Are you the type to equate wealth with how much bling you’re wearing at the time? Then, prepare to fall in love with the Joseph Bulova Collection First Edition 24-Karat Gold Watch from famed Swiss watchmaker Bulova. For $42,000, you can be the envy of all in your social circle with this ridiculously expensive timepiece.

A History Lesson

Gregory Thumm, the president of Bulova was behind the conception of Bulova’s most expensive watch to date. The watch was released to celebrate the launch of the Joseph Bullova Collection. The flagship watch is part of a collection that all feature watches made using the Bulova proprietary process of hardening 99.99 percent pure 24-karat gold. Seeing this much pure gold in a watch is a rarity. The hardening process is required since very pure gold becomes soft and difficult to work with. The proprietary process used to harden the gold for the watch is pending patent. According to Thumm,

"The 24-karat gold special edition watch is a true testament to the legacy of Bulova's founder, Joseph Bulova, and his unwavering dedication to innovation and craftsmanship.”

What’s in the Box?

Why is the watch so expensive? For starters, it’s the first watch made from pure 24 karat gold. The case, caseback and bezel is anchored by sturdy titanium—allowing the watch to remain water-resistant for up to 30 meters. The gold casing is outfitted with bumpers to keep the gold encasement safe while also providing a level of shock absorption. The bumpers also hold a sapphire crystal with multiple layers of anti-reflective coating. The watch is one of Bulova’s bulkier style of watches and does have a certain “notice me” design.

For $42,000, you can own the expensive and rare Joseph Bulova Collection First Edition 24-Karat Gold Watch. This timepiece may set you back thousands, but is one of the very few watches made from almost 100 percent pure 24 karat gold.

The strap for the Joseph Bulova Collection First Edition 24-Karat Gold Watch is just as lavish as the rest of the timepiece. For starters, the band comes with two layers: an alligator leather strap and a stainless steel mesh bracelet coated with black titanium carbide. Each layer of the strap is held together with titanium rivets. The strap’s design has a dual purpose: the alligator is meant to give the gold watch the utmost level of sophistication while the stainless steel layer allows for better comfort and flexibility.

One of the last reasons you need this watch in your life? It has lots of fancy certifications like: certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) as a chronometer and the cases have been certified by the Bureau Central du Contrôle des Métaux Précieux for fineness and gold purity. 

Bulova only released 32 of these expensive timepieces, so getting your hands on one is practically impossible. But not as hard as shelling out the $1.6 million for the most expensive Bulova watch to sell at auction in 2016. The million dollar Bulova Chronograph was one of the very few watches to ever be worn by an astronaut on the moon. Astronaut Dave Scott wore the watch in 1971 on an Apollo 15 mission.