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.