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Lot Essay
“It is because I am a victim of my own inability to compromise,' Richard Mille has said. 'Every time I get to a point where I need to decide whether to save cost or to push performance to the very extreme, I always choose the latter course.”
Without doubt one of the most coveted and wondrous of Richard Mille timepieces, this incredible and spectacular "full set" Tourbillon Sapphire RM56-02 AO is an astonishing accomplishment both in the use of groundbreaking materials and micro-engineering. The present watch is, to the best of our knowledge, only the second example of this reference to be offered at international auction. First showcased at the Hong Kong Watches and Wonders in 2015, the RM056-02 is a byword for innovation, a world-class masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Made in a limited edition of only 10 examples, the RM56-02 AO is certainly one of Richard Mille’s most ambitious creations to date. Remarkable in its materials, construction, and designed as a single entity, the model is significant for both its case and for its movement which feature a cable and pulley system that suspends the movement within the sapphire case. This system is descended from that used for the RM27-01 Rafael Nadal watch. The three component parts of the case are crafted from single blocks of transparent sapphire crystal. Sapphire crystal is incredibly hard to machine and only made possible due to the brands unrivalled experience of working with innovative materials and the purchase of a specialist machine first used for the RM56-01. The work was done by world-class experts in sapphire crystal cutting at Stettler of Lyss in Switzerland where the machining of the three case parts took an incredible 40 days, 24-hours per day, followed by a further 400 hours to finish and polish the movement components.
The amazing transparent movement was made possible due to the experience gained during production of the RM18 which has a baseplate and bridge in the same material. Technically very impressive, as expected from Richard Mille, the high-precision sapphire crystal and titanium movement is unaffected by temperature or wear. For even greater transparency, the barrel bridge, central bridge, tourbillon bridge and third wheel are all machined from sapphire crystal.
The baseplate of the RM56-02 is fashioned from grade 5 titanium and is most remarkably entirely suspended within the sapphire case by specially developed, single-braided titanium cable with a thickness of only 0.35 mm. The cable is threaded within a system of 10 pulleys, 4 pulleys on posts at the movement’s corners, and another 6 pulleys positioned along the movement’s periphery. The tension of the cable is controlled by a miniature ratchet at 9 o’clock and a separate indicator located below 12 o’clock. The transparent dial with titanium minute ring and luminous hour indexes displays the tourbillon in the lower part of the dial.
The luxury of the RM56-02 is not only in its incredible looks, but in the connoisseur’s appreciation of the amazing technical and manufacturing know-how necessary to have made such a watch, a reality. This concept also applies to the pared-down, yet visually striking design aesthetic whereby the movement appears to be simply suspended and "floating" in the case, and in the same way that a supercar engine is placed into the chassis without any extraneous frills or unnecessary detailing.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille established his brand in 1999 with Dominique Guenat and Audemars Piguet. The mission was to push high-end, handmade watchmaking to the very limits of technical innovation. Richard Mille watches are now regarded as the ultimate expression of luxury and are among the most valuable timepieces in the world. They are revered for their bold, futuristic design, extreme resistance, and quality.
Richard Mille launched its first watch, the manually wound Richard Mille RM001 in 2001. The entire production run of 80 units sold out almost immediately. The prototype RM056 contains one of the most complicated movements to have appeared in a Richard Mille watch to date. The second prototype of the first edition of the RM056 sold for $1.2 million at Christie’s in 2017. The RM008 contains the same complicated movement.
Another defining feature of Richard Mille watches is their featherweight feel. The seemingly bulky reference RM 50-03, a McLaren-Richard Mille collaboration, weighs less than 40 grams. In 2021, the first Richard Mille Ferrari collaborative timepiece was released. At just 1.75 millimeters thick, the RM UP-01 is a triumph of technical prowess.
The brand reinforces its exclusivity by partnering with sporting ambassadors at the top of their game. These include Formula One driver Felipe Massa, American golfer Bubba Watson, and tennis star Rafael Nadal. For Nadal, Mille wanted to develop a watch that he could wear during matches. The Spaniard broke five prototypes before the Richard Mille Nadal RM027 which weighed just 20 grams, was finalized.
Fewer than 5,000 Richard Mille watches are made annually, making them highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Strong Richard Mille watch prices at auction reflect this. In 2022, a skeletonized Richard Mille Tourbillon Sapphire wristwatch (RM56-01) sold for CHF 3,654,000 at Christie’s in Geneva. It was then the most expensive Richard Mille watch ever sold at auction.
Without doubt one of the most coveted and wondrous of Richard Mille timepieces, this incredible and spectacular "full set" Tourbillon Sapphire RM56-02 AO is an astonishing accomplishment both in the use of groundbreaking materials and micro-engineering. The present watch is, to the best of our knowledge, only the second example of this reference to be offered at international auction. First showcased at the Hong Kong Watches and Wonders in 2015, the RM056-02 is a byword for innovation, a world-class masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Made in a limited edition of only 10 examples, the RM56-02 AO is certainly one of Richard Mille’s most ambitious creations to date. Remarkable in its materials, construction, and designed as a single entity, the model is significant for both its case and for its movement which feature a cable and pulley system that suspends the movement within the sapphire case. This system is descended from that used for the RM27-01 Rafael Nadal watch. The three component parts of the case are crafted from single blocks of transparent sapphire crystal. Sapphire crystal is incredibly hard to machine and only made possible due to the brands unrivalled experience of working with innovative materials and the purchase of a specialist machine first used for the RM56-01. The work was done by world-class experts in sapphire crystal cutting at Stettler of Lyss in Switzerland where the machining of the three case parts took an incredible 40 days, 24-hours per day, followed by a further 400 hours to finish and polish the movement components.
The amazing transparent movement was made possible due to the experience gained during production of the RM18 which has a baseplate and bridge in the same material. Technically very impressive, as expected from Richard Mille, the high-precision sapphire crystal and titanium movement is unaffected by temperature or wear. For even greater transparency, the barrel bridge, central bridge, tourbillon bridge and third wheel are all machined from sapphire crystal.
The baseplate of the RM56-02 is fashioned from grade 5 titanium and is most remarkably entirely suspended within the sapphire case by specially developed, single-braided titanium cable with a thickness of only 0.35 mm. The cable is threaded within a system of 10 pulleys, 4 pulleys on posts at the movement’s corners, and another 6 pulleys positioned along the movement’s periphery. The tension of the cable is controlled by a miniature ratchet at 9 o’clock and a separate indicator located below 12 o’clock. The transparent dial with titanium minute ring and luminous hour indexes displays the tourbillon in the lower part of the dial.
The luxury of the RM56-02 is not only in its incredible looks, but in the connoisseur’s appreciation of the amazing technical and manufacturing know-how necessary to have made such a watch, a reality. This concept also applies to the pared-down, yet visually striking design aesthetic whereby the movement appears to be simply suspended and "floating" in the case, and in the same way that a supercar engine is placed into the chassis without any extraneous frills or unnecessary detailing.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille established his brand in 1999 with Dominique Guenat and Audemars Piguet. The mission was to push high-end, handmade watchmaking to the very limits of technical innovation. Richard Mille watches are now regarded as the ultimate expression of luxury and are among the most valuable timepieces in the world. They are revered for their bold, futuristic design, extreme resistance, and quality.
Richard Mille launched its first watch, the manually wound Richard Mille RM001 in 2001. The entire production run of 80 units sold out almost immediately. The prototype RM056 contains one of the most complicated movements to have appeared in a Richard Mille watch to date. The second prototype of the first edition of the RM056 sold for $1.2 million at Christie’s in 2017. The RM008 contains the same complicated movement.
Another defining feature of Richard Mille watches is their featherweight feel. The seemingly bulky reference RM 50-03, a McLaren-Richard Mille collaboration, weighs less than 40 grams. In 2021, the first Richard Mille Ferrari collaborative timepiece was released. At just 1.75 millimeters thick, the RM UP-01 is a triumph of technical prowess.
The brand reinforces its exclusivity by partnering with sporting ambassadors at the top of their game. These include Formula One driver Felipe Massa, American golfer Bubba Watson, and tennis star Rafael Nadal. For Nadal, Mille wanted to develop a watch that he could wear during matches. The Spaniard broke five prototypes before the Richard Mille Nadal RM027 which weighed just 20 grams, was finalized.
Fewer than 5,000 Richard Mille watches are made annually, making them highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Strong Richard Mille watch prices at auction reflect this. In 2022, a skeletonized Richard Mille Tourbillon Sapphire wristwatch (RM56-01) sold for CHF 3,654,000 at Christie’s in Geneva. It was then the most expensive Richard Mille watch ever sold at auction.