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Lot Essay
Created as a Boutique Limited Edition of only 10 pieces, this superb dual time zone tourbillon is distinguished by its 'all black' DLC-coated titanium case. The back of the case is engraved with the individual limited edition number 07/10.
Richard Mille’s RM003 followed the RM002 but updated with the addition of a second time zone function. In true Richard Mille style, the second time zone function is indicated in a new and inventive way. A sapphire crystal disc carries the black hour numerals and the selected hour is highlighted as it passes over a white panel at 3 o’clock. Ingeniously, the black hours are almost invisible when not over the white panel and cause no visual interference to the dial. The hour of the second time zone is advanced by the pusher in the side of the case at 9 o’clock.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille established his brand in 1999 with Dominique Guenat and Audemars Piguet. The mission was to push high-end, handmade watchmaking to the very limits of technical innovation. Richard Mille watches are now regarded as the ultimate expression of luxury and are among the most valuable timepieces in the world. They are revered for their bold, futuristic design, extreme resistance and the quality of the movements.
Richard Mille launched its first watch, the manually wound Richard Mille RM001, in 2001. The entire production run of 80 units sold out almost immediately. The prototype RM056 contains one of the most complicated movements to have appeared in a Richard Mille watch to date. The second prototype of the first edition of the RM056 sold for $1.2 million at Christie’s in 2017. The RM008 contains the same complicated movement.
Another defining feature of Richard Mille watches is their featherweight feel. The seemingly bulky reference RM 50-03, a McLaren-Richard Mille collaboration, weighs less than 40 grams. In 2021, the first Richard Mille Ferrari collaborative timepiece was released. At just 1.75 millimetres thick, the RM UP-01 is a triumph of technical prowess.
The brand reinforces its exclusivity by partnering with sporting ambassadors at the top of their game. These include Formula One driver Felipe Massa, American golfer Bubba Watson and tennis star Rafael Nadal. For Nadal, Mille wanted to develop a watch that he could wear during matches. The Spaniard broke five prototypes before the Richard Mille Nadal watch (RM 027), which weighed just 20 grams, was finalised.
Fewer than 5,000 Richard Mille watches are made annually, making them highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Strong Richard Mille watch prices at auction reflect this. In 2022, a skeletonized Richard Mille Tourbillon Sapphire wristwatch (RM056-01) sold for CHF 3,654,000 at Christie’s in Geneva. It was then the most expensive Richard Mille watch ever sold at auction.
Richard Mille’s RM003 followed the RM002 but updated with the addition of a second time zone function. In true Richard Mille style, the second time zone function is indicated in a new and inventive way. A sapphire crystal disc carries the black hour numerals and the selected hour is highlighted as it passes over a white panel at 3 o’clock. Ingeniously, the black hours are almost invisible when not over the white panel and cause no visual interference to the dial. The hour of the second time zone is advanced by the pusher in the side of the case at 9 o’clock.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille established his brand in 1999 with Dominique Guenat and Audemars Piguet. The mission was to push high-end, handmade watchmaking to the very limits of technical innovation. Richard Mille watches are now regarded as the ultimate expression of luxury and are among the most valuable timepieces in the world. They are revered for their bold, futuristic design, extreme resistance and the quality of the movements.
Richard Mille launched its first watch, the manually wound Richard Mille RM001, in 2001. The entire production run of 80 units sold out almost immediately. The prototype RM056 contains one of the most complicated movements to have appeared in a Richard Mille watch to date. The second prototype of the first edition of the RM056 sold for $1.2 million at Christie’s in 2017. The RM008 contains the same complicated movement.
Another defining feature of Richard Mille watches is their featherweight feel. The seemingly bulky reference RM 50-03, a McLaren-Richard Mille collaboration, weighs less than 40 grams. In 2021, the first Richard Mille Ferrari collaborative timepiece was released. At just 1.75 millimetres thick, the RM UP-01 is a triumph of technical prowess.
The brand reinforces its exclusivity by partnering with sporting ambassadors at the top of their game. These include Formula One driver Felipe Massa, American golfer Bubba Watson and tennis star Rafael Nadal. For Nadal, Mille wanted to develop a watch that he could wear during matches. The Spaniard broke five prototypes before the Richard Mille Nadal watch (RM 027), which weighed just 20 grams, was finalised.
Fewer than 5,000 Richard Mille watches are made annually, making them highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Strong Richard Mille watch prices at auction reflect this. In 2022, a skeletonized Richard Mille Tourbillon Sapphire wristwatch (RM056-01) sold for CHF 3,654,000 at Christie’s in Geneva. It was then the most expensive Richard Mille watch ever sold at auction.