Richard Mille Reveals RM 16-02 Extraflat

Welcome to the 70th edition of Maximalist! This ultimate guide is packed with insider insights into the dazzling realms of fashion, art, real estate, travel, jewelry, and horology—giving you all the weekly luxury news ahead of the rest.

Luxury is always evolving, and this week’s edition is no exception. Let’s dive in!

In Case You Missed it

1. Rolex Increases Prices in UK and US

2. LVMH Watch Week Recap

3. Lewis Hamilton Visits Ferrari HQ

Markets

On this week’s agenda:

1. Richard Mille Reveals RM 16-02 Extraflat

2. Schiaparelli Couture 2025

3. James Turrell’s Latest Project in Saudi

Richard Mille Reveals RM 16-02 Extraflat

Late last week, Richard Mille introduced the RM 16-02 Automatic Extraflat watch, showcasing a blend of advanced technical features and minimalist design. The watch is distinguished by its rectangular, monolithic structure that reflects brutalist architectural principles, emphasizing clean, geometric lines and a robust aesthetic.

This model features a skeletonized CRMA9 movement made from grade 5 titanium, which exposes the complex mechanics beneath its surface. The movement is designed with precisely chamfered apertures to enhance light flow and display the craftsmanship involved. The RM 16-02's movement is exceptionally thin at just 4.12 mm, incorporating a free-sprung balance with variable inertia for improved accuracy and durability. It includes a platinum rotor and ceramic ball bearings that enhance the efficiency of its OneWay automatic winding system, all while maintaining a slim profile. The watch offers a power reserve of about 50 hours.

The RM 16-02’s design includes a tripartite case, which is characteristic of Richard Mille, providing ergonomic comfort and water resistance up to 30 meters. Its construction uses grade 5 titanium spline screws and stainless steel washers that are resistant to abrasion, ensuring durability. The dial, inspired by Ariadne’s thread, features bold architectural indices and guides the observer through the intricacies of its skeletonized movement.

The RM 16-02 Automatic Extraflat is currently available at Richard Mille boutiques worldwide, with pricing details provided upon request.

Schiaparelli Couture 2025

On January 27, 2025, at the Petit Palais in Paris, Schiaparelli unveiled its Spring 2025 haute couture collection titled "Icarus," under the creative direction of Daniel Roseberry. Inspired by antique ribbons found in a Lyon antique shop, Roseberry crafted a collection that challenges the notion that modernity equates to simplicity, asking, "Can’t the new also be extravagant?"

The collection featured Basque jackets with grand proportions, duchess satin bustier gowns, and embroidered opera coats crafted from satin neoprene. Details such as pearls, feathers, and embroidery adorned sculpted gowns, with models parading down a runway embellished with tiles shaped like golden suns. Key pieces included an S-shaped jacket, a trompe l'oeil monkey fur dress, and a velvet neoprene gown, showcasing turn-of-the-century embroidery techniques and a depth of craftsmanship rare in today’s digital, fast-paced fashion environment.

Roseberry’s designs drew inspiration from iconic couturiers like Azzedine Alaïa, Madame Grès, Charles Frederick Worth, Paul Poiret, and Yves Saint Laurent, reflecting styles from the 1920s through the 1990s without directly copying their work. The show emphasized sculptural bustles, futuristic tulle gowns, and intricate draping and pleating, all heavily adorned with feathers, embroidery, and beads.

Reflecting on his collection, Roseberry expressed that couture offers a brief escape, a "suspended reality," celebrating the slow and meticulous craftsmanship of couture that contrasts sharply with the modern era's pace. He highlighted Schiaparelli’s ethos of engaging with various historical silhouettes and concepts, granting him the creative freedom to explore and redefine the boundaries of modern couture.

James Turrell’s Latest Project in Saudi

Last week, James Turrell announced his plans for a vast land art project in the AlUla desert of Saudi Arabia, known as the 'Cosmic Observatories.' This project, a part of the Wadi AlFann, or "Valley of the Arts," will not only feature Turrell's large-scale installation but also serve as a museum showcasing some of his most iconic works.

Set to commence construction within the next four years, Turrell's untitled installation draws on the desert's pure light and its striking landscape. The artist, who visited the site in 2020, found a resonance with the sandstone formations similar to those at his Roden Crater project in Northern Arizona, mentioning, "I was very familiar with that kind of landscape and strangely felt at home with doing work there."

The installation will guide visitors through an immersive path featuring vast pathways, tunnels, chambers, and staircases cut into the canyon floor, alternating between caverns filled with light and darkness. It will include two large and two small 'Skyspaces'—subterranean openings acting as 'cosmic observatories' to challenge and alter perceptions of celestial light.

Above ground, the artwork will continue as a 'planetary diagram' etched into the sandstone cliffs, creating a dialogue between the earth and the sky, showcasing Turrell's philosophy of the 'thingness of light'—a perceptual interaction where the vastness of the universe is expressed through the dynamics of light.

The exhibition, part of the ongoing AlUla Arts Festival, will run until February 22 at the AlJadidah Arts District and will feature key pieces by Turrell. This includes his 1968 cross-corner projection, 'Alta,' creating a luminous pink-violet pyramid in a dim corner, and the circular works from his 2021 Glassworks series like 'Jubilee.'

This project positions Turrell alongside other renowned artists such as Manal AlDowayan, Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer, and Ahmed Mater, who have also been commissioned to create permanent land artworks. Spanning an area of about 64 square kilometers, Wadi AlFann marks a significant revival of Land Art in Saudi Arabia, blending established and emerging Saudi artists. The installation will remain on view until April 19, 2025.

Thank you for supporting the world of luxury.