Singer Daddy Yankee spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Daddy Yankee, the Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer behind global anthems like 'Gasolina' and 'Despacito,' was recently spotted wearing one of Richard Mille's most technically compelling chronographs — the rose gold RM 72-01 Flyback Chronograph. The sighting is entirely in character for an artist who has built a public image as meticulous about luxury as he is about his music.

The Richard Mille RM 72-01 was introduced in 2018 as the brand's first in-house flyback chronograph, a significant milestone for a manufacture that built its early reputation on outsourced ebauches refined to extreme tolerances. At its core sits the RMAC3 calibre, a manually wound movement beating at 28,800 vph and delivering approximately 50 hours of power reserve. The movement features a column wheel chronograph mechanism, a vertical clutch for instantaneous engagement without hand jump, and a flyback function that resets and restarts the chronograph with a single push. The skeletonized architecture exposes the full mechanism through a sapphire crystal that showcases the movement from both sides.

The case itself measures 44mm in diameter and follows Richard Mille's signature tonneau form, here executed in 18-karat rose gold — a material choice that elevates both the tactile experience and the retail price considerably. The rose gold variant lists at approximately $237,000, placing it firmly among the brand's mid-to-upper tier references. On the grey market, demand has pushed values to roughly $370,000, reflecting both the scarcity of rose gold production runs and the sustained collector appetite for complications from Richard Mille.

For collectors, the RM 72-01 occupies a particular position of respect. Unlike some Richard Mille references that lean heavily on celebrity co-signing or limited-edition branding, the RM 72-01 earns its credentials through genuine movement development. The RMAC3 represents years of in-house R&D, and the flyback complication is executed with the kind of precision that holds up to scrutiny from serious horologists, not just luxury consumers.

Daddy Yankee retired from music in 2022 at the height of his commercial power, but his cultural footprint — and clearly his taste in timepieces — remains undiminished. Pairing the rose gold RM 72-01 with his post-retirement public appearances signals that his relationship with high horology is as deliberate as ever. At current grey market prices, this wrist choice represents a holding worth well over a third of a million dollars.