Richard Mille - Racing Pulse New York Saturday, December 12, 2020 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Richard Mille
    Year: 2018
    Reference No: RM25-01 CA
    Case No: No. 3/20
    Model Name: Tourbillon Chronograph Adventure
    Material: Carbon TPT and titanium
    Calibre: Manual, cal. RM25-01, 35 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Camouflage natural rubber
    Clasp/Buckle: Titanium
    Dimensions: 51mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, strap, and clasp signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by Richard Mille presentation box with outer packaging, handwritten note from Sylvester Stallone, additional bezels, polishing cloth, and instruction manual.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Born of a conversation between Sylvester Stallone and Richard Mille, the RM25-01 Adventure seeks to answer the question “what watch would John Rambo wear?”, referencing the famous and iconic film starring Stallone from 1982. The film and its subsequent sequels centers on John Rambo, a deeply troubled and misunderstood Vietnam War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and his attempts to readjust to civilian life. Faced with injustice and hostility from a local police department who peg him as a worthless drifter, Rambo flees into the woods, evading capture and defending himself against the town’s law enforcement as he is pursued by a ruthless and aggressive sheriff. In Rambo: First Blood Part II, we find Rambo returned to the rivers and jungles of Vietnam, and in Rambo III, Rambo finds himself in the mountainous deserts of Afghanistan. John Rambo is a cultural icon, and most action heroes and films over the ensuing decade would draw some inspiration from the character Stallone originated. Indeed, “Rambo” is now part of the Oxford English Dictionary as a noun, adjective, or verb.

    With a dizzying array of technical features, the Adventure Tourbillon Chronograph is optimized to aid in survival. Eisenhower once said, “in preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” An indispensable ally, the RM25-01 features a tourbillon for accuracy, a chronograph for tracking elapsed time, a compass with a removable bezel and carbon cover, a level to promote accuracy while using the compass, and a tiny compartment above the crown to hold water purification tablets. Anything else that comes upon the wearer in the wild can be solved by a survival knife.

    One of a limited edition of only twenty watches, this RM25-01 is surely an adventure just to own and wear. It is not often that one can buy a watch worn by the inspiration for the watch itself, but the present Adventure Tourbillon Chronograph offers this exact opportunity. Certifying its superb provenance, the watch is further accompanied by a letter personally handwritten and signed by Mr. Stallone on his private stationary describing the watch. Consigned directly by Mr. Stallone, it is one of the most impressive and complicated Richard Mille timepieces ever manufactured since the brand’s inception.

    Consigned by the Original Owner

  • Artist Biography

    Richard Mille

    Swiss • 1999

    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.

    View More Works

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Ref. RM25-01 CA
An exceptional, highly complicated, and very rare limited edition carbon and titanium tourbillon chronograph wristwatch with detachable compass tool, spirit level, and water resistant compartment, accompanied by handwritten letter from Sylvester Stallone and presentation box

2018
51mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement, strap, and clasp signed.

Estimate
$250,000 - 500,000 
CHF225,000-450,000
€211,000-421,000
HK$1,940,000-3,880,000

Sold for $937,500

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros
Head of Watches, Americas & International Strategy Advisor
Senior Vice President
+1 212 940 1293
pboutros@phillips.com

Racing Pulse

New York Auction 12 December 2020