Singer Pharrell Williams, French watchmaker Richard Mille and Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake at the Le Mans Classic race in 2016.
Photographer: Jean-Francois Monier/AFP/Getty Images
How Richard Mille Watches Became Code for Extravagant Wealth
The distinctive timepieces are worn by celebrities and the ultrarich, and on television and in movies they’re used to signal a very specific kind of status.
A Richard Mille Co. watch is a powerful symbol of wealth for anyone who’s in-the-know enough to recognize its familiar contours.
The French company produces only about 5,300 a year, which cost an average of $250,000. Designed to withstand high gravitational forces, they’re worn by athletes at Formula One races, golf tournaments and yachting regattas. They also grace the wrists of musicians including Pharrell Williams and Ice-T.