The most expensive watches worn by the British royal family

Owen Humphreys / WPA Pool / Getty Images

Prince Charles likes to wear a Parmigiani Fleurier.

• Members of the royal family are seldom photographed wearing watches, even though they are common status symbols for the rich and famous.
• Business Insider spoke with the horological experts at Crown & Caliber to determine the make and models of timepieces spotted on the wrists of royals over the years.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The British royal family is estimated to be worth $88 billion.

Given their staggering net worth, one would expect the wrists of Britain's monarchy to be glinting with the finest Swiss timepieces available, common accessories among the rich and famous. However, that's not necessarily the case.

It's surprisingly rare to see a royal sporting a watch at all these days - let alone one with a huge price tag - and it's even less common for those in direct line to the throne.

This might be because royals don't want to be seen checking the time at an event, because they know the tabloids would have a field day commenting on how bored they looked. Or, it might be because the royal family is playing down its opulence at a time when many Brits are bemoaning them as an outdated institution and a waste of taxpayers' money.

That being said, when the royals do step out wearing a timepiece, it's usually a very elegant choice.

Business Insider spoke to the experts at Crown & Caliber to determine the make and models of seven timepieces worn by key members of the royal family.

Scroll down to see them ranked in ascending order by the estimated price of a preowned model.