SIHH 2018
RICHARD MILLE
RICHARD MILLE’ S FOCUS IN 2018 IS POLO— and how to build a watch that protects its complicated movement in the event of virtually any shock. The new RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough, a limited edition of thirty pieces, is built with a 44.5mm x 49.94mm x 16.15mm Carbon TPT case, two separate baseplates, and a movement suspended by cables. The result means the watch will withstand a whack that brings a 5,000-G force to the movement. What’ s more, the watch’ s crystal is made of two sheets of sapphire 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. With anti-reflective and UV coatings, this glass, created with assistance from glass specialist Stettler, is patented to Richard Mille.
This is the second watch made in cooperation with MacDonough( the first was the tank-like RM053 from 2012), and at $ 900,000 is the priciest of the two. Only thirty will be made.
Richard Mille also unveiled the RM 07-01 Gem-Set Black Ceramic. This new version Richard Mille’ s Ladies Automatic timepiece also represents a first for watchmaking: the only ceramic timepiece ever set with diamonds directly into the ceramic. Pricing has yet to be determined.
SPRING 2018 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 111