SWEET VICTORY
Richard Mille’s new Bonbon collection for the brand’s final appearance at SIHH is our latest guilty pleasure
Let’s face it: Richard Mille isn’t known for his subtle statements. We’re talking about the man whose ambassador athletes wear his timepieces in actual competitions. Yes, the man who’s known to fling million-dollar tourbillon watches against hard concrete and press corkscrews against watch cases to prove a point.
So on the occasion of the eponymous brand’s final appearance at the Salon de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), having announced that it was pulling out of the annual luxury watch trade show in Geneva after 2019, the watch company did what everyone expected – it went out with a bang.
Richard Mille’s new Bonbon collection was one of the most talked about at SIHH 2019 and its candy store-themed booth one of the most visited. Frankly speaking, in an environment so saturated by brands (and people) who take themselves way too seriously, it’s extremely refreshing to see that an idea as simple and fun as sweets could be turned into a fullfledged collection. It shocked, it delighted, it left people speechless… it was everyone’s childhood dream.
The 10 brightly coloured references in the Bonbon collection can be divided into two families. The Sweets includes four references: the RM 07- 03 Cupcake and Marshmallow, the RM 16- 01 Réglisse and the RM 37- 01 Sucette. The Fruits family includes the other six: the
RM 07- 03 Litchi and Myrtille, the RM 16- 01 Fraise and Citron, and the RM 37- 01 Cerise and Kiwi.
Bonbons aren’t just the inspiration; they’re the literal depiction. Marshmallows, lollipops, sour candy belts, gumdrops and liquorice all whet the appetite for some remarkable pieces indeed. The miniature fruits and candies that cling onto the titanium bridges are also made of titanium and hand- painted to imitate the glossy candied fruit slices and sour pops, while cupcake swirls and the impressive pastel marshmallow are hand- enamelled. Instead of the usual glossy enamel finishing, Richard Mille had the enamel dials sanded down to achieve the sof t, airy texture of marshmallow and frosting. The theme might be light- hearted, but the technique is anything but. This is a serious display of uncompromising craftsmanship.
Not to be taken lightly, either, is the watchmaking that goes behind each and every timepiece. The RM 07- 03, RM 16- 01 and RM 37- 01 aren’t new on the market, but established models in the brand’s history. There are some who will love the open-worked versions, where you can gaze into the automatic in- house calibres, while others will be equally mesmerised by the hand- enamelled dials and the vivid cases.
Perhaps no one else has mastered the use of coloured ceramics as much as Richard Mille has. On the RM 07- 03 Marshmallow, we see lavender pink TZP ceramic with white ATZ ceramic. The RM 07- 03 Cupcake is a beautiful mix of dark blue and sky blue TZP ceramic, while the RM 16- 01 Réglisse combines blush pink TZP ceramic with yellow TZP ceramic.
There’s an inexplicable joy in seeing the Bonbon collection, and it’s easy to see how these watches could appeal to the whimsy and emotions of even the fussiest and most solemn collector. It’s a candy that even stern Crazy Rich Asians mother Michelle Yeoh is sure to approve. Treat yourself before they’re gone; each reference is only limited to 30 pieces.