![]() What exactly does that mean? In a country with a high cost of living like Switzerland, where Richard Mille watches are made, highly trained and specialized technicians and craftspeople don't come cheap. We put absolutely no limits in the time that it will take to develop a watch, and when you are doing everything in Switzerland with Swiss people, each day has a cost." Luxury watch pricing is a complicated topic, but Alex Mille points to one primary factor (that entails other factors): "The reason has, for me, always been very easy to explain: it's time, the time that it takes to develop those pieces. Why are Richard Mille Watches so expensive? There's relatively traditional watchmaking at this level for the classical-at-heart, but much of Richard Mille's designs, engineering and clientele are, fittingly, connected to the world of supercars. In terms of watchmaking, the brand falls within a realm typically known by a French term: haute horlogerie, or "high watchmaking." Avant-garde designs with skeletonized (or openworked) dials and movements are common at this level, and so is expert hand finishing down to the complicated clockwork's last tiny component - and this is exactly what you can expect from a Richard Mille watch.Īll that combined with the brand's technical (often colorful and extremely lightweight) materials and over-the-top designs results in an unmistakable look: Richard Mille's core DNA including its signature tonneau case shape was firmly established with its debut model from 2001, the RM-001 Tourbillon. And though it isn't alone in its price range or in its ultra-modern approach to watchmaking, it's come to represent ostentatious lifestyles of the superrich and famous more than almost any other watch company. Richard Mille spares no expense, effort or imagination in making some of the world's most impressive, complicated and wildly technical watches. More than ever, experience is key to breaking boundaries."If I have to describe our watches," says Alex Mille, the brand's Commercial Director and the founder's son, "I would say that we stop at no limit. To obtain its exceptional dimensions and performance, 3,000 hours of reflection and collaboration with Audemars Piguet engineers were required to finalize the manual winding caliber with a 45-hour power reserve and, in particular, the design of an ultra-flat escapement. This corresponds to a fall of one meter high on a wooden floor. The 150 examples of the RM UP-01 Ferrari can withstand a shock of up to 5,000g. The omnipresence of titanium in a large part of the components guarantees an exceptional rigidity. The balance wheel brings its rhythm to life in this refined, grey satin finish monochrome setting. ![]() One serves as a function selector, the other acts according to the option taken: setting the timepiece or winding the movement. Two crowns can be operated with either a finger or a special tool. One of them, adorned with a thin red and white edging, enables the reading of the minutes. On top of this is a piece structured like a steering wheel with three openworked branches. A small dial composed of a black disc with a red tip plays the role of the hour hand. Its 51mm x 39mm case in grade 5 titanium, 1.75mm thick and weighing only 30 grams, required 2,000 hours of development. One only has to discover the RM UP-01 Ferrari to be convinced. The first creation representing the partnership with Ferrari demonstrates the ability of the Les Breuleux watchmakers to raise innovation to a level rarely encountered. Surprise is an art Richard Mille cherishes. ![]() The thickness of its case is no more than 1.75mm! THE ULTIMATE OF THE ULTIMATE Stepping out of its comfort zone, the brand managed this feat by unveiling the slimmest, thinnest watch in its category.
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