Richard Mille why so much

[GreenLantern]

Thankfully how hot a brand is on the market means nothing to me. How it makes me feel when I wear the watch is all that matters. :)

That said, I still want some RM11's, RM35's, and RM55's. And do wish they weren't more plentiful on the gray market than via official channels.

[jschmidtdmd]

Agreed- seems everything is available grey and not for a good customer at boutique

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by jschmidtdmd

Agreed- seems everything is available grey and not for a good customer at boutique

Indeed.

And I'm happy to wait years if I have to, but I refuse to buy RM's from gray.

(I've waited years for steel Rolexes, so I'd expect myself to be Ok with waiting years for RM's too. )

[Tigger]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

In RM's defense, per-unit production cost will be higher with very limited (<50) pieces since they can't spread the design or R&D costs as thinly. But in the other direction, many of their designs are very similar, and the quality issues suggest they don't do much prototyping.

High prices are a core part of their business model. Their purpose is to be the most expensive brand of sport watches. The large, distinctively-shaped cases are meant to make the brand identifiable. Their customers want people to notice how much they spent

This. I believe RM himself has said that the reason for the high prices is solely to create a recognisable club with a known high cost of entry. To me that makes wearing one about as tasteful as pinning your bank balance to your jacket.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by Tigger

This. I believe RM himself has said that the reason for the high prices is solely to create a recognisable club with a known high cost of entry. To me that makes wearing one about as tasteful as pinning your bank balance to your jacket.

Precisely. The vast majority of the cost is paying for brand and marketing, rather than horology and materials.

[burakusta]

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

Precisely. The vast majority of the cost is paying for brand and marketing, rather than horology and materials.

Are you kidding ? No materials ? Show me any other brand that uses their vast amount of materials ?

[scrappy]

Some who purchase an RM already own a large collection of other brands and seek variety and diversification.

[Rmoor]

Originally Posted by jschmidtdmd

Agreed- seems everything is available grey and not for a good customer at boutique

This is so true! Visited the new NYC boutique and they had maybe 6 men’s models. Mostly tourbillons and a rm30 rg with diamonds. But Pristine Jewelers in the diamond district had 30 rm’s in the window! Rm 11-03, 35-02 all of them it’s crazy!

[ragnk]

The price for a Richard Mille is really outrageous, Spending such amount right now for me wont be a wise decision, I could use that same amount to get a couple of Rolex watches.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by burakusta

Are you kidding ? No materials ? Show me any other brand that uses their vast amount of materials ?

You misunderstand. As I’ve stated previously, I give them credit for their use of exotic materials. I’m stating the exotic materials don’t justify (and are not a reason) for these watches costing upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[dwatcher]

it's a good watch for me. I guess that was why Sylvester Stallone had it on in "the Expendables 3" movie.

[Fearesq]

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

Marketing and hype.

You think that's somehow different than every other luxury brand?

Maybe i'm biased..

worth every penny.

[tudorbaja27]

Originally Posted by Fearesq

You think that's somehow different than every other luxury brand?

Maybe i'm biased..

worth every penny.

When the watch is 250k, then yes it's different.

But cheers, glad you're enjoying it!

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by Fearesq

You think that's somehow different than every other luxury brand?

Yes. I can see the value of a $8500 Rolex. Or a $25k FP Journe CB, with a case made of tantalum, gold *in-house movement* and one of the hardest to make dials in watchmaking.

$85k for a time only 67-01 in titanium, with a movement that's manufactured by someone else? That's marketing and hype.

[66Berret]

i'll just jump and pass without consideration

[porschejeff]

Originally Posted by Watch This

I appreciate the craftsmanship but find most of the dials extremely hard to read.

That's what our cell phone is for, to tell the time.

[Vaxe]

Don’t forget the case is made by Valgine and assembled there too - who before partnering with Mille made $500 watches. Same factory, same staff. Even “ProArt’ the RM in-house factory is just an extension of Valgine.

RM is just branding, celebrity endorsements, and marketing. Genius at what he does, gotta give him respect and credits there.

Imagine a guy going to a near-bankrupt Swiss watch factory, coming out with a brilliant business plan of selling the most expensive watches on the market. Tactics - keep raising MSRP, cut supply, and get one on the wrist of all the big players. Use non-traditional materials and house it in an uniquely shaped case so it can’t be mistaken as anything else (and make it ultra light, colorful and cool for our hipster generation)..voila!

I still like their watches a lot but would prefer to keep buying Rolex and Patek.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/fact...richard-mille/

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

Yes. I can see the value of a $8500 Rolex. Or a $25k FP Journe CB, with a case made of tantalum, gold *in-house movement* and one of the hardest to make dials in watchmaking.

$85k for a time only 67-01 in titanium, with a movement that's manufactured by someone else? That's marketing and hype.

[tyler1980]

of course its image and prestige and that isnt necessarily bad.

think of houses. The same 400k house costs 10 million depending on the neighborhood. The difference is the lot value the house is sitting on. None of that makes any practical difference to the actual house, but the intangibles like location, view, and the neighborhood image command a huge premium. RM is just in a more exclusive part of town.

RM uses cutting edge materials and don't have economies of scale to have a low per unit cost like say Rolex. But none of that takes into account the fact that selling exclusivity is a large part of the mark up and its intentional.

I see no problem paying more for something because its more exclusive and its just as valid of a selling point as 12,800ft of WR as that makes no practical difference in the watch either.

[The Argonaut]

Originally Posted by Burlington

It’s a combination of exotic materials, specialised designs and movements, very low production numbers and price point exclusivity at play.

Certainly not for everyone’s tastes but they do have some great pieces for sure. The overly gaudy ones though are a bit much for me.

That about sums it up. Interesting watches, but very gaudy. Then again, I’m not the demographic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jay (Eire)]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

of course its image and prestige and that isnt necessarily bad.

think of houses. The same 400k house costs 10 million depending on the neighborhood. The difference is the lot value the house is sitting on. None of that makes any practical difference to the actual house, but the intangibles like location, view, and the neighborhood image command a huge premium. RM is just in a more exclusive part of town.

RM uses cutting edge materials and don't have economies of scale to have a low per unit cost like say Rolex. But none of that takes into account the fact that selling exclusivity is a large part of the mark up and its intentional.

I see no problem paying more for something because its more exclusive and its just as valid of a selling point as 12,800ft of WR as that makes no practical difference in the watch either.

Tyler, this a great analogy.

The concern buyers should have, at least those who are senstive to the future market prices over the longer term, is whether or not the land right next to your beautiful RM house in the good neighborhood that's so desired right now might be rezoned to be the city's waste disposal facility. Is this what happened to Frank Muller's house?

I say this as an RM fan, if I had confidence that the future values of the RM67-02 or an RM035 would be near or about current market prices then I'd be selling some other stuff to get one of those RMs on my wrist. Problem is I just can't see it and that stops all conversations of acquiring an RM dead in their tracks.

[belligero]

It’s very simple: the cost is primarily to show that you can waste money on an expensive fashion watch that won’t age gracefully.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Jay (Eire)

Tyler, this a great analogy.

The concern buyers should have, at least those who are senstive to the future market prices over the longer term, is whether or not the land right next to your beautiful RM house in the good neighborhood that's so desired right now might be rezoned to be the city's waste disposal facility. Is this what happened to Frank Muller's house?

I say this as an RM fan, if I had confidence that the future values of the RM67-02 or an RM035 would be near or about current market prices then I'd be selling some other stuff to get one of those RMs on my wrist. Problem is I just can't see it and that stops all conversations of acquiring an RM dead in their tracks.

i like RM a lot. They make me nervous for that exact reason. Its so expensive and so exclusive that a handful of collectors turning their back on the brand for whatever reason and the entire thing falls apart. Its the waste disposal plant going in next door, yep that would do it, and now your house is worthless.

[dwatcher]

If you ask me, i'll say what they offer in terms of materials, engineering, comfort on the wrist, exclusivity and cool factor, they really have no competition.

[tom2517]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

I wonder what forum Texex is trolling these days.

No wonder I haven't seen him in a while. He was the reason I stopped visiting Rolex forum for a while because ever since I criticized RM, he would try to provoke me whenever he can, at that time most are on his side though.