Without a doubt, Richard Mille has become one of the most well-known and hottest watch brands on the entire planet. Many people are trying to get their hands on one of these unique and coveted timepieces, but the price tag is hefty, to say the least, for the majority of people. After looking at hundreds of watches, I found the 9 best watches similar to Richard Mille.
If you’re looking for the same look and style as Richard Mille but don’t want to completely break the bank, look no further than the watches mentioned in this post. Whether you’re looking for a more affordable watch similar to Richard Mille or a prestigious one, you can find what you’re looking for in this article!
| 9 Watches Similar To Richard Mille |
| 1. Hublot Spirit of Big Bang |
| 2. ZEROO T4 “The Archer” Skeleton Tourbillon |
| 3. Bulova CURV |
| 4. CIGA Design Skeleton Z Series |
| 5. Franck Muller Vanguard |
| 6. Cvstos Challenge |
| 7. IWC Da Vinci Kurt Laus Edition |
| 8. Sevenfriday P-Series |
| 9. Azimuth Mr. Roboto |
If you’ve ever wondered whether or not Richard Mille watches hold their value, click here to view the full article where I breakdown whether they do or not (spoiler alert: they most definitely do).
Over the past couple of years, I have grown fond of Richard Mille’s timepieces. At first, I wasn’t a fan of them because I thought they were overhyped and overpriced, but recently I have started to like them more because of their masterful craftsmanship, in-depth attention to detail, and unique design. Read on to view 9 watches inspired by the iconic Richard Mille design.
1. Hublot Spirit of Big Bang
If you’re looking for one of the best alternatives to a Richard Mille, the best watch to look at first is the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang.
The Spirit of Big Bang was released fairly recently in 2014, and it was a rendition of Hublot’s highly praised Big Bang collection. And as for the design of the watch, it’s clear to see where they go their inspiration from. It has the same tonneau case similar to Richard Mille, but with Hublot’s touch of flair and boldness.
And while it may look beautiful from the outside, its movement is truly special. The Spirit of Big Bang is equipped with the HUB 4700, which is a skeletonized version of Zenith’s El Primero (both Hublot and Zenith are owned by LVMH). The amazing movement makes the Spirit of Big Bang reliable, precise, and smooth.
As for the price for the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang, the lowest price that I found on the market for a skeletonized version is around $15,000. Compared to the price of a Richard Mille, this is substantially more affordable in every way, shape, and form while still having the prestige of a highly sought-after watch brand.
So if you’re someone looking for a highly prestigious, but yet more affordable alternative to Richard Mille timepieces, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang is the best watch to look at first.
2. ZEROO T4 “The Archer” Skeleton Tourbillon
One of the most underrated watches on this list, the ZEROO T4 Skeleton Tourbillon offers everything you need and more as an alternative to Richard Mille.
The Japanese brand initially released the T4 in 2006, and it caught lots of attention when it first came out for several reasons. The main reason is because of its overwhelming resemblance to Richard Mille at a much lower price point.
This watch has the iconic large barrel-sized case, a sporty strap, and a skeletonized movement, which is found in many of the most popular Richard Mille watches. What makes the T4 unique compared to Richard Mille is its side-casing and movement. The side-casing on the T4 is made out of sapphire, and this means that you can see the amazing movement from the front, side, and back of the watch, which you can’t do with some Richard Mille watches.
For the T4’s movement, it tries its absolute best to recreate Richard Mille’s RM 012 3-dimensional movement, but it does so in a traditional, flat structure of a flat movement which makes the timepiece more unique. On top of that, the T4’s movement features a 72-hour power reserve (just like Richard Mille) and a fully functional tourbillon, which rotates the balance wheel and escapement constantly.
As for the price, you can get a new T4 “The Archer” Skeleton Tourbillon for right around $3,000. Compared to Richard Mille, this is an absolute bargain. You get all of the similar details, looks, and features of a Richard Mille and more with this watch at a mere fraction of the price.
In my opinion, the ZEROO T4 offers the most overall value on this list for what you get and it would be the watch I would recommend the most.
3. Bulova CURV
This may be a timepiece that you were not expecting to be on the list; however, the Bulova CURV is an outstanding timepiece that has resemblances to Richard Mille.
The Bulova CURV initially came out in 2016 and it caught lots of attention for several reasons. At the time it came out, it was the world’s first curved chronograph that conforms to your wrist shape. On top of that, it shares similar visual features to Richard Mille such as its unique casing design and sporty bracelet.
The Bulova CURV uses one of the best quartz movements on Earth. Many of you may be drawn away from the watch because it’s quartz, but this is no ordinary quartz movement. This watch has Bulova’s high-accuracy quartz, which makes it one of the most accurate quartz movements on the market.
If you want to learn more about Bulova, I have just the thing for you. In another post, I named several reasons why they are such a special brand. Click here to view that article!
Nonetheless, the best part about the Bulova CURV is the value you get at its given price. This timepiece only costs right around $1,000! It’s a great timepiece for those who don’t want to break the bank.
So if you’re someone who is looking for a reliable, modern, and stylish watch that is similar to Richard Mille at a much lower price, the Bulova CURV is a great option to go for.
4. CIGA Design Skeleton Z Series
One of the lowest-priced watches on this list, the CIGA Design Skeleton Z Series is a phenomenal Richard Mille alternative for those who are on a tight budget. The Z Series replicates Richard Mille’s design very well. It’s not a fake Richard Mille per se, but it’s CIGA’s rendition and homage of Richard Mille’s iconic design.
CIGA Design, a Chinese watch manufacturer, came out with its first-ever watch, the Z Series, in 2013 and it won the Red Dot Design Award in the same year it came out.
Firstly, it has plenty of designs and looks similar to Richard Mille from the case to the silicon strap. But what makes this timepiece stand out is its beautiful skeletonized dial: it’s the attention grabber of the timepiece and it’s the main reason why the watch won the design award in 2013.
As for the movement in the CIGA Design Z series, it’s equipped with the seagull ST2553JK precise mechanical movement, which has 25 jewels and a 40-hour power reserve. The movement is fantastic for its price point.
As for the pricing on this CIGA watch, you can get your hands on one for under $300, which makes it a perfect affordable Richard Mille alternative! Its price makes it significantly more attainable than Richard Mille.
If you’re looking for more fantastic affordable timepieces, I have a whole page dedicated to them. On another page, I recommended the best affordable watch brands for those who are on a budget. Click here to check it out.
So if you’re someone looking for the cheapest option possible when looking for a Richard Mille alternative, the CIGA Design Skeleton Z Series is the best watch to go for. It’s visually stunning, comfortable, reliable, and a great bargain for its price.
5. Franck Muller Vanguard
Are you looking for a Richard Mille alternative created by a legendary watchmaker? If so, the Franck Muller Vanguard is the best option to choose.
If you didn’t know, Franck Muller is a legendary professional luxury watchmaker and the founder of his own watch company. He is highly regarded within the watch industry for his uniqueness in his craftsmanship and dial/numbering design. He has sold $300 million worth of watches alone, and he released the stunning Franck Muller Vanguard in 2014.
Just like all of the watches on this list, it has similar features to Richard Mille such as the tonneau case. But what makes the Vanguard special is its unique and bold dial design.
Right off the bat, the first thing that grabs your attention with this timepiece is Franck Muller’s iconic big and wild numbering for the hour markers. This type of numbered dial is only found on Franck Muller watches, which means when you wear his timepieces, they will know that you are wearing a timepiece crafted by a genius. You are sure to catch people’s attention and stand out from the crowd.
As for the price of the Franck Muller Vanguard, you can get your hands on one of these for as low as $6,000. For the uniqueness and design of a legendary watchmaker that looks very similar to Richard Mille, that’s a great deal if you ask me.
6. Cvstos Challenge
If you’re looking for something similar to the Franck Muller Vanguard or Richard Mille without being too basic or mainstream, Cvstos (a brand that most people have never heard of) is a fantastic watch brand to go for. More specifically, the Cvstos Challenge is a phenomenal Richard Mille alternative.
The Cvstos brand is great because it was founded by Sassoun Sirmakes, who is the son of the legendary watchmaker Franck Muller. It’s a brand that consistently shows up and makes fabulous timepieces. The Cvstos Challenge was first released in 2005, and it became a popular timepiece around the world.
The Cvstos is visually stunning, to say the least. As soon as you look at this timepiece, it’s hard to take your eyes off of its ultra-sporty design, large tonneau-shaped case, skeletonized dial, and bold coloring similar to Richard Mille. This Cvstos is equipped with the Valjoux 7750 movement, which is a reliable and incredibly complex movement found in many other luxurious timepieces such as Breitling and Breguet.
The price of a Cvstos Challenge can range anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000+. As you can see, this is right around the price range as the Vanguard mentioned earlier.
7. IWC Da Vinci Kurt Klaus Edition
If you’re someone looking for a more formal and dressy type of watch that looks like Richard Mille instead of a sports watch, the IWC Da Vinci Kurt Klaus Edition is one of the best options that you can choose.
IWC is an absolute powerhouse in the watch industry that consistently makes amazing timepieces over and over, and the Da Vinci Kurt Klaus is no exception. IWC created the Kurt Klaus edition of the Da Vinci to pay homage to for him spending over 50 years designing and inventing watches for the company.
To make the Da Vinci Kurt Klaus edition unique, IWC designed a tonneau case (similar to Richard Mille) and added the astounding perpetual calendar complication that makes the watch highly functional and aesthetically pleasing to look at. Also, the case back of the watch has an engraving of Kurt Klaus himself, which shows IWC’s gratitude toward him.
Finally, the movement is IWC’s in-house 89630 movement and a 43mm case diameter, which is on the larger side. IWC designed the watch with a leather strap to give it a formal and classy look to it, which looks stunning in my personal opinion.
The price of a lightly used Da Vinci Kurt Klaus costs right around $15,000 while a new version of the watch can be in the high $20,000. IWC watches are known to be reliable and well-made so I highly suggest this timepiece if you’re looking for a dress watch. It’s a watch of absolute class.
8. Sevenfriday P-Series
Are you looking for a watch that is similar to Richard Mille, but doesn’t have the exact same look? The Sevenfriday P-Series is a great watch that has the same spirit as Richard Mille without completely ripping off its design. Sevenfriday is a Swiss brand with Japanese movements.
As for the design of the P-Series, it doesn’t completely steal Richard Mille’s look, but it does share similar features. For instance, it has a nice skeletonized dial like RM but with a unique and complex numbering system. Also, the case shape isn’t tonneau, but it’s rather a square shape instead, which gives it a unique look.
Sevenfriday P-Series uses the Miyota 82S7S movement, which is a Japanese mechanical movement. Miyota movements are found in many automatic timepieces for how reliable, durable, and precise they are.
The Sevenfriday P-Series costs just under $1,000. This is a fantastic price for a reliable and unique timepiece that has the same soul and spirit as Richard Mille.
9. Azimuth Mr. Roboto
The final watch on this list of watches that look like Richard Mille, the Azimuth Mr. Roboto watch offers a unique steampunk look instead of an ultra-sporty design.
The Azimuth Mr. Roboto has that tonneau-shaped case like Richard Mille, but it’s unique because made completely out of stainless steel. Also, the Mr. Roboto doesn’t have one full coherent dial, but rather 3 separate dials that make the face of a robot (which gives it its name). This gives it an industrial and steampunk type of design, and if you’re into that sort of style, then this watch would be perfect for you.
One thing I do have to say about this watch to be completely honest with you is that it’s massive. The case diameter is 47 mm, which would make this watch hard to wear unless you have larger wrists. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic and unique timepiece similar to Richard Mille.
The price for this cool-looking Azimuth Mr. Roboto costs right around the $5,000 mark.
Takeaway
While there are plenty of watches out there on the market that looks like Richard Mille, the ones that I mentioned above are the best watches that I could find for the money. The list I compiled has everything you may be looking for. Whether you’re searching for an affordable or prestigious Richard Mille alternative, a dress watch like Richard Mille, or something out of the ordinary, the watches above are fantastic to choose from.
If I were to choose a watch from the list, I would personally go with the Franck Muller Vanguard just because of how iconic and legendary Muller is to the watch industry. In terms of overall value, the T4, Ciga, and Bulova are the watches that I recommend. Nonetheless, all of these watches are outstanding.