Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Tinnie Tempah spotted wearing Richard Mille

London Fashion Week provides the ideal backdrop for statement horology, and Tinie Tempah did not disappoint, appearing on the circuit with a Richard Mille RM 72-01 'Lifestyle' Chronograph cased in black TZP ceramic secured to his wrist. For a week defined by material choices, few selections communicate connoisseurship quite as precisely as this one.

The Richard Mille RM 72-01 debuted as a tonneau-shaped flyback chronograph built around the RMAC3 automatic calibre, a movement developed in collaboration with Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi. It delivers flyback functionality, a column-wheel chronograph mechanism, a linear power reserve indicator, and a variable-geometry rotor — all visible through the skeletonised dial architecture that Richard Mille has made its structural signature. Power reserve runs to approximately 55 hours. The case itself measures 50.05 x 42.70 mm and sits just 16.15 mm thick — generous proportions that nonetheless wear with surprising comfort thanks to careful ergonomic shaping.

The black TZP variant elevates the RM 72-01 considerably within the reference's own hierarchy. TZP — tetragonal zirconia polycrystal — is a ceramic compound with hardness approaching that of sapphire, resistant to scratching and thermal shock in ways that conventional ceramic cannot match. The all-black execution creates a monolithic, almost sculptural aesthetic that contrasts starkly with the skeletonised movement visible beneath. Production numbers for this specific configuration are extremely limited, which explains the dramatic premium the secondary market attaches to it.

Tinie Tempah has cultivated a serious watch collection over more than a decade in the public eye, consistently favouring pieces that reflect genuine mechanical literacy rather than brand recognition alone. His appearance at London Fashion Week with the RM 72-01 reads as a considered choice — a watch that operates simultaneously as an engineering object and a fashion artefact, exactly the register Fashion Week demands.

The Richard Mille RM 72-01 in black TZP carries a list price of approximately $335,000. On the grey market, demand from collectors and enthusiasts in the limited-production ceramic configuration has pushed valuations toward $670,000 — effectively doubling the retail figure, a pattern consistent with the most sought-after Richard Mille references across the board.