The Richard Mille brand of watches is a relative 'newcomer' in the world of luxury timepieces. They have been around just a couple of decades yet have taken the high-end watch world by storm, and feature on all watch collectors 'Want Lists'. All watch collectors know the name yet very few will see one that's not just online - unless its on a very {very} rich friend. Because these watches are not just expensive they are exorbitant.
So what can we tell you about them and the man behind them?
Richard Mille himself is a real watch man - to all purposes. He began his horological career in the 70s, took the leap to his own brand in the 90s and collaborated with Audemars Piguet. In 2002 he released his first watch - and not just any watch, it was a modern progressive timepiece unlike anything else in the industry.
Mille also lives THE life of the luxury watch owner. He travels by private jet, is passionate about formula 1, and all types of motor racing. He is friends with top actors, athletes, and along with wearing his brand himself to all these places, has illustrious brand ambassadors (Fernando Alonso, Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z, Rafael Nadal etc etc) singing the praises of his exclusive watches.
Richard Mille makes less than 5,00 watches a year, no small number but certainly enough to keep it limited and scarce. The demand far exceeds the supply. Demand is always there - sales of Richard Mille watches have grown by 15% on average per year since the brand was launched.
This brings this watch right into the niche known as the ‘Billionaires handshake’ - timepieces so pricey and exclusive they are the ultimate expression of wealth and status if there is one on your wrist.
Make no mistake though - this isn't a brand that's just flashy because the wealthy say so.
The futuristic look of the watches is no accident. Futuristic watches are all Richard Mille set out to create. The lightweight incredibly accurate timepieces are inspired by the formula 1 cars. The crown is designed to mimic the look of wheel rims and tyre treads. The grooved pushers on the side are designed to recall the surface of accelerator pedals.
The iconic tonneau-shaped case is a difficult shape to manufacture, and the curved surfaces are famously fitted together to 100th of a millimetre to completely prevent dust/moisture from entering. Its extremely laborious with the highest level of skill required. The price is starting to make more sense now, right?
With a power reserve of approx 55 hours - 45 if the chronograph is running. A 60 minute countdown timer at 9 o’clock, and easy to read over sized date and numbered month indicator, this is a watch that works as well as it looks.
The baseplates and bridges are made of grade 5 titanium. The brand also use gold fused with carbon and quartz (Gold Carbon TPT®), perfluoroelastomer, silicon nitride, carbon nano tubes hardened with ceramic - they are using materials never seen in the watch world before, these are materials used in the yacht industry, the formula 1 industry, the aerospace industries. This wasn’t done for the novelty factor either - Mille watches weigh an average of just 40grams - unbelievably lightweight. The materials are also immensely reliant, and durable. The RM 031 for example is one of the most accurate wristwatches ever created.
And as an extra plus - the process of creating the carbon leaves random patterns in the layers of carbon - each unique and different. If these watches weren’t exclusive enough this makes each one even more individual, like a fingerprint for the watch.
Watch Buyers has a Richard Mille Flyback Chronograph and you can see all the details for it here.