Richard Mille: The Emperor Has No Clothes

[enjoythemusic]

Hublot and RM......

[PPFANBOY]

I used to think the same.

Until I handled and tried them on. Have you done that? Not many people have and therefore rely on photos. Doesn't do the watches justice.

[1995akcoop]

Ugly watches. All hype. And not ONCE did Nadal look at his watch to tell the time during a match.


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[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by PPFANBOY

I used to think the same.

Until I handled and tried them on. Have you done that? Not many people have and therefore rely on photos. Doesn't do the watches justice.

Hublot yes, not RM. Maybe they'll send me one to take a look at as sellers seem very motivated? For RM price, MB&F is a far better choice (for me), yet very few for sale. I get the whole RM materials and tech, and they'll ensure resale value, yet TPG didn't help their rep.

[sokoloka]

"A racing machine on the wrist."

Not for everyone, and all the better for it I think.

[kunlun]

Originally Posted by PPFANBOY

I used to think the same.

Until I handled and tried them on. Have you done that? Not many people have and therefore rely on photos. Doesn't do the watches justice.

I've tried them on. Oh boy, very light plastic watches with no hand finishing! I did also try on a rose gold cased one, also no hand finishing on the movement.

It strengthened my views that these are not great watches.

[szabo_martin]

Simple, they're stupid expensive and they market like crazy. The marketing serves to let everyone know that these watches are ridiculously expensive and despite being junk as a watch they stick out. The mere fact that everyone knows you spent a quarter mill plus on your watch is all it takes. There's no science to it.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by sokoloka

"A racing machine on the wrist."

For the price of RM, you can buy an SCCA racing machine for the road course race track. Think F1 drivers would agree racing their car is more important than a watch. If anyone runs into an F1 driver, please ask them and report back if they want the watch or the car

As a guy who earned the SCCA Driver's Championship, i choose the car EVERY time :)

Plus TPG seemed to heavily push the brand, that says it all for me. Pass, get MB&F and enjoy your time

[HiBoost]

Originally Posted by RealMadrid1988

Like many on here, I’m a big fan of Rolex watches. But I also appreciate watches from a number of other brands — from FP Journe and Patek to Panerai and IWC, and almost everything in between.

For the life of me, though, I can’t figure out Richard Mille. Why do people want these watches? They look like toys that one would find in a McDonald’s Happy Meal. In many ways, their watches remind me of items from Balenciaga in how garish they are — but at 100x+ the price of your typical Balenciaga piece, they make even less sense when contextualizad.

Is it just me, or is this an emperor has no clothes situation? Why are people fascinated by this brand — or at least, why do they pretend to be?

I felt the same, a complete "I don't get it" reaction. Then I read Ryan Schmidt's (excellent) The Wristwatch Handbook. This opened my eyes to a much broader world of complications and designs. I'm a full blown Rolex fanboy and won't even try to deny it. But there is a lot of other neat stuff out there that I had not been exposed to. The book is certainly not a fluff piece for RM and it covers about every brand in existence. However, along the way, in discussing different complications and technologies RM does come up and it becomes quite clear that they really have produced some unique watchmaking.

You may not like their aesthetic (I still don't), but it is impressive to build a Tourbillon watch that only weighs 30g, is only 11.4mm thick, and is extremely resistant to impacts. And they make some stuff that is just cool. Like a mainspring barrel with a clutch that disengages from the rotor once a certain power reserve is achieved. And a dial display to tell you the clutch state. Or a tiny cable and pulley system that actually suspends the entire movement within the case, further isolating it from shock. Or a rotor that can be set to 6 different geometries depending on the activity level of the wearer. And on and on. They seem to have come into the space and said "we don't care what the existing industry does, here's how F1 engineers would build watches". IMO, some credit is due for forging your own path.

All that said, I'll never own one, based on tastes and finances, but I do have a much greater respect for them than I previously did.

[7sins]

Originally Posted by HiBoost

You may not like their aesthetic (I still don't), but it is impressive to build a Tourbillon watch that only weighs 30g, is only 11.4mm thick, and is extremely resistant to impacts. And they make some stuff that is just cool. Like a mainspring barrel with a clutch that disengages from the rotor once a certain power reserve is achieved. And a dial display to tell you the clutch state. Or a tiny cable and pulley system that actually suspends the entire movement within the case, further isolating it from shock. Or a rotor that can be set to 6 different geometries depending on the activity level of the wearer. And on and on. They seem to have come into the space and said "we don't care what the existing industry does, here's how F1 engineers would build watches". IMO, some credit is due for forging your own path.

That is exactly right, look at the number of their patents for materials, innovations and even the new in house movement in the rm72.

I've owned three RM's now and having nothing but praise for the watches, brand and people who work at RM. Looks will always be subjective but hard to argue the innovation behind the brand and what they have accomplished in such a short timespan. Look forward to my next "happy meal watch"

[wsrobert]

Just stopping by this thread to say the same. Was just discussing with some friends. They've done a really excellent job of putting these pieces in high profile peoples hands. And it's seemed to have worked. They seem to explore unique metals - but otherwise I just can't understand the appeal either.

ETA: I'm clearly relatively ignorant to the brand, admittedly. Reading all the replies here, there is some innovation that likely adds to the appeal. That said, I still don't get it {shrug}.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by HiBoost

They seem to have come into the space and said "we don't care what the existing industry does, here's how F1 engineers would build watches". IMO, some credit is due for forging your own path.

Very well said

It is great to see different techniques applied to horology, so yes they deserve praise. It is also interesting what they do, yet guess i just don't resonate with it as am more an MB&F kinda guy at those lofty price levels. The air gets quite thin at those levels. The BTC kids will probably be all over this once it hits $500k.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by kunlun

I've tried them on. Oh boy, very light plastic watches with no hand finishing! I did also try on a rose gold cased one, also no hand finishing on the movement.

It strengthened my views that these are not great watches.

I have said in the years past that RM has literary no hand finishing, but got flamed by this guy who later got banned. Basically he quoted me and insinuated only people who can’t afford RM dislike them.

I have to hand it to them though, how they can get away with charging these prices is beyond me. I have met a few well known independent watch makers and they were amazed too, no doubt with some professional jealousy.

[PhilLynott]

Not for me at all but maybe them existing and taking up the attention of the high rollers funnels down and allows me to buy a gorgeous Breguet that is as classy today as it would have been 200 years ago and will be 200 years from now for $8k. Keep buying those RMs, nothing to see here in poverty luxury watch market :D

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by tom2517

I have to hand it to them though, how they can get away with charging these prices is beyond me. I have met a few well known independent watch makers and they were amazed too, no doubt with some professional jealousy.

Great marketing, and ensure used price levels. ALS, all of Richemont actually, could learn a valuable lesson here.

Just keep giving them away like candy to high-value social media/sports figures. One gets robbed, that's GREAT because their PR can spread the news far and wide. Hmmm, you could stage such things.......... Headlines are free marketing for everyone involved.

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

One gets robbed, that's GREAT because their PR can spread the news far and wide. Hmmm, you could stage such things.......... Headlines are free marketing for everyone involved.

Hublot wasn't so successful with Ecclestone.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

Hublot wasn't so successful with Ecclestone.

Wonder what timepiece Madoff and Epstein wore?

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Great marketing, and ensure used price levels. ALS, all of Richemont actually, could learn a valuable lesson here.

Just keep giving them away like candy to high-value social media/sports figures. One gets robbed, that's GREAT because their PR can spread the news far and wide. Hmmm, you could stage such things.......... Headlines are free marketing for everyone involved.

I sure hope not.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Wonder what timepiece Madoff and Epstein wore?

Probably a yellow gold Patek.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Great marketing, and ensure used price levels. ALS, all of Richemont actually, could learn a valuable lesson here.

Just keep giving them away like candy to high-value social media/sports figures. One gets robbed, that's GREAT because their PR can spread the news far and wide. Hmmm, you could stage such things.......... Headlines are free marketing for everyone involved.

Yes no doubt due to great marketing. I think one of the things that really took surprise on some of these indie makers was how powerful social media is. They seen how RM market it’s watches but didn’t think it would work. Some might not know this but RM for a while wasn’t doing well, they were looking to sell the brand for well under $100M.


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[RolexSimon]

Not for me but - hey - it's your money.

[jenniferjanef]

Don’t know much about RM’s “hand finishing” n marketing strategies and I don’t really care but I can attest their watches are most comfortable for daily wear. Comfort is my first concern.

[watchucallit]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Wonder what timepiece Madoff and Epstein wore?

. Epstein wore the RM 69 of course

https://media.richardmille.com/wp-co...81210/RM69.png

[watchucallit]

I have owned two RMs and currently 1. I do agree they are comfortable and unique but I do not believe they come close to the premium they are selling for. I think it is utterly nuts. I sold my 11-02-- why.. so hard to read the sub dials.. Even hard at times to see the time. The date was too small including the month for the annual calendar. It was almost impossible to accurately read the GMT hand

[fmc000]

Well, it seems that the clothes are still there and that they are pretty thick.

https://www.phillips.com/auctions/au...ard%20Mille%7D

RM027-04: 700K over retail
RM016 TI: 18K over retail
RM067-02: 400K over retail
RM11-03: can't find the retail price anywhere, sorry.

[GreenLantern]

Everything is selling for over retail these days, so that doesn't count for anything in my book anymore.

(Disclaimer: I love RM.)

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Everything is selling for over retail these days, so that doesn't count for anything in my book anymore.

(Disclaimer: I love RM.)

Yup, tell it to GP or UN owners (Onlywatch doesn't count).

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by fmc000

Yup, tell it to GP or UN owners (Onlywatch doesn't count).

Who cares about the owners? These aren't supposed to be investments.

I love my watches that aren't trading above retail. I love my UN's and GP's.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by fmc000

Yup, tell it to GP or UN owners (Onlywatch doesn't count).

Their marketing dept needs to get on the stick and buy auction pieces above ask.

[Nav01L]

RM boutiques are depressing because they are totally empty… meanwhile, Hublot boutiques are equally depressing for how many colorful ugly watches are available there… go figure