From creating exceptional ladies’ timepieces, to partnering with female personalities who are superstars in their respective fields, Richard Mille goes above and beyond in its ‘Celebration of the Modern Woman’.

(Hero image: A pair of stunning RM 037 series ladies’ watches)

“Although technology, innovation and creative boldness are the cornerstones of Richard Mille, our adventure is above all a family story,” says Amanda Mille, Brand and Partnerships Director at Richard Mille. “By giving his own name to the company he founded, my father demonstrated the importance he attaches to human relations from the outset.” 

A respect for individuals, and what they can contribute, is deeply rooted in the business ethos of this Swiss luxury watchmaker; perfectly illustrated by the way in which women are treated with equal importance throughout the many facets of the company. Amanda’s own high-ranking position on the corporate hierarchy is a perfect example, as are the personalities she engages – from the worlds of sport and the arts – to represent this prestigious haute horlogerie brand. 

Among Richard Mille’s formidable female brand partners are actress Michelle Yeoh, star of the current box-office sensation Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ukrainian-born high jump champion Yuliya Levchenko, Belgian-born star athlete Nafi Thiam, and golf sensation Nelly Korda, who at 15 was already competing in the US Women’s Open. The stable of leading sports figures also includes two prominent equestrians, namely German-born dressage champion Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl, and France’s champion show jumper Flore Giraud. 

The company is also advancing the participation of women in motor car racing, a sport which has, in the past, been almost entirely a man’s game. The landmark Richard Mille Racing Team launched in 2020 was made up of all-female drivers, and after numerous successes the former members – Beitske Visser, Sophia Florsch, and Tatiana Calderon – went on to pursue their respective individual careers. For 2022, the team’s talented mixed gender line-up consists of Charles Milesi, Sébastien Ogier, and 21-year-old Lilou Wadoux, a rising star in the motorsport world. Lilou’s past racing victories include winning the Alpine Elf Europa Cup, making her a perfect role model to inspire today’s generation of young girls. 

Another of the watchmaker’s groundbreaking automotive initiatives is ‘The Rallye des Princesses Richard Mille’, a 100 percent female competition dedicated to ladies who are, like Richard Mille himself, passionate about motorsport and collecting cars. Having just concluded its 21st edition in May (after a two-year hiatus), this renowned classic car rally toured through some of France’s most legendary landscapes, including Normandy, Brittany, and the Pays de la Loire. 

There were 156 competitors in all this year, seated behind the wheels of vintage Ferrari Quattrovalvoles, Porsche Spyders, and other spruced up high-performance vehicles – including a 1958 BMW 507 co-piloted by none other than Amanda Mille. When the five-day rally came to an end at La Baule, on the spectacular Atlantic coast, it was Carole Gratzmuller and Elisa Laurent, in their Chevrolet Corvette C2, who ascended the winner’s podium. It should be interesting to see if these past champions can hold on to their title when the event returns in June of 2023. 

When it comes to branding partnerships, Richard Mille’s female-focused outlook is definitely progressive, and this same 21st century sensibility is evident in their ladies’ line of luxury watches. Understanding the expectations on contemporary femininity to constantly juggle elegance and practicality led to the creation of the RM 07-01, a stunning timepiece that seamlessly blends mechanical perfection with the sensual and curvaceous lines of both its tonneau-shaped case, and dial with its gemstone set centre field. A first for the watchmaker’s ladies’ collection, the tripartite case is available in white ATZ ceramic or warm brown TZP ceramic – both with a red gold caseband – as well as versions in full 18K red or white gold. 

At the heart of the RM 07-01 is the in-house designed calibre CRMA2, a skeletonised automatic movement with baseplate and bridges machined from grade 5 titanium. It also boasts a patented crown construction – no longer connected to the interior of the movement directly, making it impossible to dislodge or break – and a power reserve of approximately 50 hours. 

Similarly breathtaking is the RM 037 Ladies’ Watch, a fully feminine interpretation of the original unisex RM 037. Here, the skeletonised movement baseplate, with bridges in black PVD treated grade 5 titanium, has a large date at 12 o’clock, as well as a function selector that alternates Winding, Neutral or Handsetting modes. The innerworkings, meanwhile, are driven by the calibre CRMA1, which combines satinated surfaces with chamfered, blasted, brushed and polished areas, making every detail of the movement a pleasure to behold. 

Enclosing all this mechanical mastery is the gorgeous case, available with an 18K red gold caseband and highly scratch resistant ceramic bezels in white (ATZ) or black (TZP), or as a full case in 18K red or white gold accompanied by lustrous stone settings and dial variants in precious and semi-precious materials, such as diamond, onyx, pearl, and jasper. 

In short, both these timepieces are, without a doubt, as captivating and dynamic as the women who choose to wear them. 

This story first appeared on Augustman Singapore

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