Manufacturer: Richard Mille Year: Circa 2012 Reference No: RM016 AJ WG/1198 Movement No: 7011 Model Name: RM016 Material: 18K white gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. RMAS7, 32 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Richard Mille deployant clasp Dimensions: 50mm length x 38mm width Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Richard Mille warranty stamped Richard Mille EMEA and dated 29th February 2012, service invoice, instruction manual, product literature, photographs, fitted winding presentation box and outer packaging. Provenance: Unique and undaunting, the present timepiece caught the eye of Roberto Firmino, the now-football-champion, when it was first auctioned in 2012. At the time, the season of 2012 – 2013 marked a momentous year for the budding Brazilian player, making a name for himself as an attacking midfielder who scored seven goals for the German team, Hoffenheim. But before his career skyrocketed, he started from humble beginnings as just a small boy with big dreams who was mad about football.
Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira, better known as “Bobby” to Liverpool fans, was born in 1991 and originated from a poverty-stricken neighbourhood in Brazil. Remembered as a quiet and timid child, he kept his friends close, but his football closer, and grew up playing on the dangerous streets of Trapiche da Barra. Sometimes, his mother would catch him practicing his kick-ups with an orange when his ball was nowhere in sight. But other times, the star-to-be would evade his protective mother and jump over the backwalls of his house just to get a few hours of game time with his coach and classmates.
Three weeks after Firmino's 18th birthday, he made his professional debut bearing the black and white stripes of Figueirense, wearing the number 16. With his career on track, the footballer was discovered in 2010 by Ernest Tanner, Hoffenheim’s sporting director, who convinced him to sign with the German team despite attracting scouts from Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven. According to Tanner, Firmino’s ability was not the only thing that set him apart, but it was his resilience and sedulous mentality that makes him hard to replace. After playing in Germany for almost five years, he transferred to Liverpool in the summer of 2015 and went on to being one of the most celebrated centre forwards of the Premier League Club. Adored by The Reds fans across the globe, Firmino became the first Brazilian player to score 50 goals in the Premier League when he netted the third and final goal in a 3–0 win over Burnley in 2019.
Known for his speed, agility and impeccable vision, Firmino not only plays for Liverpool FC now but is also on the Brazilian national team as a versatile player who could adapt to any position, spanning from forward, winger, central midfielder or even centre-forward. Among his many achievements, “Bobby” is arguably most recognised for his titles as the Champions League Winner in 18/19, the UEFA Supercup Winner in the 19/20 season and the FIFA Club World Cup Winner in 2020.
Provenance
Unique and undaunting, the present timepiece caught the eye of Roberto Firmino, the now-football-champion, when it was first auctioned in 2012. At the time, the season of 2012 – 2013 marked a momentous year for the budding Brazilian player, making a name for himself as an attacking midfielder who scored seven goals for the German team, Hoffenheim. But before his career skyrocketed, he started from humble beginnings as just a small boy with big dreams who was mad about football.
Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira, better known as “Bobby” to Liverpool fans, was born in 1991 and originated from a poverty-stricken neighbourhood in Brazil. Remembered as a quiet and timid child, he kept his friends close, but his football closer, and grew up playing on the dangerous streets of Trapiche da Barra. Sometimes, his mother would catch him practicing his kick-ups with an orange when his ball was nowhere in sight. But other times, the star-to-be would evade his protective mother and jump over the backwalls of his house just to get a few hours of game time with his coach and classmates.
Three weeks after Firmino's 18th birthday, he made his professional debut bearing the black and white stripes of Figueirense, wearing the number 16. With his career on track, the footballer was discovered in 2010 by Ernest Tanner, Hoffenheim’s sporting director, who convinced him to sign with the German team despite attracting scouts from Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven. According to Tanner, Firmino’s ability was not the only thing that set him apart, but it was his resilience and sedulous mentality that makes him hard to replace. After playing in Germany for almost five years, he transferred to Liverpool in the summer of 2015 and went on to being one of the most celebrated centre forwards of the Premier League Club. Adored by The Reds fans across the globe, Firmino became the first Brazilian player to score 50 goals in the Premier League when he netted the third and final goal in a 3–0 win over Burnley in 2019.
Known for his speed, agility and impeccable vision, Firmino not only plays for Liverpool FC now but is also on the Brazilian national team as a versatile player who could adapt to any position, spanning from forward, winger, central midfielder or even centre-forward. Among his many achievements, “Bobby” is arguably most recognised for his titles as the Champions League Winner in 18/19, the UEFA Supercup Winner in the 19/20 season and the FIFA Club World Cup Winner in 2020.
Catalogue Essay
A man of many hats, Richard Mille is not just a visionaire in ultra-luxurious watchmaking but has always been a keen philanthropist. In 2012, he joined forces with an esteemed auction house to raise funds for “Help Them Onlus”, a non-profit pledged to better the lives of children in need. Aligned with The Embassy of the Order of Malta in Belgrade, the present masterpiece was donated and auctioned in Milan to endorse the charity’s conscious efforts to set up schools for underprivileged children in Serbia. Honouring its institutional colours, this one-of-a-kind RM016 RM016 AJ WG / 1198 is encased in white gold, boasting a unique skeletonised dial with a white chapter ring, red accents and an embolic heart carrying the cross of the Order of Malta at 9’oclock. The caseback is also engraved with the name of the organisation, “Help Them Onlus”, and “unique piece” is inscribed alongside it.
Sporting a significantly thinner case, the RM016 took a turn from iconic tonneau-shaped case and resulted in a new identity in the RM line up. Without losing the distinct design DNA of the brand, Richard Mille and his team of expert watchmakers developed a revolutionary rectangular case that accommodates the cutting-edge movement that powers this reference. From afar, this may look like a time-only wristwatch. But upon closer inspection, the date is cleverly integrated into the 7 o’clock index which offers the wearer an unobstructed view of the openworked bridges and baseplate fashioned from grade 5 titanium. Through the sapphire caseback, the wearer is invited to admire a winding rotor that features two “wings”, which can be adjusted to modify the inertia and can be regulated depending on how active the owner is.
Presented in excellent condition with its original accessories, the present RM016 is a beautiful piece made for a good cause.
Established in 1999, Richard Mille's ultra-modern timepieces combine cutting-edge materials from high performance worlds such as Formula 1 racecars with high-end traditional watchmaking. The brand's revolutionary designs, technical breakthroughs and exceptional hand-finishing excite even the most discriminating collectors, and have positioned Richard Mille alongside the top makers of the modern luxury watch world.
Innovative watches, such as the RM 027 Tourbillon, which was the world’s lightest mechanical watch when introduced in 2011, have helped the brand invert the concept of the luxury watch. Key models include the RM 009 Tourbillon cased in Aluminum Silicon Carbide (AlSiC), the RM 027-02 Tourbillon made for tennis star Rafael Nadal with a case made from quartz and carbon fiber and the RM 008 split seconds chronograph.
Ref. RM016 AJ WG/1198 A piece-unique large and unusual white gold skeletonised rectangular wristwatch with date, variable geometry rotor and presentation box, exclusively made to raise funds for “Help Them Onlus”
Circa 2012 50mm length x 38mm width Case, dial, movement and clasp signed