Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and by reason therefore, purely subjective. However, when we talk about the book Richard Mille (Editions Cercle d’Art) opinion must surely be unanimous.

Don’t expect to find the conventional here. This is watchmaking from a totally different angle and who would expect anything else from Richard Mille.

Page after glorious page, we are escorted into the heart of haute horlogerie and discover the intricate and surprising world inside a Richard Mille watch.

Each component is magnified in order to reveal at last the complexities, the precision and the mystery to be found inside.

The photography of Guy Lucas de Peslouan is breathtaking. His extraordinary use of lighting gives us an insight into the technique and architecture of each model. From the RM 001, the first model to be produced, to the Planetarium which will be available shortly. Every Richard Mille piece ever created is represented.

The only concession to the written word is “The Unruly Four-in-Hand” penned by Alain Borer who lends his talents to the Richard Mille book. This theatrical piece is a journey where time plays the leading role with myth and reality, past and present in juxtaposition. Richard Mille, Pegasus, Fausto Coppi and Let’s Go Darling get caught up in a frenetic race against, or with, Time. Between the hours of dawn and dusk, courtyard and garden, the silent Angel symbolising time remains an ever-present reminder of the hours passing and the inability to stop it.

For Richard Mille, this play is an exact illustration of his futuristic vision of watchmaking and this book has a timeless quality.

The release of this magnificent work is scheduled for the end of the year. It will certainly be the ideal gift for all watch enthusiasts who appreciate the intricacies of haute horlogerie.

A book will also be given to anyone purchasing a Richard Mille watch.

• For sale in good bookshops, FNAC, Virgin
  
• Published by Cercle d’Art
  
• 192 pages – bound, hardback with jacket
  
• 100 €