Whatever question you ask Richard Mille, he will always (or almost always) give you one of three answers: “Because he’s a friend,” “Because I want to,” or “Because it’s fun.”
That’s a joke, of course, but not entirely. When I met him on his home turf in Paris on day two of the Formula E Grand Prix, Richard Mille was more relaxed than ever. This man who is constantly in demand, who could only spare us a few minutes of his time, eventually spent nearly three-quarters of an hour in our company, discussing a wide range of subjects going well beyond Formula E. Even when we touched upon topics we had been led to believe were sensitive, Richard Mille once again answered with complete openness. And why not, since the man has nothing left to prove.
Richard, does your presence at this 100% electric GP mean you’re trying to buy yourself some green credentials?
There aren’t many manufacturers that can claim to make items as durable as ours. We are at the heart of the green economy. I don’t have any problem saying that, because it’s true. A Mille watch will still be around in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. 100 years? It’s a bit too early to say, but disposable consumption is not at all what we’re about. Our business is sustainable, by its very nature.
And yet you are also involved in F1, which although it is a cutting-edge industry, is also a significant polluter.
I am genuinely passionate about cars, that’s beyond question, but I have always fought against being pigeonholed. Why should I not be allowed to go and have a look elsewhere, just because I happen to love this world and count some of its drivers as my friends? I have no problem at all playing with F1 and FE at the same time, because my guiding principle is to face up to reality. Some people say that Mille is a niche brand. I’d prefer to say that we are a brand of several niches, and we aim to be the best in each one, whether it is F1, FE, golf, sailing, tennis, whatever.
So you see no contradiction in supporting both F1 and FE?
Look: my job is to make watches, to make the best watches possible. From that point of view Formula 1 and Formula E have some strong similarities, and there is a genuine logic to finding out how to translate everything that has been learnt in F1 to electric cars – everything to do with acceleration, g-forces, vibration, lateral and longitudinal shocks. Everything that can kill a watch, in fact!
Who these days still wants a minute repeater? Honestly, who are they for?
Richard Mille
Aren’t you afraid of spreading yourself too thin?
No, I think of it as being open-minded. You have to be open to everything, in watchmaking as much as in art and culture. Traditional watchmaking has problems. I mean, who these days still wants a minute repeater? Honestly, who are they for? I remain open to everything that still hasn’t been done. I’m the opposite of opportunistic: I work with my friends, I remain open-minded, but the aim of the game is always the same, and has been from the start. It’s to go out onto the battlefield, where everyone told me my watches would be pulverised, on Bubba’s wrist for example [Bubba Watson, the golfing world no. 4, known for his powerful swing].
Nevertheless, Formula E attracts a much younger audience than F1; it’s not really your core market. What’s in it for you?
I never ask myself that kind of question! I’ve never commissioned any studies, done any market research, analysed my competitors or anything like that. I go because I want to, and because I have friends there. I’ve known Jean-Paul [Driot, head of the e.dams racing team which is sponsored by Richard Mille] for more than 10 years. But what appealed to me most about Formula E was the noise – it’s incredible!
Would you consider working with this new, younger audience, who adore you?
If you mean will I be bringing out a more affordable watch that will meet both their expectations and their budget, then it’s a no. Did you know, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie released a survey recently which found that the most desirable brand among 18 to 30-year-olds was Mille? That’s crazy, no? But I have a position to maintain, with an average price of €140,000, and I’ll probably only make 4000 watches in 2017. Those are elements I’m not willing to compromise on.
What about a Formula E model? Electric, obviously.
It’s not on the agenda, although I am absolutely not opposed to the idea of adding electric modules to my watches. As I said, I’m open to everything, but not just anything. If we do introduce this kind of module, it would be to achieve performances that pure mechanics couldn’t match, like millionth-of-a-second precision, or something like that. Also, the mechanical module would have to be able to continue to work independently, even if there was a problem with the electrics. And finally, the last point, we’d have to be capable of handling the after-sales service ourselves, and over the very long term.
Richard Mille has supported Formula E since its first season. This year, with e.dams, he was rewarded with a 3rd and a 4th at the Paris Grand Prix.
