Michelle Yeoh
‘From the start, it was a mutual respect for each other’s artistry. I don’t think you can represent a brand if you don’t believe in their values. Take what he’s doing now for young artists, helping them to push their boundaries. Thats the person I know, and the person that I’ve come to love and admire.’
Michelle Yeoh
Sense of luxury
Globally renowned actress Michelle Yeoh has impressive artistic flair, a deep understanding of women and an innate sense of luxury. The brand fell in love with the actress’s personality more than 15 years ago, giving rise to two women’s jewellery watches: the RM 051 and the RM 51-01 Tourbillon.
A talented actress
Michelle was already a superstar in Asia, with over 30 films to her name, when her role in the 1997 Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies propelled her to international stardom and the sets of Hollywood studios. Her passion for martial arts, from karate to kung fu, means that she has refused to use stunt doubles for most of the fighting and acrobatic scenes in her films. Michelle is now one of the most prolific Asian actresses of all time and without a doubt also one of the best. It might sound like an exaggeration, but this statement rings more and more true with every new film. Following the astounding success of her somewhat unexpected role in the 2018 blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians, Michelle won widespread acclaim for Everything Everywhere All at Once, released in 2022. In it she plays Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American woman battered by the hardships of life, who is suddenly swept off on a fantastic adventure. Her portrayal won her the Oscar for Best Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards.
‘The first present I ever received from my dad was a watch. And then the first significant thing I ever bought myself was a watch, and my love grew from there. used to only wear very big, masculine watches, because for me it is a statement. A watch isn’t just about telling the time. I don’t agree that women should only wear small watches.’
Michelle Yeoh
When asked what Yeoh thinks drew Richard Mille to her, her answer comes easily. ‘We share the same artistic values and principles. Richard chooses his ambassadors based on the values they represent—the same ones he wants his brand to be associated with. Be that elegance, determination, integrity or any number of specific things.’ In the case of Yeoh, this could indeed be any number of specific things, not least her passion for humanitarian causes. Especially noteworthy - her contribution with the UNDP helping to spread the word about the organisation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) striving for gender equality and the fight to end poverty, together with her work raising awareness for the Paris Brain Institute.