The Richard Mille RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley sets a grinning face and a tiny golden fantasy landscape above a skeletonised automatic tourbillon. That contrast is its point: this is high-end watchmaking staged as playful sculpture, not a conventional dial built for quick, uncluttered reading.
What is the Richard Mille RM 88 Smiley?
Introduced in 2022, the RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley is a 50-piece limited edition. Its dial-side scene brings together a Smiley face, flower, sun, pineapple, cactus, flamingo, rainbow and cocktail imagery, arranged around the movement. The miniature objects turn the watch into a vivid, three-dimensional tableau; the dial is an artistic proposition rather than a plain surface for reading the time.
Richard Mille says the watch took three years to develop, describing the creative process in its 2022 official video description. That is the brand’s stated development period, not an independent production-time measure.
What movement is in the RM 88 Smiley?
The in-house CRMT7 is a self-winding, skeletonised tourbillon calibre. The Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) lists hours, minutes, small seconds and function selection, along with a 50-hour power reserve and 23 jewels. The tourbillon is the movement’s central complication; the surrounding miniature scenery is visual storytelling, not a set of additional measured complications.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- - **Perfect Compatibility**: This 25mm watchband strap is specifically designed for Richard Mille models RM50, RM53, RM011, RM055, RM65-01, and RM047, ensuring a perfect fit and effortless installation.
- - **Durable Materials**: Crafted from high-quality rubber and featuring a sturdy 316L stainless steel deployment clasp, offers exceptional durability and ensures long-lasting wear without compromising on comfort.
- - **Dimensions**: Measuring a width of 25mm, with a long side of 12cm and a short side of 7.5cm, this watchband is suitable for wrist sizes approximately between 7.4in to 8.2in, catering to a wide range of users.
- - **Easy Installation**: The package includes one watch strap and a professional removal screwdriver specifically designed for the unique four-point screws, making it easy to change or install your watch band with precision.
- - **Satisfaction Guaranteed**: We prioritize your satisfaction and offer reliable customer support for any inquiries or issues regarding watchband strap, ensuring a seamless shopping experience.
The function indicator distinguishes winding from hand-setting. Hodinkee’s October 2022 account says it displays W for winding and H for hand-setting as the crown is pulled. The published movement-thickness figures differ: FHH lists 4.8 mm, while Hodinkee reports 5.7 mm and a reserve of approximately 50 hours, ±10%. Those figures should be read as source-specific reports, not combined into a single measurement.
Case, materials and practical specifications
| Specification | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Case | ATZ ceramic with a red-gold caseband, according to FHH |
| Dimensions | 48.15 × 39.74 mm; 13.3 mm thick, according to FHH |
| Water resistance | 50 m, according to FHH |
| Movement | CRMT7 self-winding skeletonised tourbillon; FHH lists 50 hours of reserve and 23 jewels |
| Movement thickness | 4.8 mm in FHH’s record; 5.7 mm in Hodinkee’s October 2022 report |
| Back and bridges | Sapphire back and grade 5 titanium bridges, according to FHH |
| Decorative elements | Gold micro-sculptures and a sun-shaped oscillating weight, according to FHH |
| Strap | Descriptions differ: Hodinkee identifies a yellow textile strap; FHH lists aluminium as the strap material and yellow as its colour |
The case dimensions and 50 m water-resistance rating describe the watch on paper; they do not establish how it wears, how it performs in water, or its accuracy or reliability. Its expressive, highly sculptural face is the defining experience, while the movement and conventional time functions provide the horological framework beneath it.
Rank #2
- Fit wrists size from 5 to 8 inches
- Suitable for Richard Mille: RM035 011 055 030
- Selected high-grade silica gel, soft and odorless, smooth and non-scratching
- Exquisite craftsmanship and stylish design are perfect gifts for friends and family
- Package Included:Kevisae watch band for Richard Mille RM035 watch band with free tools
How much does the RM 88 Smiley cost?
There is no current price established by these launch-era references. FHH lists an indicated price of CHF 1,100,000, while Hodinkee reported $1,220,000 in October 2022. These are separate historical reports in different currencies, not a present-day quote or resale valuation.
How many RM 88 Smiley watches were made?
The edition is limited to 50 pieces, according to FHH. That fixed edition size does not establish current availability or whether any particular example is for sale.
Rank #3
- Fit wrists size from 5 to 8 inches
- Suitable for Richard Mille: RM035 011 055 030
- Selected high-grade silica gel, soft and odorless, smooth and non-scratching
- Exquisite craftsmanship and stylish design are perfect gifts for friends and family
- Package Included:Kevisae watch band for Richard Mille RM035 watch band with free tools
Why does the watch feel so unusual?
The RM 88 makes a deliberate mismatch feel coherent: a cheerful Smiley and toy-like golden motifs share space with a technical skeletonised tourbillon movement. Rather than hiding its seriousness behind a sober dial, the watch uses mechanical complexity as the setting for a playful scene. That is what makes “seriously funny” a fitting description—and why it can feel like a feel-good watch even while remaining an elaborate, rare luxury object.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Material: Stainless Steel
- LACAK 8 Branch Watch Screwdriver comapatible with Richard Mille RM028 Watch Bezel Screw Open Tool
- Fit for Model Number: RM025; RM028; RM032...
- Quantity: 1 piece
- Note: This watch part is top-quality brand new aftermarket replacement product. Please do not confuse them with genuine part.
Rank #4
- Material: Rubber
- LACAK Watch Crown Rubber Cap Cover compatible with Richard Mille Watch Crown Ring RM010 RM011 RM035 RM055
- Fit for Model Number: RM010; RM011; RM052; RM35-02; RM035; RM055...
- Quantity: 1 piece
- Note: This watch part is top-quality brand new aftermarket replacement product. Please do not confuse them with genuine part.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
