Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Alain Prost spotted wearing Richard Mille

Alain Prost, the cerebral French racing driver who clinched four Formula 1 World Championships between 1985 and 1993, was recently photographed wearing the newly released Richard Mille RM 70-01 Tourbillon — a watch limited to just 30 examples globally and retailing at £620,000 in the UK market.

The RM 70-01 is built around a manually wound tourbillon movement, calibre RM70-01, developed in close collaboration with the world of endurance cycling. The movement features a variable-geometry rotor system that adjusts winding resistance based on activity intensity — a technical solution born from the vibrations and g-forces inherent to competitive sport. The case, characteristic of Richard Mille's engineering philosophy, employs grade 5 titanium and Carbon TPT composites to achieve structural rigidity at minimal weight, keeping wrist presence substantial without sacrificing comfort during physical exertion. Power reserve sits at approximately 70 hours.

From a collector standpoint, the RM 70-01 occupies a fascinating position. Richard Mille's sport-collaboration limited editions — think the RM 27-series built for Rafael Nadal or the RM 50-03 created with McLaren F1 — consistently outperform their already stratospheric retail prices on the secondary market. A production run of 30 pieces virtually guarantees scarcity-driven demand. The tourbillon complication, housed in a case architecture that looks anything but traditional, underscores Richard Mille's core proposition: haute horlogerie mechanics dressed in aerospace materials.

Prost's connection to Richard Mille runs deeper than a single sighting. As a four-time world champion and co-founder of the Renault F1 team, Prost has maintained close ties with motorsport's luxury partners for decades. His association with a watch this technically ambitious feels entirely congruous — both the man and the movement are defined by precision under pressure.

On the grey market, comparable sport-edition Richard Mille tourbillons in ultra-limited runs have traded at significant premiums above retail from the moment of release. With only 30 examples of the RM 70-01 in circulation, serious collectors will need either a strong relationship with an authorized dealer or the willingness to pay considerably above the already considerable list price to secure one.