Richard Mille was a brand founded on technical creation, artistic expression, and culture of aesthetically pleasing timepieces, Richard Mille has become a dominant name in the watch industry. At the time when Swiss watchmaking was prevailed by tradition and rules, brands such as Patek Philippe and Rolex were viewed as the kings of the mountain.
Yet, Richard Mille with its futuristic watches was shaking up the chronic order. The watches were the ultimate expression of wealth and prestige. But what is it that makes these timepieces so desirable? The answer could be their Big size, colorful and vibrant visuals that turn heads. Moreover, in this article, we’re going to talk about five major reasons behind such high demand for Richard Mille.
1. The Master Making
In 1999, the two most renowned watchmakers, Audemars Piguet and Renaud et Papi supported Richard Mille in establishing his legendary brand. His mission was to introduce hand-made timepieces with as much technical advancement as possible.
Two years after the launch, Richard Mille launched RM001, a watch without gold, diamonds, and precious stones. However, featuring just exceptional engineering. A total of 80 units was made and immediately sold out, it shows what a tremendous watch it is.
In 2018, the first Horology Forum held in London stood to examine the condition of the watchmaking industry. In the event, one of the alluring topics among premium watch collectors was their inclination towards owning a Richard Mille watch. Everyone pointed out the craftsmanship behind the watch, the quality of movement was adorned by many upon being asked about the reason.
2. Futuristic Design
The most recognizable feature of Richard Mille is its size and shape, even from a distance. The design is inspired by automotive and its said that “owning a Richard Mille is the equivalent of owning a miniature sports car for your wrist”. Mille himself once mentioned that “ I want people to see my watches to go, Wow”!
3. Limited Production Line
Around 5,000 watches are made yearly by Richardc Mille, this is somewhat a huge number for a new brand. Nevertheless, the demand for the watches consistently outstrips production.
The RM52 Tourbillon Skull (shown above) is an exceedingly rare example – it is number ‘01’ of just six examples made in white ceramic and 18k pink gold especially for the Asian market.
4. The Comfort
When you try wearing a bulky Richard Mille ref. RM 50-3 Mclaren tourbillon chronograph, you’ll notice how light-weight it is, as if it is made to defy physics with its concrete structure and ethereal feel.
For the purpose of manufacturing such a far-reaching watch, Mille did a collaboration with the University of Manchester and Mclaren-Honda, both names known for their expertise in dealing with feathery materials.
5. The Statement
Richard Mille is entitled as the “ Billionaire’s handshake”, as it is worn and adorn by the most exclusive circle. The brand reinforces this message by teaming-up with ambassadors including the tennis champion Rafael Nadal and Felipe Massa, the formula One driver
In 2004, Richard Mille created the RM006 tourbillon for Felipe Massa. You'll be amazed to know that the watch weighs a bit more than a credit card. However the best thing is that it was capable of resisting shocks upto 500G.
Massa met with a car accident in 2006, his driver suffered serious head injuries and his car crashed. However, he and his Richard Mille watch survived, the watch came unscrewed.
Creating a timepiece for a sports guy can be tricky, Mille wanted to come up with something comfortable yet an extra stunning watch that he could wear during the matches.
He finalised the prototype RM027, which weighed around 20gms. As shown in the above picture, he was wearing the watch when he won his first US Open tournament — and the 9th grand slam title of his career — in 2010.