Richard Mille

In 2019, Richard Mille collaborated with Pharrell Williams, the acclaimed singer, songwriter and producer, to launch the RM 52-05 timepiece. Pharrell drew inspiration from his childhood fascination with space. The planet Mars, with its poetic beauty and unexplored mysteries, served as a unique concept for a watch.

The dial of the RM 52-05 was personally designed by Pharrell, featuring an astronaut on Mars with Earth reflected in the visor. Each dial underwent a meticulous artistic process to bring the imaginary Martian scene to life, starting with hand-engraving the basic outline of the scene using specially created burins, then glazing with grand feu enamel, before being hand-painted. The visor rests on the grade 5 titanium helmet that is attached to the upper part of a spacesuit, also in grade 5 titanium. It has been painted white using an airbrush that was initially developed for street artist Cyril Kongo, who hand-painted the RM 68-01. Lastly, large inserts of blue aventurine glass are incorporated into the backdrop, representing the abyss of space visible from both the front and back of the watch, while the tourbillon can be seen at 6 o’clock. 

The case is constructed of brown Cermet, which combines the lightweight properties of titanium with the hardness of ceramic. It consists of a metallic zirconium matrix blended with high-performance ceramic, resulting in a stunning brown hue with metallic reflections. This exceptional material is well-suited for use in bezels and case backs, areas prone to scratches, while maintaining a lightweight construction. These elements are affixed to the Carbon TPT® case bands, further reducing the overall weight of the timepiece.

Limited to only 30 pieces, the RM 52-05 is a bold and artistic creation that reflects Pharrell Williams' creative vision.