Pharrell Williams’ connection with Richard Mille dates to 2006, when the watchmaker took notice of the musician’s lyrics in Can I Have It Like That, recorded with Gwen Stefani. The relationship eventually led to the RM 52-05 Tourbillon Pharrell Williams, introduced in 2019 as a limited edition of 30 pieces. Priced at approximately $969,000 at launch, the watch translates Williams’ fascination with space into one of Richard Mille’s distinctive artistic collaborations. Its dial depicts an astronaut on Mars, with Earth reflected in the helmet’s visor.
The dial combines sculpted Grade 5 titanium, 5N gold, grand feu enamel and hand-painted details. Blue aventurine glass evokes a distant star field, while engraving and miniature painting bring depth to the astronaut’s helmet and surrounding landscape. The aerospace theme continues through the tonneau-shaped case, combining brown Cermet with Carbon TPT®. A Grade 5 titanium baseplate and skeletonised bridges evoke rocket launch structures, while the crown takes its design from a rocket capsule, with rubber detailing inspired by a Martian rover tyre.
Inside, the manually wound movement features a tourbillon, hours and minutes display, and a 42-hour power reserve. Limited to 30 examples, the RM 52-05 occupies a distinctive position among Richard Mille’s artist collaborations. Sotheby’s sold one example for HK$12.55 million in October 2023, approximately $1.6 million at the time. While a single auction result does not establish a consistent market value, it places the RM 52-05 among the more significant collector pieces in the brand’s artistic collaborations. Its appeal lies in the combination of limited production, intricate dial craftsmanship and a design conceived with Pharrell Williams.
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