Richard Mille | S.I.H.H. 2010

Richard Mille

Unfettered Ideas and New Materials
The "F1 Team" of the Watch World Continues Its Solo Lead into its 10th Year

Richard Mille, a brand that has caused a sensation in the world of wristwatches with its innovative ideas, has once again presented us with new models that fuse innovative functions and a sense of the future in its 10th year.

By Yasuto Shibuya

Nine years ago, in 2001, without being bound by the past convention that "complicated mechanical watches = traditional," he assembled a dream watch development and manufacturing team by leveraging his network to bring together the wisdom of watchmakers beyond brand boundaries. Richard Mille is a watch conceptor who revolutionized the concept of luxury sports watches through the bold introduction of cutting-edge materials from the aerospace field, causing a sensation.

In 2010, the 10th anniversary of the brand's birth, he chose the Geneva Salon, where prestigious, long-established brands leading the world of luxury watches gather, as the stage for his new product announcements.

Viewing his new creations alongside the latest offerings from traditional and prestigious brands that follow the classic path, one is once again impressed by their groundbreaking innovation, which feels "as if they came from the future."

The "RM022 Aerodyne Dual Timezone," an evolution of the popular futuristic "RM021," and the "RM017 Tourbillon," which incorporates a tourbillon into the case of the ultra-thin rectangular model "RM016." Also, the new diver's watch "RM028" announced last year—all are ambitious works with bold designs and innovative functions that could only be conceived by Richard Mille.

Over the past nine years, watches inspired by his products have appeared from various brands. However, in the race to define the future of watches, no rival has yet emerged to threaten his team. This solo lead appears set to continue for some time.