Much like you shouldn't believe everything you see on TV, especially if it's branded "reality" programming, you shouldn't believe everything – or much of anything – you see on social media. This viral video proves it.
In the rarefied world of luxury watchmaking, Richard Mille is a name that hardly needs an introduction. Richard Mille watches use spectacular complications, surprising combinations of materials, and countless carats to create pieces that walk the fine line between watchmaking and fine jewelry.
Richard Mille watches are not for everybody, and not just because of their prohibitive prices. Aesthetically, they're designed for the bold, outward type who not only isn't afraid of attracting attention but is especially seeking it out. They're showy, flashy, heavy, and outrageous pieces that sit well on the wrists of individuals who match the description.
Few would imagine such an individual would be a teen girl – a young student taking the subway, no less. This explains why this rather old video is still making the rounds within the community of watch nerds, still dividing opinion.
Photo: Richard Mille
The video popped up online at the end of last year, so by Internet times, it's positively ancient. But the confusion it's causing is time-enduring because people can't seem to decide whether the student is really wearing millions in designer gear or she's just decked out in fakes.
For one, there's a Richard Mille Skull piece on her wrist, which is identified as a one-of-one RM 052 Skull tourbillon watch and priced at $5 million. For the record, the most expensive Richard Mille piece with this caliber that's also a one-off is $2 million on the secondary market. If this is worth $5 million, it must be some sort of private commission that was not covered in the specialized media. At all. Which is unlikely.
The student is also donning a Rolls-Royce umbrella that retails for about $1,000, a diamond Hermes ring ($4,500), a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet ($6,200), Louis Vuitton trainers, and a backpack from Tsinghua University. She's on her phone, casually killing the idle time while the train takes her to her destination.
It's the location of the sighting rather than the accumulation of designer items that seems to confuse people. Who in their right mind would take the train with millions on their wrist – even if the RM isn't worth $5 million but "only" $2 million? In a city like London, she'd already be fighting off thieves with that Rolls-Royce umbrella, and she'd still end up without most of her stuff.
Needless to say, the consensus seems to be that she's wearing fakes since this is China and because she's riding the train. But there are those who still think the student is a product of generation wealth, attending Tsinghua University or its high school and choosing to commute by train because it's safer, smoother, and more convenient.
To think that we live in a world in which a teen could wear a $5 million watch on an everyday basis while riding the train and not get mugged – now that's a truly baffling thought.
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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