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HOURS
At Richard Mille, watch design
goes beyond timekeepingThe passage of time has long played a role in art, from
the melting pocket watches in Salvador Dalí’s The
Persistence Of Memory (1931) to the montage of film
and television images of timepieces in the video artist
Christian Marclay’s acclaimed installation The Clock
(2010). Today, art also plays a significant role in time
thanks to the Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille. For
him, watches are a means of creative expression, rather
than just tools for timekeeping.
Mille’s namesake marque,
founded in 2001 with his good
friend Dominique Guenat, is
inextricably linked with the art
world. An integral part of the
group is Les Editions Cercle
d’Art, the Parisian publishing
house that represents a vital
moment in modern art, having
collaborated with major 20th-
century figures such as Pablo
Picasso and Georges Braque.
The brand has also worked
with contemporary creatives,
such as the graffiti artist Cyril
Phan (also known as Cyril
Kongo) and the dancer and choreographer
Benjamin Millepied. Phan used a specially
developed micro airbrush to spray-paint the
small surface of the RM 68-01; on the back, the
baseplate resembles a splash of paint, while on
the front, the movement bridges evoke gestural
brushstrokes. These partnerships see timepieces
t ur ned into ca nva ses for sel f- ex pression.
Last year marked the start of another fruitful
creative collaboration, this time with the world’s
principal platform for modern and contemporary art: Frieze.
The Richard Mille lounge at this month’s Frieze Masters in
London’s Regent’s Park will highlight the brand’s focus on visual
and horological arts, with a striking installation of watch parts
displayed as miniature sculptures. Each component featurescomplex shapes that have been hand-
embellished, further emphasising the
watchmaker’s craftsmanship. ‘It’s about
accentuating the artistry of the watch,’
says the Richard Mille horologist and
spokesman Theodore Diehl. ‘The in–
side of a watch is a three-dimensional
playground for artistic expression.’
The company’s collection of more than 80
models is celebrated for its opulent materials
and precise clockwork. Each distinctive piece
ju x taposes timeless methods, such a s ena mel-
ling, with contemporary designs and function.
The rectangular RM 020 pocket watch, for
example, combines 18th-century horological
values with 21st-century equipment: it is a
modern update of a golden-age classic, with
a baseplate made from carbon nanofiber, origi-
nally used in US Air Force jets. Meanwhile, the
manually wound RM 031 features a highly advanced regu-
lating mechanism that makes it the most accurate watch ever
made. As well as looking sharp, you’ll never be late again.
Richard Mille is at Frieze Masters (www.frieze.com/fairs/frieze-
masters) in London from 3-6 October. Visit http://www.richardmille.comFrom top: the RM
07-02 Automatic
Pink Lady. A
craftsman adds
hand embellishment.
The face of the RM
37-01 Automatic
Sucette being fired