Richard Mille: The 10 Most Expensive Watches and Price Insights
What is it about a Richard Mille timepiece? A ‘racing machine on the wrist’, the Swiss watch company was founded in 2001 by Dominique Guenat and Richard Mille. Two decades later, their legacy is clear: collectors applaud the technical innovation and artistry, and the brand is dominant in the industry.
The numbers in Richard Mille watch names typically denote the model or collection, helping differentiate between designs and complications.
Each number is unique to the watch model, series, or collaboration, offering enthusiasts an immediate understanding of its features and design inspiration. Although higher numbers often indicate later releases, they do not follow a strict sequential pattern.
The brand’s most iconic timepieces include the RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal, renowned for its lightweight design and durability, making it a favourite among athletes and collectors alike. The RM 50-04 Kimi Räikkönen, created in collaboration with the Finnish Formula 1 driver, is celebrated for its technical complexities, including a split-seconds chronograph and tourbillon.
The RM 052 Skull Tourbillon, with its bold and intricate skull design; the RM 11-04 Roberto Mancini that stands out for its precision chronograph function tailored for sports. The RM 67-02, known for being one of the thinnest and lightest Richard Mille models, has gained a loyal following due to its streamlined and elegant appearance, without sacrificing performance.
Innovative Richard Mille creations include the RM 027 Tourbillon, the world’s lightest mechanical watch released in 2011, and the RM 056, the first watch with a fully sapphire case, which was awarded Best Watch of 2012 at the Salon Internacional de Alta Relojería in Mexico City.
Richard Mille: Key Facts
Since the RM 001 Tourbillon was produced in 2001, the brand’s models have remained faithful to the time-honoured traditions of fine watchmaking.
Born in 1951, Richard Mille began his career working for Mauboussin and later Audemars Piguet before founding his own company, where he introduced a revolutionary approach to watchmaking. Mille’s dedication to innovation, seen through the use of advanced materials, limited editions, and collaborations with renowned athletes and artists, has propelled the brand to the forefront of the luxury watch market.
“For a long time, I wished to launch my own brand,” says Mille. “I wanted to create a new business model, far removed from traditional marketing strategies, something totally original. My goal was to create a new, ultra-high-end luxury segment within the high-end watch business, and I was very eager to know what could come of it.”
What makes a Richard Mille unique? The visible movement, spline screws, and characteristic case shape. Materials used in production include grade 5 titanium, LITAL, Carbon TPT, and graphene – used in aeronautics and precision surgery.
- The RM 001 Tourbillon was priced at €159,000, and the entire stock of 80 units sold out almost immediately. Since then, the brand produced many unique timepieces.
- Richard Mille watches also boast very high shock resistance. For instance, when Brazilian racing driver Felipe Massa crashed ahead of the 2009 Hungary Grand Prix, he suffered serious head injuries; his Richard Mille was unscathed.
- Today, the watchmaker produces fewer than 5,000 per year, with demand outstripping production. By comparison, Rolex manufactures 800,000 timepieces annually, and Audemars Piguet (a Richard Mille shareholder) makes 40,000.
Most Expensive Richard Mille Watches
Below are some of the priciest and most exclusive Richard Mille watches in recent years.
Richard Mille RM14
Price: $754,383
Listing year: 2024
The Richard Mille RM 14 CA-FQ is an ultra-rare, limited-edition watch designed exclusively for the Japanese market, with only seven pieces produced. Its lightweight carbon case, paired with a striking blue and white color scheme, reflects Richard Mille’s mastery of both innovation and aesthetics, making it highly desirable for collectors.
RM 59-01 Yohan Blake Tourbillon
Price: $934,000
Listing year: 2022
The striking 2018 limited edition RM 59-01 has original papers and parts. Colourful, with a rubber strap, carbon case, and hand winding manual movement, the piece is used, but in tip-top shape. With only 50 pieces made, the green and yellow detail is sure to catch people’s eye and admiration.
RM 52-05 Tourbillon Pharrell Williams
Estimated price: $1,000,000+
Located in Hong Kong, this 2020 RM 52-05 collaboration with superstar Pharrell Williams features a rubber strap, a titanium case, and is hand winding manual. Coining Mille the ‘timepiece supreme creator’, Pharrell Williams shouted out the watchmaker on his 2006 song Can I Have It Like That. And since, they’ve co-created the 30-piece limited edition RM 52-05 collection.
RM 27-04 Rafael Nadal Tourbillon collaboration
Estimated price: $1,050,000+
The 2021 manual winding RM 27-04 was designed to resemble a tennis racket and weighs in at just 30 grams. With only 50 made, the brand new watch comes with an original box, plus a five-year international manufacturer warranty. The friendship between Nadal and Mille “grows constantly from their mutual trust and admiration for their respective careers.”
RM 52-03 Paris St Germain (PSG) Tourbillon
Price: $1,200,000
The Richard Mille RM 52-03 Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Tourbillon was created in collaboration with the Parisian football club, with only ten pieces produced. This model combines the brand’s advanced watchmaking technology with PSG’s iconic branding, featuring a carbon TPT case and a skeletonized tourbillon movement.
RM 056 Jean Todt Sapphire
Estimated price: $1,650,000+
With only three worldwide, this ultra-rare RM 056 celebrating French motor racing executive Jean Todt comes complete with a certificate of authenticity. Pre-worn but in excellent condition, the manufacture of the sapphire structure took years of research and testing to deliver a durable yet comfortable watch decorated in Todt’s favourite colours. The work of art features a skeleton dial and a case requiring no less than 1,000 hours of machining.
RM 50-04 Kimi Räikkönen Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph
A partnership with Formula One’s Iceman produced this 2021 complicated limited-edition RM 50-04. With cutting-edge pale white/cream design and red fabric strap, the hand winding piece features a 30-minute split-seconds chronograph and a skeletonized movement, built using Carbon TPT and titanium. With 30 pieces only, the brand-new watch comes with a warranty and papers.
RM 52-01 Blue Sapphire Skull Tourbillon
Price: $3,349,500
A dazzling royal blue, this hand winding manual RM 52-01 with a rubber strap is pre-owned but like new, and one of the most expensive Richard Mille watches. Currently in Hong Kong, whoever purchases the luxury limited edition piece will receive original papers and parts. With a hand-crafted case inspired by the crossed bones of a pirate ship flag, the watch is head-turning and unusual.
RM 57-03 Dragon Sapphire NTPT Tourbillon
Price: $3,992,00
A manual winding tourbillon, this special and complex RM 57-03 with a skeletonised baseplate features a rubber strap and a three-part tonneau-shaped carbon case. Highly curved, the watch is comfy, ergonomic, and visually distinct. There are only eight of the limited-edition masterpieces, each boasting a hand-polished gold dragon, 19 jewels, a free-sprung balance, and a fast-rotating barrel.
RM 11-03 2018 McLaren
Price: $3,992,00 This automatic self-winding RM 11-03 with a carbon case is used, but don’t let that put you off. In top condition and with a rubber strap, the watch features a striking color combo of orange, blue, steel grey, and flashes of neon yellow. Complicated and sophisticated, Mille and McLaren Automotive released the RM 11-03 – their first jointly commissioned timepiece – at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show.