What bliss, but it’s just for the top 50 wealthiest amateurs…
In this, the jubilee year of the well-known yellow figure with a smiley face, the release of this new RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley was anticipated. We have been discussing it for several months, and now that it has finally been shown, we can see that it has a golden Smiley and a colorful appearance that are both sumptuous and in no way serious. In April of 2016, Messika was the one that smiled their way through the celebration of Smiley’s 50th anniversary. After that, the French brand came up with the idea of two diamond-paved pendants to commemorate the yellow face, which was made popular by a Frenchman fifty years ago. This design was initially created by an American in the 1960s, but it was especially popularised from 1972 onward by the journalist Franklin Loufrani, on the black and white one from France-Soir to draw attention to a new, daily, and positive section: “Take the time to smile.” Indeed, very few people remember it because this symbol has become so widespread, but this design was initially created by an American in the 1960s.
This autumn, it is the turn of the extreme watchmaker, Richard Mille, to take the time to smile with this limited edition of 50 pieces. It is equipped with the brand-new in-house automatic tourbillon caliber CRMT7, and it features a rainbow in the colored varnish, which alone required dozens of hours of work. Its casing is constructed out of a white ATZ ceramic, which is famous for its resistance to scuffs, shocks, and friction, in addition to its ability to maintain its whiteness over time. It creates a striking contrast with the red gold that is used for the middle of the case, while the yellow gold that is used for the crown is formed like a priceless smiley face.
Olivier Kuhn, the engraver, has signed each of these miniature sculptures. Richard Mille
A true celebration of intricacy, wit, and attention to detail can be found on the dial of this witty and expensive luxury watch. A burgeoning flower, a warm sun, a gourmet pineapple, a regenerating cactus, a flamboyant pink flamingo, and a rainbow… of micro sculptures signed by the engraver Olivier Kuhn are just some of the jovial and eccentric ornamental elements that abound. This spirit is reminiscent of the house collection that was recently inspired by sweets: a blooming flower, a warm sun, and a gourmet pineapple, It would have been necessary to equip the RM 88 with a double plate to accommodate the core figure of the Smiley as well as all of these decorations. One, which is technical, is responsible for supporting the movement, and the other, which is auxiliary, is responsible for accommodating the ornamental subjects that are located on the left side of the dial.
A wealth of illustrative particulars and hues. Richard Mille
Due to the requirements of Haute Horlogerie, each of the finishes seen on this RM 88 was crafted by hand. The leaves have a coating of green PVD, the bark of the pineapple has been micro-blasted and polished, and the thorns of the cactus have been micro-blasted in yellow gold, precisely like the rays of the sun are polished. Even though each of the fifty whimsical pieces in this limited edition costs more than one million euros, I have my doubts that they will stay on the market for very long…