Richard Mille's latest BonBon collection makes us want to stick our hands into the candy jar. It features motifs of much-beloved childhood sweets such as marshmallows, lollipops and cupcakes, as well as fruits—also known as nature's candy—such as lychees, kiwis and strawberries. The entire collection was designed by Cécile Guenat, a trained jewellery designer who was brought on to be the creative director for the new line.
This specimen, the RM 07-03 Marshmallow, is crafted to look just like the pillowy candy. Its playful exterior, however, belies the difficulties faced in its creation. Each section of its puffy pastel dial is crafted from at least a dozen layers of grand feu enamel. The technique first involves creating shallow depressions out of white or pink gold and filling them with enamel powder. Because each layer of enamel powder must be fired at a high temperature of 800 degrees celcius before the next layer is applied, the entire process is extremely laborious. Plus, shrinkage and cracks are common at every firing, so the rejection rate is exceedingly high. Once the enamel sections are finished, they are sanded to give the soft-looking surface texture of a real marshmallow.
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The case of the RM 07-03 Marshmallow is made from a combination of white ATZ ceramic and lavender pink TZP ceramic. Both are extremely scratch-resistant, unlike the real candies. The sides of the case are made from red gold, polished by hand and set with tsavorites, pink sapphires and citrine.