For those collectors who appreciate a splash of color, the new Richard Mille collaboration with graffiti artist Cyril Phan, aka Kongo, may be a perfect fit. The ‘RM 68-01 Tourbillon’ features eye-popping airbrushing and hand-painted detail in a rainbow’s worth of colors.
Because of the watch’s strict engineering guidelines, the paint had to be tested so as not to interfere with the titanium movement or upset the balancing, a process that incorporated special tweezers and miniaturized stencils and airbrush pens. The whole process took approximately a year to perfect.
The asymmetrical watch casing features black ceramic and NTPT Carbon, as well as a sapphire crystal backing so the painted pieces can be seen even from behind.
This contemporary masterpiece will be produced in a limited edition of 30, going on sale for $685,000 in July.