Page 42 - Forbes - Asia (April 2019)

PROMOTION

founding partner Dominique Guenat—who watches use Carbon TPT® or Quartz TPT®—
served as the artistic director for the series the same layering materials found in popular
and has brought the carefree spirit of child- Richard Mille models, such as Rafael Nadal’s
hood into the world of serious craftsmanship. RM 27-03 Tourbillon.
“’Bonbon.’ Just saying the word is enough to
make you smile. It manages to convey a com- Sweets
bination of pleasure, openness and sharing all Meanwhile, the Sweets line features four
at once. This collection is disruptive, elegant, models inspired by Sucette (Lollipop), Cup-
daring and playful. In a word: creative!” says cake, Réglisse (Licorice) and Marshmallow.
Guenat, who set herself the goal of reinvent- Each is crafted from two-tone ceramic that
ing classic sweets such as marshmallow, lico- evokes a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth surface.
rice and gelato with a horological twist. Shaped like giant sweets, the dials of the
She adds: “For me, it was truly an oppor- RM 37-01 the Sucette, the RM 07-03 Cupcake
tunity to let loose and have fun revisiting and the RM 07-03 Marshmallow have
childhood. Nonetheless, it was an ambitious, been made with one of the most complex
daring project entailing 18 months of devel- decorative techniques in watchmaking: the
opment, and entirely faithful to the spirit of grand feu enamel. This technique involves
Richard Mille, a serious brand that’s not afraid creating shallow depressions that outline the
to break with tradition.” desired motif for each model in plates of rose
or white gold, which are then filled in with
A Sugary Inspiration powdered enamel.
The Bonbon collection’s 10 releases are Beyond mere decoration, however, the
divided into either the Sweets line (four Richard Mille team has used the technique
models) or the Fruits line (six models). Some to enable the creation of green, yellow and
of the timepieces feature miniature fruits and pink shades that evoke the sense of playful-
candies across the dial, while the crowns and ness that is at the heart of the Bonbon col-
case bands on others have been crafted in lection. The firing and glazing skills used to

the shape of cupcakes and bowls of gelato. produce the artisanal confectionery are also

For Guenat, the outrageous idea of cre- different from traditional methods. On these
ating a watch collection around the theme elegant canvases, the motifs of the Sweets
of confectionery was not a totally surpris- line stand out and enhance the variations in
ing one. She explains: “It was quite a natural texture. These creations are certainly objects
step, you see. The crown of the RM 07-01 is of desire to be savored slowly and intensely.
reminiscent of a bonbon, and so is the texture Much like a kid enjoying a lollipop, it is a child-
of the ceramic. For its part, the case of the hood dream come true.
RM 016 made me think of a licorice roll-up.
It was also an opportunity to revisit existing An Explosion of Color
collections from a new perspective and give The extravagant use of color is not new to the
them a bit of a twist, make them fun.” Richard Mille family, and is indeed one of the

brand’s signature design flourishes. Beyond
Fruits the use of titanium, gold and Carbon TPT®,
From gumdrops and swirling gelato to marsh- Richard Mille has continuously introduced a
mallows and barley sugars, the Fruits line’s six wide and vibrant palette of shades to express
models are each adorned with eight, 12, or an adventurous vision that is ever-evolving.
16 miniature depictions. Every model comes The Bonbon collection boasts its own

with a different piece of decorative confec- burst of vibrant colors, including cherry red,
tionery that is unique to that timepiece. kiwi green, the lavender TZP ceramic of the
All the miniatures are machined from Marshmallow and an unprecedented tur-
sheets of solid titanium, and can be a mere quoise shade.
two milimeters in thickness. They are entirely Guenat explains that the combination of
painted by hand to give the look and feel of a Quartz TPT® and Carbon TPT® in the Fruits line
sugar coating and feature hues that embody “makes it possible to create nuance in some
mouth-watering flavors. Whether it’s the pretty flashy colors.” For instance, alternating

Litchi (Lychee) and the Myrtille (Blueberry) black and bright hues produces cases that
RM 07-03, the Citron (Lemon) and the Fraise sport the look of Neapolitan ice cream. The
(Strawberry) RM 16-01, or the Cerise (Cherry) technology used to create these effects is
and the Kiwi RM 37-01, these timepieces are not unlike the science behind baking, where
vibrantly colored and irresistibly delightful. a delicate balance of ingredients, proportion
Simply put, each miniature is a work of artis- and cooking time is key to success.
tic craftsmanship in its own right. All the Fruits Aurèle Vuilleumier, Research and Design