Richard Mille has been pushing the boundaries of fine watchmaking for 20 years. With its ultra-limited quantities and remarkable innovations, the Franco-Swiss brand has established itself in the luxury landscape as one of the most striking successes of recent years. Alexandre Mille, Sales Director and son of Richard Mille, agreed to answer our questions for Swiss Luxury Magazine. (Find here Parts 1 & 2)

Swiss Luxury Magazine: Do you have an anecdote to tell us about an experience you had with a client?

Alexandre Mille: Yes, there is one that comes to mind... I remember a watch show in Mexico City where I had an encounter that made a huge impression on me. In the showcase, the RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph McLaren F1 watch was displayed, with a case made of

Carbon TPT ® and Graph TPT ® which makes the piece highly resistant and very light. A child of about ten years old arrived with his father who explained to me that he knew nothing about watchmaking, but that on the other hand, his son is a great fan of Richard Mille! The child immediately recognized the model displayed in the window and I offered him to try it on, telling him that it was an imposing, voluminous piece, but that I wanted to know how he would feel when he put it on his wrist. He took it with all the necessary precautions and remained speechless... all his preconceived ideas were suddenly gone - it is the lightest tourbillon watch ever made, weighing less than 40 grams including the bracelet).

I naturally went to get some books about the brand to give him and he started to cry. Seeing the emotions we can bring and realize what Richard Mille represents to some people, even very young people, made a big impression on me.

RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph McLaren F1

Swiss Luxury Magazine: Which model do you wear the most on a daily basis and why?

Alexandre Mille: I don't wear a watch! This is for a very simple reason, which is that my father always told me that if I wanted a Mille watch, I would have to buy it myself. But we're not there yet, and anyway, priority is given to customers when a watch is available (laughs). There are also many of our customers who see their purchase in this way, that is, as an accomplishment, a milestone that has been reached. But if I had to choose one right now, it would be the RM 67-02 ultra flat sports watch!

Swiss Luxury Magazine: What does Swiss luxury mean to you?

Alexandre Mille: For me, in luxury, there is this aspect of craftsmanship linked to an object that represents the sweat, the tears, the number of hours spent on its design, its shaping by the craftsmen. There is also the symbol of rarity, exclusivity, and of course extreme quality. It is an object that lasts in time, that is almost eternal. To encapsulate all this, there must be this notion of service that is totally part of the experience - the welcome, the follow-up, and the relationship with people. I can't imagine, for example, that a person would be poorly received in a boutique! It is very important to us that every person who enters one of our RM stores is well-received and feels good. We are here to share our passion. Luxury is also about dreams.

And of course, the specificity of luxury in Switzerland is its watch industry. What is incredible about this industry is the social and economic fabric that is linked to it. We are proud to say that more than 95% of the components of our watches come from suppliers based in the Swiss Jura and within a radius of 1h30 around our factory in Les Breuleux.