Richard Mille - Great Watches

Quality watches and good golf seem to be inextricably linked these days. But what exactly is the lasting appeal of luxury brands like ‘the Millie’? April Tod heads to the south of France to investigate…

By April Tod and Angus Davies 

Star athletes from the world of sport are increasingly wearing elaborate watches as part of lucrative deals and contracts, and golf is no exception. While Richard Mille is often associated with the highly masculine worlds of Massa, Watson and Nadal, ladies are definitely not overlooked.     Indeed, the likes of Diana Luna and Cristie Kerr are now ‘brand ambassadors’ and they elegantly sport Richard Mille timepieces. I was lucky enough to get the chance to see these women in action during the recent Lacoste Ladies Open de France, where they both were competing. I had flown out to Biarritz – not just to follow the golf, but also to find out more about the exclusive and fascinating world of Richard Mille, who was a joint sponsor of the tournament.  

GOLF DE CHANTACO. France is blessed with over 500 golf courses and is particularly popular with British golfers who enjoy nothing more than a quick trip across the channel for a weekend of golf and gourmet. However, the southwest region, being further away, is less familiar. In spite of its predominantly mountainous area (the Pyrenees are in stomping distance of Biarritz), this part of France offers several delightful golf courses. Golf de Chantaco, owned by the Lacoste family, is the location for the 2015 Lacoste Ladies Open de France.     This par-70 course is short by modern standards but quite technical, and as the owner Simone Lacoste, says, “It is a perfect fit for modern women’s golf.”    The course covers over 5,833 metres and has two different faces; a front nine laid on quite flat land with several water hazards to deal with, and a slightly hilly back nine set amidst a variety of trees, where hitting the ball long and straight plays a key factor.     Recent improvements and refurbishments have helped recreate the course’s original look and spirit, reflecting the intentions of its British architect and designer Henry Colt. Over the past 80 or more years the course has welcomed the elite of 1930’s society, illustrious sportsmen and women, and some of the world’s greatest golfers.  

FRENCH CHARM. During the golf tournament, I stayed at the recently refurbished five-star Grand Hotel in the nearby seaside town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The hotel, which has become one of France’s most highly commended hotels, lived up to all my expectations and my room on the first floor had to be seen to be believed.     There was a luxurious bedroom with an enormous king-size bed, as well as a stylish living room area, which had a large sofa, two armchairs and a large TV. Walking through the French windows I discovered a stone terrace, decorated in a curved 1930’s pattern, with stunning views over the Atlantic Ocean. It was the perfect place to recharge my batteries before a long day on the course, following Luna and Kerr.

KEEPING TIME.  Both Luna and Kerr sport a RM 007 Titanium on their wrists, now called the RM 07-01 Ladies. This watch is offered in an array of materials, including white ATZ ceramic, and when it was originally launched it was the brand’s first ladies’ timepiece. It was equipped with a new automatic movement, the in-house designed calibre CRMA2.  Part of the allure of this watch is its open-worked dial, a speciality of Richard Mille, exposing many of the fascinating parts often hidden from view.

THE TOURNAMENT. The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, I finally got the chance to see the ladies in action, admiring their skills, as much as the elegant watches on their wrists. Kerr, who admitted afterwards that she felt “rather flat” after winning this year’s controversial Solheim Cup, managed to finish her round within sights of the leader board.    Kerr came in a comfortable tenth, with an overall score of 275, while the event’s overall winner (with a total score of 269) was 32-year-old French player Celine Herbin. She lives just down the road in Santander and her caddie is none other than Vincente Ballesteros, the brother of the late Severiano.    Luna was less lucky as she missed the cut, but she then spent the best part of half an hour chatting to a group of French journalists about her various roles as a Richard Mille ambassador and how she balances golf with bringing up two young children.    Richard Mille has gone on to enlarge its portfolio of ladies’ watches, including complicated timepieces and gem-set models. However, congruent with the men’s watches, all ladies’ timepieces proffer craftsmanship, robustness, style and technical prowess in equal measure, making them the obvious choice for all sporting greats, male or female. Just like the game of golf, the appeal of these watches will last for a very long time.