Richard Mille (swiss Richard Mille) is established on the basis of technological innovation, artistry and high-end watchmaking culture, has become the leader of the watchmaking industry. Christie’s explained why
In the Swiss watch industry, tradition often dominates. Brands such as Patek Philippe and Rolex are often regarded as kings of the mountain in retail and auctions, but a new generation of watchmakers is changing established orders. Independent watchmaker Richard Mille (Richard Mille) is the pioneer of this new group, which makes futuristic watches the ultimate expression of wealth in many ways.
Watchmaking
Richard Mille (Richard Mille) founded his eponymous brand in 1999 with the support of Audemars Piguet and its legendary development company Renaud et Papi. The mission is to push the high-end handmade watchmaking industry to the limit of technological innovation.
Two years later, Richard Mille (Richard Mille) RM001 was launched. It has no gold, diamonds or gems, just excellent engineering design. Price tag? Up to 159,000 Euros. The entire production run of 80 units was sold out almost immediately.
In September 2018, the first Watch Forum held in London discussed the state of the watch industry. One of the hottest topics among high-end watch buyers is their desire to own Richard Mille watches. When asked why, the best watchmakers in the industry will directly point out the quality of the movement.
The prototype RM056 (above) was sold at Christie’s auction for £1.2 million in 2017. It may contain the most complex movement to date, owned by Richard Mille watches -It is shared with RM008 (pictured below), which is the first reference to pair the split-second chronograph and tourbillon mechanism.
The design
The size and shape of Richard Mille watches can be instantly recognized even at a distance. Inspired by car design, its aesthetic significance is extraordinary bold. According to Forbes, buying a Richard Mille watch is equivalent to buying a miniature sports car for your wrist. As Mille himself said: “I want people to see my watch go, wow!”
Scarce
Less than 5,000 Richard Mille watches are produced annually. For young brands, this is a relatively high number, but demand for watches always exceeds production. Strong prices in auctions continue to reflect this trend.
The RM52 tourbillon skull (shown above) is an extremely rare example – it is only the number “01” of six examples, made of white ceramic and 18k rose gold, especially in the Asian market.
Comfort
When you try the seemingly bulky Richard Mille (Richard Mille) reference RM 50-3 McLaren F1 dual-second tourbillon chronograph, the first thing you notice is weight. It weighs only 1.41 ounces (40 grams), and its solid construction and lightweight feel seem to ignore physics. In order to produce this revolutionary watch and case, Richard Mille (Richard Mille) collaborated with the University of Manchester and McLaren-Honda (McLaren-Honda), the two companies are based on the research of lightweight materials Known for its expertise.
The statement
Richard Mille (Richard Mille) watch is known as the “billionaire’s handshake”, is worn in the most unique circle. The brand has strengthened this message by working with ambassadors such as former Formula One driver Felipe Massa and tennis champion Rafael Nadal.
Mille developed the RM006 tourbillon for Massa in 2004. The weight of the watch is only heavier than a credit card and can withstand up to 500G of impact. Massa was wearing RM006 when his car hit the tire guard before the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. The Brazilian driver suffered serious head injuries; his watch was undamaged.
For Nadal, Mille wanted to develop a watch that he could wear during competitions. The Spaniard broke five prototypes before finalizing the RM027 weighing only 20 grams. He wore this watch when he won his first US Open title in 2010 and the ninth Grand Slam title of his career.
In addition, American golfer Bubba Watson wore Richard Mille when he won the 2012 Masters Championship in Augusta National Park, while Jamaica sprinted Player Yohan Blake wore green, gold and black watches during the London Olympics.