Richard Mille

Who are Richard Mille?

Richard Mille is a Swiss watchmaker based in Les Breuleux, in the Jura, founded in 2001 by Richard Mille and Dominique Guenat. It makes mechanical watches in small numbers, named by model number rather than by collection. This page covers its history, models and ownership, then what to check when buying a pre-owned Richard Mille in the UK.

The brand is young by Swiss standards: its first watch, the RM 001 Tourbillon, appeared in 2001 (Richard Mille). It describes its watches as produced “in limited quantities” and lists more than eighty models (Richard Mille). It is privately owned and does not publish results; Wikipedia gives a figure of about 4,800 watches made in 2018.

The history of Richard Mille

Richard Mille’s history is short: planning in 1998 and 1999, a first watch at Baselworld in 2001, and growth since then through its own group of suppliers. The key dates are the RM 001 (2001), the purchase of the case maker ProArt (2013), the brand’s own pre-owned programme (2015) and the handover to the founders’ children.

Before the brand. Richard Mille was born in Draguignan, France, in 1951. He worked at the watch firm Finhor from 1974, stayed after Matra bought it in 1981, and left in 1992 to run watchmaking for the jeweller Mauboussin (Wikipedia). In late 1998 he took his plans to Dominique Guenat, owner of the Jura watch company Montres Valgine, and in early 1999 the two drew them up with Valgine and Audemars Piguet (Wikipedia).

The first watch. The RM 001 Tourbillon, a hand-wound watch, was shown at Baselworld in 2001 after about three years of research and prototypes (Wikipedia). Richard Mille calls it “the first watch ever to bear the Richard Mille name” (Richard Mille). Sources disagree on how many were made; we have not found a brand figure, so we leave it out.

Lightweight sports watches. Early models were built around partnerships with sportsmen. The RM 006 Felipe Massa Tourbillon of 2004 weighed 48 g without its strap, and the RM 027 made for Rafael Nadal in 2007 weighed 20 g with its strap (Wikipedia). Nadal has worn the brand since 2010 (Wikipedia).

Building a group. The business is split across several companies. Horométrie SA handles distribution, Guenat SA Montres Valgine handles design and assembly, ProArt makes cases and movement parts such as baseplates, bridges and screws, and VMDH in La Chaux-de-Fonds makes dials (Wikipedia). In April 2013 Mille and Guenat bought 90% of Prototypes Artisanals SA, which became ProArt (Wikipedia).

Turning down a buyer. In June 2013 Reuters reported that PPR, the group now called Kering, was in talks to buy 51% of Richard Mille (SJX Watches). Wikipedia records that the brand declined the proposal.

Recent years. Richard Mille began selling pre-owned watches through approved retailers in 2015 (Richard Mille). In February 2021 it announced a multi-year partnership with Scuderia Ferrari, which had not renewed its contract with Hublot (Swisswatches Magazine). In July 2022 it presented the RM UP-01 Ferrari at 1.75 mm thick, which Swisswatches reported as thinner than the record set earlier that year by Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra. By 2025 the company was run by the next generation of both founding families, with Richard Mille described as an “active retiree” (Worldtempus).

What is Richard Mille known for?

Richard Mille is known for curved tonneau-shaped cases, open dials that show the movement, very light watches, and materials taken from aerospace and motor racing, such as titanium and Carbon TPT. It is also known for long partnerships with athletes and racing teams.

Function first. The brand says its design is driven by function: “the concept defines the components, the components do not define the watch” (Richard Mille). It says there are “virtually no standard pieces” in its watches, and that each spline screw takes more than 20 operations to make (Richard Mille).

Materials. Richard Mille lists titanium, carbon nanofibres, ALUSIC, aluminium-lithium, Phynox, Carbon TPT and graphene among the materials it has used (Richard Mille). Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT, made of many thin layers, were developed with the supplier North Thin Ply Technology (Wikipedia).

Weight and shock resistance. The brand describes the RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal Tourbillon as weighing 18.84 g with its strap (Richard Mille). Wikipedia reports that the RM 27-03 was built to withstand shocks of 10,000 g, and that Felipe Massa’s RM 006 was undamaged in his 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix accident.

Movements. Richard Mille’s first automatic calibre made in-house was the CRMA1, used in the RM 037, and its first in-house automatic tourbillon was the CRMT1, used in the RM 71-01 (Wikipedia). Audemars Piguet was involved from the start and was reported in 2013 to hold a stake (SJX Watches). Which current models use movements made outside the group is not clear from the sources we found. Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why buyers ask.

Partnerships. Besides Nadal and Ferrari, the brand has long sponsored McLaren in Formula 1, and it took over as Ferrari’s watch partner from Hublot in 2021. Both Wikipedia and Crash.net describe a ten-year deal agreed in 2016, but they differ on when it ends: Wikipedia says 2025, Crash.net says 2026.

Which Richard Mille collections are there?

Richard Mille does not use collection names in the usual way. Each watch is an RM number, and the brand’s site groups them by type: automatic winding, manual winding, tourbillons, chronographs, extra-flat models and a ladies’ collection. Many models are made for a partner or in limited numbers.

The collections table on this page lists the main groups. A few points help when you are reading listings:

• The reference is the model. “RM 011”, “RM 035” or “RM 67-02” identifies the watch. The number after the hyphen marks a later version of the same family, for example RM 07-01 and RM 07-02 (Richard Mille).
• Partner editions. Many references carry a name, such as Rafael Nadal, Ferrari, McLaren or Le Mans Classic (Richard Mille). Check that the dial, caseback and papers all match the edition named in the listing.
• Limited numbers. The RM UP-01 Ferrari, for example, is limited to 150 pieces (Swisswatches Magazine). A limited model should carry its number, and the papers should match it.
• Historical models. The brand’s site has a separate section for models no longer made (Richard Mille), so a reference missing from the current range is not a sign that something is wrong.

Who owns Richard Mille?

Richard Mille is privately owned by its founding families, Mille and Guenat. In 2025 Worldtempus reported that the company was kept in the family, run by the founders’ children, and “not for sale”. Audemars Piguet was reported in 2013 to hold a 10% stake.

The 2013 report, from Reuters via SJX Watches, said Audemars Piguet would keep its 10% stake under the deal then being discussed with PPR. We found no recent source confirming whether it still holds that stake.

The four managers named by Worldtempus in November 2025 are Amanda Mille (brand and partnership director), Alexandre Mille (commercial director), Cécile Guenat (creation and development director) and Maxime Guenat (manufacture general director). In the UK, Richard Mille Europe, Middle East and Africa Limited has been registered since 17 January 2007, with a London registered office (Companies House).

Buying a pre-owned Richard Mille in the UK: what to check

Check that the reference and case number on the watch match its papers, that the papers and service records are genuine, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. Then decide what guarantee you need: watches sold through Richard Mille’s own pre-owned programme come with a 24-month international warranty.

1. Papers and the full set. A watch from the brand’s pre-owned programme comes with a service booklet, a certificate of authenticity and a 24-month warranty certificate (Richard Mille). For a watch from any other seller, ask exactly which items are included and whether they are originals. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves and what it does not.

2. Authenticity. Fake Richard Mille watches exist. The brand’s own site has a separate digital warranty for some recent models, currently the RM 43-01 and RM UP-01 Ferrari, which lets owners transfer ownership securely (Richard Mille). For other models, buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

3. Stolen-watch check. Before you pay, check the case number against a stolen-watch register and ask the seller to confirm the watch is not reported lost or stolen. Ninety, the brand’s London pre-owned partner, says it checks each watch against stolen lists and checks its provenance (Swisswatches Magazine). Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers and how to use them.

4. Servicing. Richard Mille advises a service every three years, and a yearly water-resistance check if the watch is often in water (Richard Mille). It also says work done outside its network “will completely void the warranty” (Richard Mille). Ask when the watch was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork.

5. Warranty. Richard Mille describes a “3+2” warranty. A 2011 report explained this as three years, extended to five if the watch is serviced by an official agent before the end of the third year, and said the warranty transfers automatically to a new owner (Worldtempus, November 2011). The brand’s current page names the 3+2 concept but does not set out the terms. A dealer’s own warranty is a promise from the dealer, not from Richard Mille. See watch warranties explained.

6. Who you buy from. There are three main routes in the UK:

Sources: Richard Mille, pre-owned programme; Swisswatches Magazine, Ninety (checked 29 October 2026).

Ninety, at 90 Mount Street, is the brand’s listed pre-owned retailer in London (Richard Mille), and Swisswatches reports that it can service about three-quarters of the range in-house, sending some older models back to Switzerland. For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer, and for buying from an individual, private seller or dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

When was Richard Mille founded?

In 2001, by Richard Mille and Dominique Guenat. Its first watch, the RM 001 Tourbillon, was shown at Baselworld that year (Wikipedia; Richard Mille).

Where are Richard Mille watches made?

In Switzerland. The company is based in Les Breuleux in the Jura, with cases and components made by ProArt and dials by VMDH in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Wikipedia).

Who owns Richard Mille?

The founding Mille and Guenat families. Worldtempus reported in 2025 that the company is run by the founders’ children and is “not for sale”. Audemars Piguet was reported to hold 10% in 2013 (SJX Watches).

Is Richard Mille a French brand?

No. Richard Mille himself is French, born in Draguignan, but the company is Swiss and based in Les Breuleux (Wikipedia).

What do the numbers in Richard Mille model names mean?

Each model is an RM number, such as RM 011 or RM 67-02. A number after the hyphen marks a later version of the same family (Richard Mille).

What is Carbon TPT?

A material made of many thin layers of carbon fibre, developed with the supplier North Thin Ply Technology and used in cases such as the RM 27-02 Rafael Nadal (Wikipedia).

Does Richard Mille sell pre-owned watches?

Yes. Since 2015 it has sold serviced second-hand watches through approved retailers, with a service booklet, certificate of authenticity and 24-month warranty. In London the retailer is Ninety in Mayfair (Richard Mille).

How often does a Richard Mille need servicing?

The brand advises every three years, with a yearly water-resistance check if the watch is often in water (Richard Mille).

Can I buy a pre-owned Richard Mille without papers?

You can, but without papers you rely more heavily on the seller’s written guarantee, an independent watchmaker’s check and a stolen-watch check. Agree in writing that you get a full refund if the watch is later found not to be genuine.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Richard Mille.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.