Good evening everyone.
Among luxury watch brands, it is famous for its ultra-high prices. Richard Mille . It is common for the list price to exceed 10 million yen, and some models can even exceed 100 million yen. Many of these models are considered difficult to obtain, and are traded at high prices even in the secondary market. What's even more surprising is that while many luxury watch brands have a long history, Richard Mille is an up-and-coming brand founded in 2001. Despite this, it has established a position that puts it on par with the top brands.
This time, we will explain why Richard Mille is so expensive and the secret behind its popularity . If you are interested in Richard Mille watches or would like to know more about the brand, please refer to this article.
What is Richard Mille?
Richard Mille is a luxury watch brand founded in 2001 .
The founder, Richard Mille, launched his own brand after retiring from Mauboussin. The brand's first product, the RM001 , was born as an extremely expensive watch with a list price of 19 million yen.
*RM001 Reference: richardmille.com
At the time, the luxury watch industry was such that even the most expensive watches were priced at 5 to 6 million yen. Most of them were made of gold or platinum and were decorated with diamonds and rare gemstones. However, Richard Mille released a titanium case with tourbillon and no decorations. Previous tourbillons had the weakness of being vulnerable to shocks and breaking easily, but this watch overcame this weakness. It also had a skeleton design that allowed the internal mechanism to be seen through the dial, which is now commonplace, but at the time, this was an unusual design code.
Despite being an unknown brand, Richard Mille attracted a lot of attention by creating an unconventional watch equipped with a shock-resistant tourbillon and sold at an overwhelming price. Naturally, some people were initially skeptical and asked, "Isn't this too expensive?" However, the limited production of 17 pieces was sold out immediately. Since then, they have released collections of over 20 million yen, and now it is not uncommon for models to cost over 100 million yen.
Why is Richard Mille so expensive? 3 reasons explained
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/page/manufacture
Richard Mille attracted attention with its shocking appearance. In fact, the reason why Richard Mille watches are so expensive is because of the "features" that broke the conventional wisdom of the watch industry that became a hot topic when it was introduced. Here, we will explain the reasons why Richard Mille watches are so expensive from three points.
Great brand strategy
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/page/rd
The first is that the brand strategy is excellent .
The founder, Richard Mille, is a manager at several watch brands, including Mauboussin, and calls himself a "watch concepter." Although he is knowledgeable about watches, he is not a watch designer or watchmaker. Rather than competing on his opponent's turf, he creates watches from a position similar to that of a product manager, which has allowed him to successfully create highly original watches.
Also, it is precisely because they are not professional watchmakers that they are able to create watches that are "not bound by convention." The aforementioned shocking debut model " RM001 " is proof of their unconventional thinking, with its skeleton design that allows the internal mechanism to be seen and the use of new materials such as carbon nanofiber. This is not simply a case of trying to attract attention with an "eccentric watch," but rather a result of their burning passion for "making the ideal watch." Rather than "selling expensive watches," their philosophy is "sparing no expense in order to make the ideal watch."
Ultimate watchmaking
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/page/rd
Richard Mille has such a strong passion for watchmaking that he says, " My watches have no cost ." By turning his ideals into concepts, he is able to create watches that overwhelm people.
For example, the model below has the following features that other brands cannot achieve:
" RM038 ": A tourbillon that can measure golf swing speed
" RM036 ": Displays the gravitational acceleration experienced by the driver when decelerating while driving
What each watch has in common is "lightweight" and "shock resistance." In order to manufacture a watch that encompasses all of these characteristics, it is necessary to prepare materials and parts that are appropriate for them. And it is the production of these materials and parts that is the most costly part.
For example, the " RM027 " was made for top tennis player Rafael Nadal, and is known as a watch that is shock-resistant and lightweight enough that you can play tennis while wearing it, yet it weighs just 20g . At the time, it was said to be the world's lightest wristwatch equipped with a tourbillon. A typical wristwatch weighs around 140g , and even 100g is considered light, so that alone shows the high level of technology at Richard Mille.
To achieve this lightness, an alloy of "titanium" and " LITAL" was used. This material, which is lightweight and durable, is used in artificial satellites, rockets, F1 racing cars, etc. This resulted in the world's lightest tourbillon, with a movement weight of just 3.83g .
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/page/quality-control
In addition, to make the watch shock-resistant, they undergo durability tests in which the watch is knocked apart by a metal hammer, and other tests are carried out in a way that is far more complex than other brands. Only a very small number of watches pass the standards required for production, which means that the costs involved are enormous.
In addition to the cost, it takes a huge amount of time to complete one watch, so the number of watches produced is naturally limited. Other brands deliberately limit the number of watches they produce to increase their rarity value, but in the case of Richard Mille, the number of watches they can make is limited to begin with.
Professional marketing strategy
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/en/friends-and-partners
No matter how good a brand's concept or product is, if the marketing is not good, it will not become a hit. In addition to its clear concept and ultimate watchmaking, Richard Mille has succeeded in establishing its brand status by appointing " ambassadors ."
When you think of Richard Mille, you probably imagine celebrities and top athletes wearing their watches. This is proof of the success of the brand's marketing strategy. They don't just make the ultimate watches, they listen to the requests of professionals in each field and create watches that meet their needs.
*Source: https://1016watch-style.com/richardmille-geinoujinn
As mentioned above, the RM027 was created in response to a request from Rafael Nadal for a watch that he could wear while playing tennis, and it is so light that he described it as "a part of my skin."
While tennis players under contract with other brands hurriedly put on their watches and answered interviews after the match, Nadal fought the entire five-hour tennis match wearing his Richard Mille watch.
*Source: https://italianwatchspotter.com/hands-on-richard-mille-rm50-03-mclaren-f1/?lang=en
In addition, the " RM50-03 ", which was released in 2017 , was made for the FA team McLaren as a "tourbillon that can be worn during F1 races". This is a chronograph watch, but it is lightweight at 40g and has the shock resistance to withstand the intense F1 races.
While other brands' brand ambassadors are perceived as merely "images," Richard Mille makes watches for its brand ambassadors , creating watches that they truly want and effectively expanding their brand recognition. This is what has established the branding of "Richard Mille = watches for truly successful people."
[Richard Mille] popular model
From here, we will introduce some popular models from Richard Mille.
"RM055"
"Bubba Watson"
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/collections/rm-055-bubba-watson
The "Bubba Watson" RM055 model was created for Bubba Watson, a professional golfer known as the "long hitter" for his overwhelming driver distance.
This model is the successor to the RM038 that he wore when he won his first Masters in 2012. Despite its simple design, it is an incredibly high-performance watch, with the bezel made from hard materials such as zirconia and alumina, and the movement base plate made from grade 5 titanium, making it shock-resistant to 5,000G .
"RM27-04"
"Tourbillon Rafael Nadal"
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/collections/rm-27-04-tourbillon-rafael-nadal
The RM27 was released as part of a partnership with Rafael Nadal that began in 2010. Since then, new models have been released in 2013 , 2015 , and 2017 , with the latest being the Tourbillon Rafael Nadal RM27-04 .
Despite weighing only 30g, this watch has the overwhelming ability to withstand shocks of up to 12,000G. The movement is suspended by a cable, which is also an unconventional mechanism. The cable is also inspired by a tennis racket, which is a clever touch. The list price is 115 million yen. Just like the mechanism, the price is also astounding.
"RM11-02"
"Automatic Flyback Chronograph Dual Time Zone"
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/historical-models/rm-11-02-automatic-flyback-chronograph-dual-time-zone
The RM11-02 Automatic Flyback Chronograph Dual Time Zone was released in 2015 as the successor to the RM011 , an early model equipped with a flyback chronograph, and adds a dual time zone mechanism.
This watch also features an annual calendar, an oversized date display, and a countdown timer , and the push button at 9 o'clock used to set the second time zone was inspired by the pedals of a racing car. There are many watches for racers on the market, but considering the functions this watch has, it can be said that this is a top-of-the-line model.
"RM67-02"
『Automatic Extra Flat』
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/collections/rm-67-02-automatic-extra-flat
The Automatic Extra Flat "RM67-02" is a signature model of two athletes: Olympic gold medalist and 300m and 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, and two-time Olympic medalist and known as " Mr. High Jump", Mutaz Essa Barshim.
Aiming to "coexist" with athletes, this model was released for top athletes, and is made of two types of TPT composite material, grade 5 titanium, and a new strap with excellent elasticity and non-slip properties. The bezel, case, and back cover are combined to achieve a thickness of 7.8 mm, yet weigh only 32 g . This is the lightest automatic watch from Richard Mille.
"RM25-01"
"Tourbillon Chronograph Adventure"
*Source: https://www.richardmille.com/ja/collections/rm-25-01-tourbillon-chronograph-adventure
The "Tourbillon Chronograph Adventure" "RM25-01" is a collaboration model with Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone.
This watch is a collaboration with Stallone, who is known for his action movies such as "Rambo," and is equipped with the ultimate functions for outdoor watches. The replacement bezel has a compass and comes in two types: a bidirectional rotating bezel with 360 -degree scale, four cardinal directions, and a 24- hour scale. It also has a built-in level and a pill case for water purification tablets, making it a watch full of Richard Mille-like features. This model has many moving parts, so it is not only functional and stylish, but also fun to touch, which appeals to men. However, because it is so multifunctional, the list price is an astonishing 110.6 million yen, so it is not a watch that the average person can afford. (laughs)
summary
What did you think.
There is a reason behind the overwhelming prices set by Richard Mille that even watch enthusiasts and experts agree with. Furthermore, Richard Mille continues to break common sense and produce amazing watches, and the more you get to know them, the more you will be captivated by their charm. Although the price of their watches is quite out of reach, I hope that I will be the kind of person who can afford to buy a Richard Mille watch.
The world's most luxurious watch, Richard Mille. Why not try one out for yourself?