Watch Paparazzi

Singer AlWalid Al Helani spotted wearing Richard Mille

AlWalid Al Helani, the rising Lebanese pop singer and son of celebrated Arab music icon Assi El Hellani, was recently photographed on the wrist with one of the rarest references in the Richard Mille universe — the RM11-02 GMT/UTC Flyback Chronograph produced exclusively to commemorate the 12th anniversary of Richard Mille's inaugural Singapore boutique. With only 50 examples made, this is not a watch you stumble across; it is a watch you seek out.

The RM11-02 sits within Richard Mille's Felipe Massa-inspired RM 11 family, built around the brand's signature RMAS7 calibre — a manually wound movement delivering a flyback chronograph, annual calendar, GMT/UTC display, and a power reserve of approximately 55 hours. The movement architecture is skeletonised in typical RM fashion, with a baseplate and bridges machined from grade 5 titanium. What distinguishes this Singapore Anniversary edition is its case material: Carbon NTPT, a proprietary composite developed by North Thin Ply Technology in which carbon filaments are layered at 45-degree angles in plies thinner than 30 microns, then compressed under heat and resin. The result is the brand's unmistakable smoke-grain surface — no two cases are visually identical.

For collectors, boutique-anniversary Richard Mille editions occupy a particularly coveted corner of the market. They are released in micro-quantities, often with regional exclusivity, which means acquisition at retail is practically impossible unless you are an established client of that specific boutique. The RM11-02 Carbon NTPT Singapore edition checks every box the serious RM collector looks for: complications-rich calibre, exotic case material, documented provenance, and a production run that would fill a single dinner table.

AlWalid Al Helani wearing this piece is a statement of taste that goes beyond generational wealth. Growing up in the orbit of one of the Arab world's most iconic voices, AlWalid has built his own creative identity, and the RM11-02 fits the profile of an artist who understands both craftsmanship and rarity. It is not a watch purchased for visibility — it is purchased for knowledge.

On the grey market, this reference commands values in the $280,000–$320,000 range, with the $300,000 figure widely cited for examples in exceptional condition. Richard Mille does not publish a standard retail price for limited boutique editions of this nature, but the premium over any comparable open-market RM11 variant is substantial and well established among specialist dealers.