At Richard Mille Watches, everyone is aware of the fact that creating a watch
brand from the ground up is not something you do every day of the week. In the transition
period from "garage brand" to a full-fledged company, standing shoulder to shoulder with major
houses is a tricky endeavor, especially when considering the competitive market and the changing
tides of fashion and taste.
 Nonetheless,
this has not prevented the watches of the fledgling company from appearing on the covers of nearly
every watch magazine in the world, despite the small amount of wristwatches created yearly
(in 2006, that meant 1,500 watches).
This
success seems to stem from a unique combination of "made in Switzerland" with the
indefinable savoir-faire of Richard Mille the man, whose cultural heritage and schooling are deeply
French in character, combined with his intense, highly personal fascination with new developments
in technology and science.
Part
of the Richard Mille success story must be attributed to the fact that watch collectors realize
that a true distinction can be drawn between mechanical wristwatch novelties that are meant solely
to please the eye, and those that show some real horological merit.
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This
is watchmaking that encompasses precision and extreme detailing fueled with a deep need
to go to the edge, follow alternative routes unused by others and extend limits.
It simultaneously defies being defined, something Mille feels quite strongly about.
Pigeonholing provokes a near allergic reaction in Mille, and is not part of his forward-looking
mentality.
This
fits well with the emerging brand’s development; it has to remain true to its original DNA,
yet find several modes of expression for creativity and provide clients with new impulses and
ideas in order not to become static. The new pieces in the 2007 collection fulfill this goal
and supply fresh developments typical of Mille’s vision.
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