Understanding Richard Mille Skull Watches

We’ve been on a Richard Mille kick lately, diving deep into specific series such as Bubba Watson models and Rafael Nadal editions. This time we’re turning our attention to Richard Mille Skull watches, which are not only some of the most distinct of the brand’s models but also some of the priciest. Keep reading for everything you need to know about Richard Mille Skull watches, which span several references over the past decade-plus.

The Original Richard Mille Skull Watch: RM 052 Tourbillon Skull (2012)

The legacy of the Richard Mille Skull began in 2012 with the launch of the RM 052 Tourbillon Skull in titanium, rose gold, and white gold — all in limited edition runs for a total of 21 pieces. The star of the show is of course the skull at the center of the dial, and this isn’t just a design motif–it’s an integral part of the movement.

The skull, which is fashioned from grade 5 titanium, serves as Caliber RM052’s baseplate and bridges while the upper and lower jaws hold the tourbillon cage’s ruby in place. The same goes for the back of the skull, which again, is part of the movement as a center bridge and is visible via the sapphire caseback. What’s more, four bridges that look like the “bones” of a pirate flag attach the movement to the case.

The bezel on top of the 42.7mm x 50mm tonneau-shaped case not only includes the customary exposed spline screws but also some cut-outs on the sides. An extra touch of skeletonization on these RM Skull watches seems appropriate. The retail price for the RM052 Skull Tourbillon in titanium was around CHF 600,000 (around $642,000 at that time) when it made its debut but these are well worth over twice that in today’s secondary market. The later white gold and rose gold versions are worth even more than that.

We’ve mentioned this before but it’s fun to remember that Jonah Hill wore a replica of this Richard Mille Skull watch in the movie Don’t Look Up.

RM 052 Tourbillon Skull Watch Specs

Reference/Model	RM 052
Case	42.7 x 50 mm 15.9 mm thick Titanium, rose gold, or white gold
Dial	Open-worked dial Titanium skull at the center
Movement	Caliber 052 skeleton movement Manual-winding 48 hours power reserve 21,600 beats per hour
Functions	Hours, minutes, tourbillon
Water Resistance	50 meters
2012 Retail Price	Approximately $640,000
Limited edition	21 total 15 titanium 6 rose or white gold

Richard Mille RM 52-01 Tourbillon Skull (2013)

One year after the first model, Richard Mille released the follow-up version in the form of the RM 52-01. While the Caliber 052 tourbillon movement remained the same, Richard Mille sculpted the skull from 18k red gold for an even more luxurious approach.

The case also got a material upgrade; Richard Mille opted for TZP for the bezel and caseback. TZP is a high-performance ceramic material with low density and high scratch resistance. It also has a pronounced grain and can be micro-blasted and hand-polished. Note that unlike the maiden RM 052, the later RM 52-01 Skull Watch does not include cut-outs on the bezel.

For the middle case, Richard Mille went with carbon nanotubes bonded to a black polymer, resulting in a tough yet light material that perfectly protects the tourbillon housed inside the case. The RM 52-01 Skull Tourbillon Nano-Ceramic with a red gold skull model was limited to 30 pieces and priced at around 600,000 Euros (about $800,000) upon its 2013 release. Expect to pay around $1.5 million in today’s market for the same model.

Other variations of the RM 52-01 eventually joined the catalog including ones with blue NTPT carbon, white quartz TPT, and red gold cases. Richard Mille also made highly limited edition pieces with different colored skulls in green, red, and black.

RM 52-01 Tourbillon Skull Watch Specs

Reference/Model	RM 52-01
Case Dimensions	42.7 x 50 mm 15.9 mm thick
Case Material	Black TZP ceramic bezel and caseback with carbon nanotube case middle
Dial	Open-worked dial 18k red gold skull at the center
Movement	Caliber 052 skeleton movement Manual-winding 48 hours power reserve 21,600 beats per hour
Functions	Hours, minutes, tourbillon
Water Resistance	50 meters
2013 Retail Price	Approximately $800,000
Limited Edition	30 pieces

RM 52-04 Sapphire Skull (2017)

Some of the most expensive Richard Mille watches are those with sapphire cases, including the exceedingly rare RM 52-04 Sapphire Skull versions in blue and red. These weren’t even officially announced by Richard Mille, they were only available to the very best RM clients and a few popped up on the secondary market over the last few years. It’s estimated that the first ones came out of the factory in 2017, and since then sapphire case luxury watches have been a growing segment.

Here again, we have the same manual-winding movement with the skull component and tourbillon and the same tonneau case shape. However, it’s the sapphire crystal case that gives this reference its distinct look.

Making watch cases out of synthetic sapphire is an arduous process with plenty of breakage during production, which is a large part of the high cost of these types of cases. For the 52-04 Sapphire Skull watches, Richard Mille leaned into the monochromatic vibe by matching the skull to the color of the case. We’ve also seen a Red Sapphire Skull with a ruby-set skull to match the case, but with more sparkle.

These Richard Mille Skull watches are hardly ever spotted out in the wild given their rarity but should you wish to buy one, prepare to shell out over $2 million for the privilege.

Richard Mille’s Not-Quite-Skull Watch: RM 52-06 Tourbillon Mask (2019)

In 2019, Richard Mille released the RM 52-06 Tourbillon Mask, which follows a similar structure to the previous ref. 52 skull watches. However, the skull has been replaced (masked?) with a mask, and in a sort of Rorschach test, Richard Mille asks, “Does one see a luchador, a kabuki mask, a superhero or even a gladiator helmet?

The mask, which as always is integrated into the movement and serves as a wheel train and tourbillon bridge on the front and center bridge on the back, is made from either PVD-treated titanium or 18k white gold. Richard Mille made four case versions of the RM 52-06 Tourbillon Mask: black Carbon TPT, white Quartz TPT, blue/white Quartz TPT, and red/white Quartz TPT, each limited to 18 pieces and exclusive to the Americas.

In 2019, the sticker price of the RM 52-06 started at $698,000. Yet, in today’s market, like most Richard Mille watches, they command a premium and generally trade for around $1.5 million.

RM 52-06 Tourbillon Mask Watch Specs

Reference/Model	RM 52-06
Case Dimensions	42.7mm x 50mm diameter 15.9mm thickness
Case Material	Black Carbon TPT, white Quartz TPT, blue/white Quartz TPT, and red/white Quartz TPT
Dial	Open-worked dial Titanium or white gold masked skull at the center
Movement	Caliber 052 skeleton movement Manual-winding 48 hours power reserve 21,600 beats per hour
Functions	Hours, minutes, tourbillon
Water Resistance	50 meters
2019 Retail Price	Starting at $698,000
Limited Edition	18 pieces for each case material

Whether you’re getting into the Halloween spirit or just love a good skull watch, Richard Mille makes some of the best skull watches in the market. Yes, they’re ultra-expensive, rare, and hard to get your hands on but if and when you do, RM Skull watches are a real treat aesthetically and mechanically.