More than 20 years after the launch of the RM 001, the brand continues to craft timepieces that are both technically advanced and visually distinctive. This commitment to innovation and artistry is now being carried forward by the next generation of leadership.
The Mille and Guenat children today hold key positions within the company – Alexandre Mille serves as commercial director, while Amanda Mille oversees brand and partnership initiatives. Cecile Guenat leads as creative director, and the youngest of the children, Maxime Guenat, has taken on the role of general director of the manufacture.
THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
Across both Horometrie SA and Guenat SA Montres Valgine (the latter was our second stop of the day), a total of 245 employees work on the ideation, development, manufacturing, assembling and testing of Richard Mille watches. Handling the conceptualising and creation of new movements and cases is a team of 36.
For Richard Mille, the movement is the core of every watch and drives the entire design process. The brand has developed a total of 15 in-house movements, which make up 55 per cent of its production. The remaining 45 per cent of movements are developed by its suppliers and partners, Manufacture Vaucher and Audemars Piguet Le Locle (APLL).
In Switzerland, watchmaking is a prestigious affair. This was clearly evident at the Richard Mille premises, where the watchmakers were notably young. Some had even begun their careers in their teenage years, starting out as interns under the watchful supervision of seasoned professionals.
