SHAPE AND STYLE
Give a face to contemporary fine watchmaking is the challenge that the watchmaker from Les Breuleux has successfully met with these novel variations combining high-tech material and state-of-the-art micromechanics.
The RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-House Chronograph, unveiled last year, is Richard Mille’s first-ever watch to boast an automatic caliber equipped with a flyback function totally developed in-house. Initially available with a 5N red gold or titanium case, the timepiece is now proposed with a black TZP or white ATZ ceramic case (38.40 x 47.34 x 11.68 mm). This stylistic alternative boosts its sporty character and adds an extra touch of up-to-the-minute elegance.
Dial-side, we discover the original time data layout. The counters useful for measuring time up to a full day stand out with their respective color code in an openworked scenescape: green for the hours, orange for the minutes and blue for the seconds. The figures 3, 8 and 11 are interspersed among the totalizers. A vertical semi-instant date at 7 o’clock completes the ensemble. This composition offers optimal time data reading.
The skeletonized selfwinding movement drives the timekeeping function and central hand rotations accurately. This mechanism, assembled using some 425 components, showcases all the know-how of the watchmaker from Les Breuleux: baseplate and bridges in grade 5 titanium, an ingenious patented dual clutch system with oscillating pinions, a variable-inertia balance wheel, a rotor in 950 platinum crafted from a single block of material… These engineering options mean the chronograph flaunts a power reserve of 50 hours, whether it’s used or not.
Price on request richardmille.com
By Dan Diaconu