Watch Enthusiast Lifestyle KK: "Richard Mille watches are outstanding for creating a sense of space."

"A car lover who loves watches" or "a watch lover who loves cars." There are many people with similar hobbies and tastes. Isn't it a little surprising that someone like him is also a pastry chef? The masculine, technical world of mechanics common to watches and cars, and the artistic world of sweets that appeal to the five senses and captivate women. KK is passionate about both. He says that the many watches he has encountered while honing his skills as a pastry chef have inspired him to aim even higher.

"Richard Mille watches are excellent at creating a space, and the same can be said for making cakes."

　A pastry chef who loves Richard Mille. That was all the information I had beforehand. What kind of person would he be? I headed to a certain place in the city center, imagining what he might be like. My first impression was that he was an artist or musician.

"Would you like to feature this in the magazine too?" Mr. K asked, hesitantly handing over a Casio G-SHOCK. It was the first WCCS limited edition Frogman model, which had attracted much attention due to its high premium price. He says this was the beginning of his love for watches.

"I tried to buy both the white and blue ones at Marui, but they said I could only buy one of them, so I ended up buying the white model."

　The year was 1998, when Mr. K, who was in his mid-20s at the time, took over his family's Western-style pastry shop and became the owner and chef.

　Next, I got a Rolex Air King, a rare older model with a blue dial and boys' size.

"Rolex was the object of my admiration. I actually wanted one with a date display, but it was about 15 yen too expensive, so I chose a cheaper model without a date. At that time, watches were expensive items for me. I like Rolex because I was also attracted to the meaning behind its famous logo. There is a theory that the crown mark represents the hands of a craftsman. Watches and sweets have in common the fact that they are handmade by artisans. I wanted to wear a symbolic watch."

　The next step in his Rolex lover's journey was to the classic chronograph, the Daytona. Of the many chronographs available, the Daytona is his favorite because "I love the design." He has previously purchased three models from 2000 onwards, all equipped with fully in-house automatic movements, but he says he never wears them at work and only wears them off-duty.

　The diving watch is also a Rolex. "I like the fact that I can wear it in any situation, whether for work or play," he says. The Rolex Deepsea, released in 2014, features a beautiful blue gradient dial reminiscent of diving from the surface to the depths of the ocean, and the latest 2017 model of the Sea-Dweller, boasting unparalleled water resistance of 1220 meters. These are high-spec, rare models, so it's clear that he is particular about his choices.

　Well, the watch that Mr. K wears on a daily basis is none other than Richard Mille. One of his watches is the RM002-V2.

"I was aware that tourbillons were expensive watches, easily costing over 10 million yen from any brand. I wondered if I should buy such a watch. But I really wanted a Richard Mille tourbillon. I saved up money for about three years and bought one about 10 years ago. Looking back, I'm glad I made the decision then."

　The reason why this watch captivated Mr. K was that, although expensive, it was different from traditional jewellery watches or complicated watches, and its unprecedented concept and construction, which made full use of high-tech materials, completely overturned traditional values.

"In design, the way the sense of depth is created is exquisite. This is also true in cake making. For example, the cake will look different depending on whether you place the strawberries in the front or back. Getting others to look at it is also an important element. In this respect, Richard Mille watches are outstanding in their spatial direction."

　Another Richard Mille model is the RM011 Felipe Massa, which features a carbon composite case. Mr. K is also passionate about cars, just like he is about watches. This model, created in collaboration with an F1 racer, was a perfect choice.

"I feel that Richard Mille's previous, more understated designs suit me better than the colorful ones of today. What would be my next purchase? Well, I'm interested in the RM009 Felipe Massa Tourbillon, made of Alsik material. It's extremely difficult to get hold of these days, but I can't give up on the dream of owning one someday."

　Speaking of cars, he is a Ferrari owner, so his favorite watches are Panerai and Hublot Ferrari models. He also shared a funny story about Hublot:

"I fell in love at first sight with the Classic Fusion Skeleton Tourbillon All Black when I accompanied a friend to a watch store. I was impressed with the Big Bang Unico Sapphire when CEO Biver showed it to me before it went on sale, and apparently he took that as an order, and later I received a limited edition model with my lucky number on it (laughs)."

　Mr. K is in his mid-40s, having started with a G-SHOCK, then a Rolex, and finally a Richard Mille. He is still young enough to have a watch as proof of his life. In his life as a pastry chef, he aims to become "a person worthy of a watch." I would love to see his beloved watch again in 10 or 20 years.