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Lot Essay
This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.
This watch is of immense importance as part of the early Richard Mille story. As one of the earliest known examples of the legendary RM001 it is fitted with no. 001 of the ‘pre-series’ caliber RM001/4 movement type with German silver baseplate coated with black PVD. It is also stunningly attractive in a heavy pink gold case. The present watch was, according to the present owner, worn by Richard Mille as his personal watch. Indeed, the case is both unsigned and uninscribed, only being stamped with the necessary gold marks. As Richard Mille’s personal wristwatch with movement number 001, it can be considered as almost a prototype and arguably the key piece of the first Richard Mille reference RM001 that was informally presented at BaselWorld in 2001.
To directly quote the Richard Mille story of the RM001: “The RM001 presented behind the scenes of Baselworld 2001 by the creator, throwing the watch without remorse onto the ground to prove to his future retailers and partners that this tourbillon caliber was unique, a legendary and immediate success, all these stories are part of the RM001. However, this piece is much more than the first successful model of a brand, it is the one which allowed Richard Mille to put his foot in the first rung of the ladder and onto a permanent development process serving a brand that definitely doesn’t do things like the others.” Courtesy of Richard Mille Historical Models.
RM001
Technicity, performance, extreme resistance have been Richard Mille’s stated aims since the beginning. This was the watch that launched Richard Mille as a brand to be reckoned with. It is in fact a ‘pre-series’for the references RM002and RM003which followed. This first model was used by Richard Mille in collaboration withRenaud & Papi as a sort of experimental series in order to test and continually improve both the technical and design aspects that have become signatures of the brand and so instantly recognizable today as the Richard Mille style.
The movement of the present watch is one of the early ‘prototypes’ that were built upon a German silver baseplate. This was for both economic and developmental reasons, and unusually, the baseplate was coated with black PVD. The use of black PVD as a coating was completely innovative at the time, it reduces the need for lubrication and is aesthetically pleasing in drawing attention to the design and high standard of finishing of the movement. Only 11 Richard Mille watches were ever made with a German silver baseplateas it was soon superseded by the first production of titanium baseplates, an incredible achievement. In fact, the last 6 watches of the RM001 ‘pre-series’ were made using the new titanium baseplate. The development of the RM001 shows that even at this early stage of the brand, Richard Mille was constantly developing the application of new and innovative materials in watchmaking which has since become a hallmark of the Richard Mille brand.
This watch is of immense importance as part of the early Richard Mille story. As one of the earliest known examples of the legendary RM001 it is fitted with no. 001 of the ‘pre-series’ caliber RM001/4 movement type with German silver baseplate coated with black PVD. It is also stunningly attractive in a heavy pink gold case. The present watch was, according to the present owner, worn by Richard Mille as his personal watch. Indeed, the case is both unsigned and uninscribed, only being stamped with the necessary gold marks. As Richard Mille’s personal wristwatch with movement number 001, it can be considered as almost a prototype and arguably the key piece of the first Richard Mille reference RM001 that was informally presented at BaselWorld in 2001.
To directly quote the Richard Mille story of the RM001: “The RM001 presented behind the scenes of Baselworld 2001 by the creator, throwing the watch without remorse onto the ground to prove to his future retailers and partners that this tourbillon caliber was unique, a legendary and immediate success, all these stories are part of the RM001. However, this piece is much more than the first successful model of a brand, it is the one which allowed Richard Mille to put his foot in the first rung of the ladder and onto a permanent development process serving a brand that definitely doesn’t do things like the others.” Courtesy of Richard Mille Historical Models.
RM001
Technicity, performance, extreme resistance have been Richard Mille’s stated aims since the beginning. This was the watch that launched Richard Mille as a brand to be reckoned with. It is in fact a ‘pre-series’for the references RM002and RM003which followed. This first model was used by Richard Mille in collaboration withRenaud & Papi as a sort of experimental series in order to test and continually improve both the technical and design aspects that have become signatures of the brand and so instantly recognizable today as the Richard Mille style.
The movement of the present watch is one of the early ‘prototypes’ that were built upon a German silver baseplate. This was for both economic and developmental reasons, and unusually, the baseplate was coated with black PVD. The use of black PVD as a coating was completely innovative at the time, it reduces the need for lubrication and is aesthetically pleasing in drawing attention to the design and high standard of finishing of the movement. Only 11 Richard Mille watches were ever made with a German silver baseplateas it was soon superseded by the first production of titanium baseplates, an incredible achievement. In fact, the last 6 watches of the RM001 ‘pre-series’ were made using the new titanium baseplate. The development of the RM001 shows that even at this early stage of the brand, Richard Mille was constantly developing the application of new and innovative materials in watchmaking which has since become a hallmark of the Richard Mille brand.