Hey Lewis Hamilton, I’ve designed your new Richard Mille
Buffy AcaciaIt’s finally happened. The thing that would have been laughable to consider just two years ago is now a reality: Sir Lewis Hamilton will be a Ferrari driver for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Does this mean that Mercedes have palmed him off to give George Russell the spotlight, or does it suggest that Ferrari have enough tricks up their sleeve to lure in the most decorated F1 driver of all time?
Whatever happens on the track this year, and whoever ends up on the podium, Hamilton will be there in red. Of course, this means his long-standing relationship with IWC is now going to be dropped in favour of Richard Mille, and we get to theorise what his limited edition watch will look like.
Hamilton’s relationship with IWC has been great fun to watch over the years, as he usually got to wear the watches in the paddock before they were officially announced. It created a watch-spotting mini-game on a race weekend, and his limited editions were full of personal flair.
Still, even with a mix of high-tech materials and rich, vibrant colours, there is always going to be an air of stuffiness around IWC’s designs. It’s not that their watches are boring, far from it, but they’re a brand that takes themselves seriously and sometimes that’s not what you want. Richard Mille are experimentalists, and they’re certainly not afraid to have a little fun.
For my hypothetical Lewis Hamilton x Richard Mille collaboration, I’m trying to imagine what elements of Hamilton’s personality he’d want to emphasise. Of course, there are his favourite colours and colour combinations, but RM is capable of much more than that.
In addition to having won the most F1 races ever, Lewis is also a passionate musician, proud vegan, and a lover of his pet bulldog Roscoe. I think with total creative freedom, he’d want something that could finally commemorate the beloved pooch in a mega-luxury product.
Good people, I present to you the Richard Mille RM 44. Like all of the best Richard Milles, it’s loud, punchy, technical, and just a little bit ugly. Taking after the flying tourbillon RM 66 model, this carbon fibre monster has an engraved sculpture as its centrepiece. This time, it’s an 18k white gold depiction of Roscoe Hamilton. Surrounding the pup, we have a red-tinted carbon fibre case to celebrate Hamilton’s long-awaited arrival at Ferrari, with purple accents as his signature flair. The duet of red and purple gives the watch somewhat of a romantic vibe, and you can almost hear the R&B beats whenever you look at it.
So, if you’re reading this Sir Lewis, you’re welcome. Feel free to send me a 10% cut of the profits.