Yves Bissouma attack: What is a Richard Mille watch and why are they so expensive?

Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur spent four seasons at Brighton

Ex-Brighton and current Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma was robbed of his Richard Mille watch by two attackers posing as fans.

Bissouma, who played for Brighton between 2018 and 2022, was outside a hotel in Cannes on the French Riviera when the mugging occurred yesterday afternoon.

The 27-year-old was on a family holiday and was returning to the hotel with his wife when he was attacked by two men with tear gas. They reportedly asked Bissouma for a selfie before spraying him. They then took his Richard Mille watch worth £255,000 before fleeing.

"We are aware of the incident that took place and we will continue to check on the welfare of Yves and his family,” said Tottenham in a statement.

Bissouma joined Brighton for around £15m in July 2018 and signed for Spurs for £25m plus add-ons in the summer of 2022.

What is a Richard Mille watch? The Swiss luxury watch company was founded in 2001 by Richard Mille himself, along with Dominique Guenat. Their headquarters are in Les Breuleux, Switzerland. The hugely expensive watches are designed to be extremely shock-resistant and accurate. The materials, including grade 5 titanium, Carbon TPT and graphene also make them lightweight, comfortable to wear and a powerful symbol of wealth.

First Class Timepieces describe them as, "works of art, engineering marvels and status symbols all rolled into one."

Some models are produced in minimal quantities – sometimes as few as 10 pieces worldwide – all of which adds to the allure and the price tag. Many are collectors items for the ultra wealthy with a passion for timepieces.

How much is a Richard Mille watch? On average, a Richard Mille watch commands a hefty price of approximately £160,000. But for those seeking a more “accessible price point”, the RM 016 model has a starting price tag of around £65,000. The most expensive is said to be the RM 52-01 Blue Sapphire Tourbillon Skull Edition. Available for around £2.1million.

Bissouma is not alone. Formula One driver Charles Leclerc had his Richard Mille stolen last year after fans surrounded the driver ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. It was worth a reported £400,000. Fellow F1 ace Lando Norris was also relieved of his limited edition Richard Mille outside Wembley Stadium after the Euro 2020 final. It was worth north of £100,000.