Sapphire Watches Are Pricey, Hard to Make, and Perfectly On-Trend

There’s a reason why only eight of Greubel Forsey’s sapphire double-tourbillon timepieces exist, and it isn’t merely a matter of its $1.1 million price. Sapphire is the second-hardest material known to man, next to diamonds, and brutally challenging to cut and finish with any artistry. Watchmakers run a risk, down to the last polish, that it will shatter and waste hundreds of man-hours of work. More and more brands, however, are testing the material’s limits, which means a sapphire case is more accessible than ever. They’re still not cheap—you’ll spend north of $60,000 as opposed to seven figures—but you’ll get a piece that, for now, is a rarity in watches.

The simplest-looking of our trio, this watch from Bell & Ross’s more experimental BR-X line has the same circle-within-a-square design of the brand’s signature BR 01 model. The mainplate of its self-winding flying tourbillon movement is sandwiched between two sapphire plates that act as its casing—one upfront, and one fitted as a caseback. Four screws secure the plates, with hidden gaskets that also make it water-resistant to 50 meters (164 feet). The see-through case is 42.5 millimeters across with a skeletonized dial and a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. It’s available in an edition of 99. $64,900; bellross.com