Footballer Ashley Cole spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Ashley Cole, the former Chelsea, Arsenal, and England left-back widely regarded as one of the finest defenders of his generation, was recently spotted wearing the all-white ceramic Richard Mille RM55 'Bubba Watson' — a watch as technically uncompromising as Cole's defensive game at its peak. The sighting places one of the most visually arresting references in the Richard Mille catalogue firmly in the spotlight.

The Richard Mille RM55 was born from a genuine performance brief. Developed alongside two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, the watch had to endure the violent rotational forces and micro-vibrations generated at the moment of impact during a professional golf drive. The solution was a grade-5 titanium baseplate and bridges paired with a skeletonised manual-winding calibre — the RMUL3 — featuring a free-sprung balance with variable inertia and a torque-limiting crown to protect the movement during winding. The all-white ceramic case version elevates the visual proposition further: ceramic offers superior scratch resistance and colour stability compared to standard polymer composites, and the monochromatic execution gives the RM55 an almost sculptural, otherworldly presence on the wrist.

Among collectors, the RM55 'Bubba Watson' occupies a distinct position. It benefits from genuine athlete co-development credentials rather than a purely commercial endorsement, and the white ceramic variant — limited in production — consistently commands attention on the secondary market. For Richard Mille enthusiasts, it sits at an interesting intersection: accessible enough to be a recognisable entry point into the brand's upper tier, yet technically and aesthetically distinctive enough to hold long-term collector interest.

Cole, who retired from professional football following a stint with Derby County and has since moved into coaching, has long maintained a reputation for high-specification watch choices. The RM55 suits his profile precisely — it is a statement piece without being gratuitous, backed by genuine engineering substance.

At a UK list price of approximately £120,000, the all-white ceramic Richard Mille RM55 'Bubba Watson' sits firmly in the brand's serious-money tier. On the grey market, demand for ceramic Richard Mille references has remained resilient, with authenticated examples of the RM55 in white ceramic typically trading at or above retail — a reflection of limited supply and enduring brand momentum.