Most Expensive Antique Clocks Sold at Auction (All Time)

About This Dataset

Antique and historical clocks ranked by hammer price at public auction in millions of USD. Thomas Tompion's bracket clock from around 1680 — one of the most important surviving examples by the father of English clockmaking — sold at Christie's London for £1.96 million in 2009. However, imperial Chinese clocks and automata from the Qing dynasty have driven the most extraordinary prices at Asian auction houses, where royal provenance and automaton mechanisms command premiums that European antique dealers rarely achieve.

✨ AI Insight

The auction prices of antique clocks reveal a striking divide between the highest and lowest values, with the Qing Dynasty Enamel Bracket Clock at $8.6 million far surpassing others on the list. This clock's royal heritage and exquisite craftsmanship likely contributed to its record price, while more recent models, such as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Perpetual Clock at $620,000, demonstrate a stark contrast in market demand. The trend suggests that collectors are willing to pay significantly more for pieces that not only showcase artistic merit but also carry historical significance, particularly those from the Qing dynasty, which dominate the top tier of auction results.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Qing Dynasty Enamel Bracket Clock (c.1760) leads with 8,600 in 2019.

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Average value in 2019: 580 · median: 580.

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2014 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2019: Qing Dynasty Enamel Bracket Clock (c.1760) is 14.8× larger than Vienna Regulator Longcase Clock (c.1820).

Most Expensive Antique Clocks Sold at Auction (All Time)

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Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

8 categories · 8 years

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Top Value

8,600

Qing Dynasty Enamel Bracket Clock (c.1760)

Auction Price (Thousand USD) · 2014

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Metrics

Auction Price (Thousand USD)

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Period

2009 – 2019

8 years of data

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · Auction Price (Thousand USD) · ranked by 2019

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	2009	2011	2012	2014	2015	2016	2018	2019	Change
🥇	Qing Dynasty Enamel Bracket Clock (c.1760)	—	—	—	8,600	—	—	—	—	—
🥈	Canton Enamel Chiming Clock (Qianlong period)	—	—	6,500	—	—	—	—	—	—
🥉	Thomas Tompion Bracket Clock (c.1680)	3,400	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4	George III Astronomical Regulator (c.1780)	—	1,800	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5	Empire Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock (c.1810)	—	—	—	—	—	—	950	—	—
6	Louis XVI Ormolu Mantel Clock (c.1785)	—	—	—	—	—	870	—	—	—
7	Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Perpetual Clock (1930s)	—	—	—	—	620	—	—	—	—
8	Vienna Regulator Longcase Clock (c.1820)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	580	—