Richard Mille founded his watchmaking brand in 1999 with a unique vision – to combine traditional watchmaking techniques, top quality craftsmanship, futuristic technology, and materials only found in the most innovative of sectors, to create elite timepieces quite unlike any other on the luxury market. While holding a deep respect for the time-honoured traditions of watchmaking, Richard Mille was determined to set his brand apart from the rest of the market. It was his fascination with Formula 1 racing and the aerospace industry that shaped his unique style and approach to design – his uncompromising focus on precision, ergonomics and performance, and the absence of superfluity and solely-aesthetic features. This ethos is brilliantly encapsulated by the brand’s strapline, ‘A racing machine on the wrist’.
The very first Richard Mille design, the RM 001 Tourbillon, was launched in 2001 and sold for six figures, immediately setting the precedent for the brand’s success and extraordinary legacy. Richard Mille carved out his own ultra-high-end luxury segment in the watch business, and despite the price point, his timepieces quickly became highly sought after. The time-consuming nature of the watchmaking process, and an insistence that each piece should be assembled and finished by hand, dictated that only a very limited number of each design could be produced, further spiralling the desire and urgency to secure one among his billionaire enthusiasts.
With more than 80 different Richard Mille models produced to this day, the brand’s esteemed reputation shows no signs of fading. And, with one-of-a-kind designs and prototypes created for and worn by the likes of Jay Z, Charles Leclerc and Rafael Nadal, the brand’s exclusivity and ultra-high-end image only sees demand – and price tags – soar. Here, we explore some of the most expensive models and one-of-a-kind Richard Mille designs to date.
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RM 52-01 Skull Tourbillon “Vanitas Vanitatum”
An entirely unique piece, RM 51-02 Skill Tourbillon “Vanitas Vanitatum” is believed to be a combination of two iconic Richard Mille models, bringing together the integrated skull centrepiece of the 052 Tourbillon Skull and the transparent casing of the RM 56-01 Sapphire. The Vanitas Vanitatum skull is intended to reference the ‘promise of eternity’ and remind the wearer of the need to live in the moment. Manufactured in 2019, the exquisite piece is one of the only rare models to have a case made of brown sapphire crystal. It uses the back of the skull as the movement’s centre bridge, while the upper and lower jaws hold the ruby of the tourbillon cage. The careful selection of the highest quality materials ensure that the timepiece is incredibly light, yet uncompromisingly strong and robust. In 2020, this unique special edition was auctioned at the Antiquorum in Monaco and sold to an unnamed buyer at a grand total of around £5,793,547.85.
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RM 56-01 AN Saphir/PR00, No. 011
This rare masterpiece is thought to combine the highly sought after transparent casing of the RM 56-01 and skeletonising movement of the RM 018 Tourbillon Boucheron. The almost completely transparent look of this model is achieved by the three component parts of the case crafted from single blocks of sapphire crystal – a notoriously complex material to machine and an incredibly ambitious feat. Unphased by the challenge, Richard Mille purchased a highly specialist machine and worked with world expert in sapphire crystal, Stettler of Lyss, Switzerland to bring the concept to life. Even with the innovative technology and expertise behind the production, the machining of the three case parts is said to have taken an incredible 40 days and a further 350 hours to polish. Just five of these pieces were produced in 2013, and at an auction in November 2022, the immaculate timepiece achieved a price of £3,179,750.89.
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RM 52-01 Blue Sapphire Tourbillon Skull Edition
With just three pieces of this truly eye-catching timepiece in circulation, the RM 52-01 Blue Sapphire Tourbillon Skull is without doubt one of the hardest Richard Mille pieces to lay a claim on. The watch combines much loved elements of other legendary models, including the pure titanium tourbillon skull serving as the baseplate and bridges, jaws encasing opulent ruby, and the transparent style of the casing giving the impression of the watch floating just above the wearer’s wrist. The vibrant blue masterpiece was last sold at $2.625 million, equating to around £2,018,139.37.
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RM 27-04
Designed in 2020 and worn by the Spanish tennis champion and ‘King of Clay’, Rafael Nadal, the RM 27-04 is a symbol of tenacity, power and resilience. Richard Mille and Rafael Nadal have a longstanding friendship and a common dream of pushing boundaries – those of time and performance. Nadal has worn custom-design Richard Mille timepieces on court since 2008, with a fifth iteration, RM 27-05, launching in 2024. As it stands, its predecessor is one of the highest valued Richard Mille models in the world, with an estimated value of $2.52 million, equating to around £1,937,262.60. The lightweight piece, at just 30 grams, features a suspended tourbillon calibre able to resist accelerations of more than 12,000 g’s. The innovative micro-blasted mesh that makes this possible was created with a single braided steel cable and weaved by the watchmaker, a concept inspired by the strings of a tennis racquet.
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RM 001, No.001
The very first watch produced by Richard Mille, RM 001, quickly took watchmaking into new territories and undoubtedly paved the way for the brand’s success. Mille was determined to include a tourbillon in his first creation despite, at the time, the component being incredibly fragile and considered impractical. He set out to design the first-of-a-kind tourbillon calibre designed for extreme shock resistance and, to prove the robustness of his creation, threw a RM 001 on the floor at Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show in 2001 in front of prospective dealers and partners. His shocking gesture had the desired effect, and the initial production run of 80 were quickly sold at the then-eye opening price point of $135,000. These early models were made using German silver base plate rather than the signature titanium baseplate of his later creations, but even then, it was clear that Richard Mille would be making waves in the watchmaking world. In November 2022, the RM 001 – No.001 – fetched a price of £1,825,067.58 at auction.
Richard Mille watches are not only a sign of extravagant wealth, but uncompromising quality, resilience and power. If, as the Swiss watchmaker says, these timepieces ‘point resolutely to the future’, it’ll be interesting to learn what the ultra-high-end watch market holds in another 20 years.
