RICHARD MILLE – Monographie I｜English edition

English edition

Richard Mille – Monograph (I): The definitive technical reference on ultra-high-performance watchmaking

The Richard Mille – Monograph (I) is a unique, limited collector-grade volume that delves into the evolution of some of the most extreme timepieces ever created by the brand. From RM 002 through RM 038, this book explores the mechanical architecture, the materials (titanium, carbon, TPT®), the winding systems, the movement innovations and the design philosophy that stand at the heart of Richard Mille’s watches. With a foreword by Jean Todt and essays by Théodore Diehl, Julien Boillat and Mélanie Treton-Monceyron, the book provides a comprehensive account of how Richard Mille conceived ultra-high-performance watches that combine tourbillon, chronograph, split-seconds and ultraflat architectures in a wrist-mounted case.

Book overview — materials, movement and performance

The editions cover not just the case design or dial finish but go deep into the calibre, the balance system, the winding mechanism, the power-reserve indicator, and the technical details such as microblasted and polished screws. The reader will discover how the movement – hand-wound or automatic – is engineered with grade 5 titanium baseplates, carbon TPT® bridges, and ultra-lightweight alloys, enabling the watches to deliver exceptional performance. The design of each case, the use of screws, the manipulation of hours and seconds, the manual winding function and the split-seconds chronograph complication all reflect a singular vision: to merge material science and aesthetic power in one timepiece.

Richard Mille’s journey: from engineer to revolution in watchmaking

After studying marketing and working in Finhor in 1974, Richard Mille built a long path through the watch industry before founding his own brand in 2001. The brand focused on high-priced watches using aerospace materials and radical design. It specialised in high-performance watches for demanding collectors, always incorporating new materials (titanium, carbon, graphene) and novel movement architectures. Richard Mille’s approach to watchmaking placed emphasis on movement innovation, material research and design purity, making each watch a technical statement and a design object. The company, headquartered in Les Breuleux, Switzerland, along with its research and manufacturing group, set new benchmarks for timepieces with exceptional performance, refined case construction, and a strong narrative around materials and engineering.

The first watch: the RM 001 Tourbillon and the birth of a new era

The brand’s very first watch, the RM 001 Tourbillon, launched in 2001 as a manually-wound tourbillon featuring a power-reserve indicator and torque indicator, presented at Baselworld after years of research and prototypes. Limited to only 17 pieces, the RM 001 laid the foundation for the subsequent RM 002, which introduced a titanium baseplate and a function indicator for winding, neutral and hand-setting. The RM 001 Tourbillon set the tone by combining high-grade movement engineering, advanced materials, and a dramatic case design—a blueprint for the brand’s future timepieces. It marked the beginning of a catalogue of watches in which the movement, materials and design are inseparable, demonstrating how a wrist-worn ride on a mechanical engine can express the same values as a racing car: power, precision, endurance.

Key Features

• In-depth technical profile of watches RM 002 to RM 038, including movement, case, tourbillon and split-seconds chronograph functions.
• Focus on advanced materials: grade 5 titanium, carbon TPT®, new alloys and finishes (microblasted, polished screws).
• Detailed documentation of winding systems, power-reserve indicators, hours, seconds and hand-mechanisms.
• Rich imagery of case architecture, dial design, calibre bridges, and high-performance mechanical components.
• A reference work for collectors, engineers, designers and all lovers of high-performance timepieces.

Why this book matters

This monograph demonstrates how Richard Mille created a new segment of ultra-luxury watches – a merger of mechanical technology, high-grade materials and bold design. For anyone seeking to understand how a watch can embody performance, material advancement, engineering prowess and aesthetic ambition, this book is indispensable. Whether you follow Patek, Rolex or independent watchmakers, the Richard Mille catalogue stands apart by its relentless focus on movement engineering, materials innovation and design integrity.

Technical Specifications

English edition｜Published March 2013｜488 pages｜29 × 34.8 cm｜5.36 kg｜Hardcover, bound with slipcase｜ISBN 9782702209646