Mark Zuckerberg is one of the world's richest and arguably most influential men, but you wouldn't have been able to tell until not long ago, if you saw him in the street and didn't know who he was. Things are changing, though, and he might even get into flashy timepieces.
Last weekend, the youngest son of India's wealthiest man got married, and the wedding festivities came with a who's who billionaire guestlist, 3-days festivities, and stellar live entertainment. Anant Ambani, the son of Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani, is a well-known figure both locally and internationally. As befits a young man whose father is estimated at $112 billion, he is a passionate car collector, with his impressive fleet surpassed only by his even more impressive watch collection.
If there's one man whose picture should be in the dictionary under "watch guy," that would be Anant, and his wrist has seen anything from ultra-rare Patek Philippes and Rolexes to one-offs from the most prestigious watchmakers. The same goes for one pre-wedding event when his Richard Mille timepiece caught the eye of both Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
The interaction between the three was caught on camera, with the video going viral as soon as it hit X (former Twitter). It's not hard to see why: Zuckerberg, the ultimate geek who was never into the trappings of billionaire life, is geeking out over a Richard Mille watch. Even if he's only making small talk, which he probably is, it's still notable, especially as it comes on the heels of reports that he bought a sanctioned billionaire's $300 million megayacht and a $30 million shadow vessel for it.
The timepiece in question is notable, even if very eccentric in styling. Richard Mille, watchmaker to the stars, hardly needs an introduction: the Swiss brand has countless haute horlogerie accomplishments under its belt. But Richard Mille is also famous for putting the most outrageous spin on these accomplishments for custom pieces for the A-list.
Photo: Instagram/MisterDeReloj
This is one such example. The watch that got Zuckerberg so giddy is the Richard Mille RMS10 Tourbillon Koi Fish, a one-off piece in 18K rose gold with a bezel set in factory diamonds, which makes for a very flashy appearance. The Koi fish "pond" on the dial adds to the flashiness.
The piece is estimated at some $1.25 million, but the accurate price is hard to divine given that the watch was designed specifically for Anant.
A variation on the RM010, this piece also features a skeletonized automatic movement with hours, minutes, and date, but most importantly, Richard Mille's variable geometry system for optimizing the rotor's winding motion, which means the winding process adjusts according to whether the wearer is engaging in sporting or non-sporting activities. This makes the watch personalizable to the wearer's lifestyle.
With a 50-hour power reserve and 50-meter (164-foot) water resistance, this piece also shows automotive influences in the use of grade 5 titanium for baseplate and bridges, and the way in which Richard Mille "ribbed" the baseplate to shave off extra weight.
Admittedly, none of that made it on Zuckerberg's radar, but rather the diamonds and the Koi fish. "You know I never really wanted a watch but after seeing that I was like, 'watches are cool'," he tells the groom.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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