LeBron’s got his own signature Richard Mille, but can he compare to the GOAT Michael Jordan?

Borna Bošnjak

Look, I won’t pretend – I know nothing about basketball. But I do know a thing or two about watches, or at least I’d like to think so. With that said, I’ll leave it up to the NBA-obsessed among you to decide who the GOAT of basketball is, but when it comes to watches, I honestly think it’s not even close.

Before we get into all that, what’s this new Richard Mille I’m talking about? Though he’s been spotted with the brand’s watches on numerous occasions, Mille and James have finally made the relationship official in the form of a signature RM 65-01. In many ways, the RM 65-01 is the quintessential Richard Mille. It sports the signature Carbon and Quartz TPT tonneau case – in this case a mix of yellow and black – with a high-tech chronograph movement inside. In this case, the movement is based on the Vaucher VMF 6710 (initially used in a Parmigiani Fleurier), with its blackened bridges fashioned in titanium.

James’ signature colours can be seen throughout, with yellow highlights on the crown and strap, accented by purple, green, and orange. Any Richard Mille is wild by most everyday wristwatch standards, even when sporting less of a lairy colour palette like with Charles Leclerc’s signature model. But truth be told, I find this just a bit too wild, and the colourway less than cohesive. Nevertheless, it’s a technically impressive piece, and despite the ~US$400,000 price tag, I’ve little doubt that the 150-piece run will sell out.

lebron james audemars piguet offshore signature wrist — LeBron wearing his signature Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26210OI.OO.A109CR.01.

Not all of James’ collection is this loud, however, though it does tend to skew in the direction of hype. I’d be wary of labelling it as having little substance, but from what I’ve been able to find, he’s not worn a single watch that could be divorced from hype. Does that mean he’s not a watch enthusiast? Absolutely not. Other than his extensive collection, a collaboration with Audemars Piguet says otherwise. But am I judging slightly? Absolutely yes. With the wealth of knowledge (and of the monetary kind) available to him, I would hope and expect for LeBron to delve deeper into watches. Not only would it be interesting seeing his tastes when it comes to the vintage and independent, but it would also make for a great narrative arc of someone really fine-tuning their tastes.

imgi 1 lebron james ap panther collage — Image courtesy of DMARGE

Granted, this is a fine line he’d be toeing, as someone with such purchasing power could easily go the Mark Zuckerberg direction and just buy whatever as long as it has enough digits after the dollar sign. And yet, maybe I’m being too cynical, and LeBron has already found where his tastes lie – with hype. It’s not wrong to follow trends, but it does leave me wondering what could’ve been.

michael jordan lange datograph — Image courtesy of @niccoloy on Instagram

And what of His Airness and his watch collection? Well, the fact that the first image that pops into my mind when thinking Michael Jordan is the one above, with him sitting courtside with a first-series, platinum, bracelet-ed Datograph on his wrist, says a lot. And mostly about me. Sure, he’s also got the APs, Pateks, and Rolexes, but his tastes have expanded. He’s been spotted wearing several iterations of the IWC Big Pilot, some high-complication Panerais, and even a Purnell or two thrown into the mix. But the watches that really confirm that he’s far gone down the rabbit hole come from Greubel Forsey, Urwerk, and Ulysse Nardin.

michael jordan greubel forsey gmt sport tourbillon titanium — Image courtesy of Cincoro Tequila

These are horological heavy-hitters across multiple categories, and he’s clearly keen on their ethos. Jordan has been spotted wearing the GMT Sport Tourbillon Titanium and Double Balancier Convexe from the masters of inclined escapements and downright perfect finishing, also making them some of the most expensive pieces in his collection.

michael jordan urwerk — Images courtesy of Urwerk

His love affair with Urwerk has gone on for some time, too, starting with the UR-202, though mostly staying within the rectangular, satellite display design, adding the UR-210 and UR-220 to the hoard.

ulysse nardin sonata cathedral dual time side by side — Jordan’s UN Sonata sported the bracelet and was likely a different colourway, but you get the gist. Also, sorry Dwayne Wayde for that rude crop. Images courtesy of Phillips and Nike

A brand I didn’t expect to see on his wrist is Ulysse Nardin, simply for Jordan’s apparent preference for the avant-garde when it comes to things other than the hypey stuff. But seeing him sport the UN Sonata in a Nike ad spot was as refreshing as it was surprising.

ulysse nardin royal blue michael jordan — Image courtesy of Superwatchman

And while the Greubel Forseys make a significant contribution to the value of his collection, the crown jewel also happens to be covered in them. The Ulysse Nardin Royal Blue Mystery Tourbillon retailed for north of $1 million, and worn loosely with a bunch of accessories and Patek Philippe cufflinks make it look worth every penny.

Hoping I’ve not incited any negative feelings with my clear favouritism, have an enjoyable weekend ahead!

Borna and the Time+Tide Team

Watch meme of the week: I’m always right

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Don’t @ me.

Wristshot of the week: seeing double

cartier cloche stack wrist — A stunning pair of Cloche de Cartiers, courtesy of @yourwatchmydream on Instagram

I keep hearing people talk about their Cartier stacks – is this what they mean?

Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Baltic Hermétique Summer

The Baltic Hermétique gets a new coat of paint, with four vibrant hues telling a summer tale – pick from yellow, pink, turquoise, and orange. Retaining a 37mm case diameter and 150 metres of water-resistance, these will be ideal beach companions and are available with colour-matched FKM rubber straps or classic Baltic bracelets.

Discover the Baltic Hermétique Summer in the Time+Tide Discovery Studios and in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$1,050 (FKM rubber), A$1,200 (bracelet)

Accessory of the month: Studio Underd0g Hand Delivered Hoodie

With only a couple of sizes remaining, it’s as good a time as any to pick up one of the Studio Underd0g Hand Delivered hoodies. The oversized fit ensures plenty of room for activities, and the fleece and cotton mix will keep both you and your watch cozy.

Discover the Studio Underd0g Hand Delivered Hoodie in the Time+Tide Discovery Studios and in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$129

Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week

New TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph x Gulf & Stopwatch at the Indy 500

Zach brings you the low-down from the 109th running of the Indy 500, including the new Gulf and Stopwatch Monaco releases you expected to see, but also some special guests. How does a chat with (TAG) Heuer royalty Jeff Stein sound? Or perhaps, if you’re a sneakerhead, does streetwear savant Sean Wotherspoon rings a bell? You’ll have to watch the video above to find out.

Andrew joins IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr for a four-part mini series all about Formula 1 and watches

This week, we also had the pleasure to kick off a series with IWC’s CEO, Chris Grainger-Herr, talking about the particularities of Formula 1, filming a movie like never before, and of course, the watches. Part 1 and part 2 are already up on YouTube, so make sure to give them a watch before the next one!