dear reader, yes they are, and there’s a black alligator leather strap to boot. There’s an even more expensive version, too, with baguette-cut diamonds set into the bezel, whatever the hell that means. Now, go ahead and drool over these gorgeous images of the watch and start brainstorming how you’re going to raise the scratch to put this bad boy on your wrist.
Click to expand the thumbnails below.
HT: Cool Hunting
It’s probably a representation of the solar system.
I Love it………
Is it cheaper without the alligator strap? I’d prefer it without one anyway.
Oh! I’d definitely like to own this watch, it’s so beautiful! But I have recently bought Sykla smartwatch at http://sykla.com/
I like planetarium watches but also a great of Sykla smartwatch which I bought from http://sykla.com/
Santa, I have been good this year. I really, really want this. Wonder if it comes with a lifetime warranty?
“I didn’t realize the “entire solar system” only had 6 planets. I think the school system needs to double check their text books.” -tim
60,190 days….we don’t live that long.. wouldn’t make one rotation, in someones entire life it might make 1/2… why put that on a watch? please do not answer, i see from your previous comment, you do not pride yourself of respect for others nor common sense.
Wow. Anger issues much? Find friends.
@Tim, they do keep changing the definition of the word “planet”, don’t they?
Where can I get one of these Amazing Watches?
I didn’t realize the “entire solar system” only had 6 planets. I think the school system needs to double check their text books.
It’s the six planets that can be seen from Earth.
If someone ever makes this at a much affordable price, I will have this on my priority list.
I will model it on my blog to my 10,000 followers. free? I am @afashionnerd on IG
“Did we mention that it accurately features the rotation of the Earth … in 365 days,”
Did you mean ‘revolution’?
All it needs is a Tardis.
I think Neil can probably afford that without our help.
Same! Start a kickstarter
I’d kick in $20 to help Neil deGrasse Tyson get one.