Entrepreneur Akash Ambani spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Akash Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani — ranked among the wealthiest individuals on the planet — was recently spotted on the wrist with one of the most technically radical timepieces in existence: the Richard Mille RM 56 Sapphire. In a landscape where ultra-luxury watches are almost expected accessories for figures of this stature, the RM56 still commands a second look, even among seasoned collectors.

The Richard Mille RM56 is built around a case machined entirely from synthetic corundum — sapphire crystal — a material so hard it sits at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond. Machining three sapphire plates (front, middle, and back) to the required tolerances is an engineering undertaking that demands over 1,000 hours of CNC grinding and manual finishing per case. The movement sits exposed within this transparent shell: a manual-winding flying tourbillon caliber beating at 21,600 vph, with a 45-hour power reserve and a baseplate constructed from grade 5 titanium. The result is a watch that appears to float on the wrist.

Richard Mille introduced the original RM 056 in 2012 as a collaboration with Felipe Massa, and has released several iterations since, each produced in extremely limited numbers — typically fewer than five to ten pieces per variant. The RM56 consistently appears on shortlists of the most complicated watches to manufacture, not because of movement complexity alone, but because of the material science involved. Collectors treat it as a proof-of-concept piece: a statement that watchmaking can push into aerospace-grade material engineering.

Akash Ambani, co-owner of the Mumbai Indians IPL franchise and a prominent figure in Indian business and social circles, is no stranger to high-horology. The Ambani family's engagement with ultra-premium timepieces reflects both personal connoisseurship and the broader boom in watch collecting among India's new billionaire class — a market segment that Richard Mille has actively cultivated.

At a UK list price of approximately £1.5 million — translating to roughly $1.9 million USD — the RM 56 Sapphire sits among the most expensive production wristwatches ever offered. On the secondary market, confirmed sales have exceeded $2 million USD, and availability is essentially zero through conventional channels. This is not a watch you buy; it is a watch you are offered.