Watch Paparazzi

Actor Michelle Yeoh spotted wearing Richard Mille

At the Met Gala in New York, one of fashion's most photographed evenings, Michelle Yeoh arrived wearing a Richard Mille RM07-01 on a rubber strap — a choice that underscores how thoroughly Richard Mille has colonized the intersection of haute couture and high horology. On a night when jewellery and accessories are dissected in real time, a six-figure tourbillon worn on a sport strap is a deliberate, confident statement.

The Richard Mille RM07-01 is the maison's principal ladies' complication, first introduced in 2012 and refined across multiple editions. Its manually wound tourbillon calibre — the CRMT1 — beats at 21,600 vph and offers approximately 48 hours of power reserve. The case, machined in grade 5 titanium or precious metal variants, follows Richard Mille's signature tonneau geometry and measures 45.65 mm × 30.45 mm × 8.15 mm: substantial by women's standards, but architecturally sculpted rather than masculine. The rubber strap configuration is the most sporting expression of the reference, nodding to the brand's motorsport and athletics DNA.

Among collectors, the RM07-01 occupies a specific niche. It is one of very few genuine women's tourbillons from an independent manufacture — not a scaled-down men's watch, but a ground-up design. Limited production runs, frequent material and dial variations in sapphire, carbon TPT, and quartz TPT, and consistent demand from a globally affluent female clientele keep the reference perpetually relevant at auction and on the grey market. Certain TPT editions have appreciated significantly since release.

Michelle Yeoh's relationship with Richard Mille is longstanding and well documented. The Academy Award-winning actress — honoured for Everything Everywhere All at Once — has appeared in brand campaigns and is considered one of the marque's most authentic ambassadors in Asia and globally. Her choice of the RM07-01 at the Met Gala, rather than conventional high jewellery, speaks to a personal conviction about the watch rather than mere brand obligation.

Retail pricing for the Richard Mille RM07-01 varies considerably by case material, with entry configurations in titanium starting above $130,000 and precious metal or exotic material variants climbing well beyond $200,000. On the secondary market, clean examples with box and papers trade at healthy premiums, reflecting the reference's limited supply and the brand's strict authorised dealer allocation model.