Backstory
REAR VIEWS OF NOTE
Richard Mille
RM 53-01 TOURBILLON
PABLO MACDONOUGH
BY MICHAEL THOMPSON
THE ESSENTIALS
CASE
44.50mm x 49.94mm x 16.15mm tripartite case of
Carbon TPT, water-resistant to 50 meters thanks to
two Nitrile O-rings, assembled using 20 spline screws
in grade 5 titanium and 316L stainless steel washers.
MOVEMENT
31.94mm x 30.26 mm x 6.35 mm with 12.4mm
tourbillon, Glucydur balance wheel with, 2 arms and 4
setting screws, 21,600 vph (3 Hz). Finished with
anglage and polishing by hand, shot-blasted milled
sections, black and grey PVD treatment for the
baseplates and bridges, micro-blasted and satin-
finished steel surfaces, polished sinks
PRICE
$900,000
RICHARD MILLE’S PRIMARY 2018 PROJECT is this
treatise on how to build a watch that protects its complicat-
ed movement in the event of virtually any shock. But it’s
also a master lesson on how to accomplish a laudable
technical end, super shock resistance, without encasing
the works in solid steel.
As you can see from this rear view of the Richard Mille
RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo MacDonough, the resulting
design is as eye-catching as it is technically proficient. A
limited edition of thirty pieces, the watch is built with a
44.5mm x 49.94mm x 16.15mm Carbon TPT case, two sepa-
rate baseplates, and a movement suspended by cables.
These components, among many other highly considered
materials, finishes and calculations, insure that the watch
will withstand a polo whack that can attack the integrity of
the movement with a 5,000-G force.
Richard Mille’s technicians have employed Grade 5 titani-
um to construct the bridges, creating an unusual, and visu-
ally stimulating, double baseplate construction. It is made
with a central baseplate that solidly holds together the
various wheels of the caliber, and a second peripheral
baseplate attached to the central baseplate by super-
strong cables. These two, braided steel cables (just
0.27 mm in diameter) are tightened via ten pul-
leys and four tensioners fixed to the exterior
baseplate and to each side of the main bridge.
On both sides, the caliber is made visible and
is completely protected with two sheets of sap-
phire glass separated by a thin Polyvinyl film–
not unlike automotive safety glass – and a first in
watchmaking.
If, for example, a polo mallet were to smack
the watch straight on its face, the glass will crack
but not shatter. Richard Mille verified the strength of
the crystal by attacking it with a pendulum tipped
with a metal-spiked 4.5 kg weight. It passed the test.
The patented crystal, also anti-reflective and UV-
coated, was created with assistance from glass spe-
cialist Stettler.
This is the second watch made to survive mallets
and steeds in cooperation with MacDonough (the
first was the tank-like RM053 from 2012). Only thirty
will be made.
130 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | FALL 2018
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