STYLE Edit: Richard Milles newest timepieces, RM 74-01 and 74-02 how the Swiss watchmaker bro
The most striking thing about the RM 74-01 and RM 74-02 lies in their material developments. The bezels on RM 74-01 are made from grey cermet, a material with a hardness that is comparable to that of a diamond (2,360 Vickers compared to diamond’s 2,400 Vickers). Cermet combines the lightness of titanium with the hardness of ceramic; it is also exceptionally resistant to corrosion or scratches, which is why the material can usually be found in racing car brakes and the external fuselage of aerospace shuttles. Richard Mille took years to develop the material in partnership with microtechnology specialist IMI Group, and now has exclusive access to it in the watchmaking world.
The RM 74-02 is crafted from yet another exclusive material – gold carbon TPT. As the name suggests, the material combines the composite carbon TPT with gold. The unprecedented combination was difficult to achieve – the properties of gold as an unreactive noble metal make it difficult to fuse with other materials.
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The gold carbon TPT was eventually created after years of research, and is formed by alternating thin layers of carbon TPT with 24-karat yellow gold leaf at an angle of 45 degrees. The result is a striking material, with the dark carbon composite featuring gold striations laced throughout its body.
Technically speaking, both the RM 74-01 and 74-02 carry the same movement, but with baseplates and bridges crafted out of different materials. The CRMT6 calibre in the RM 74-01 uses PVD and electroplasma-treated grade five titanium, while the CRMT5 calibre in the RM74-02 uses yellow and red gold. Both movements have a one-minute tourbillon under the hood, with a free-sprung balance with variable inertia and four adjustable weights. The winding mechanism has a variable-geometry rotor that allows for bidirectional winding that adapts to the movements of the wearer.
Naturally, the movement is also robustly hand finished to exacting standards.
Richard Mille has managed to combine hi-tech watchmaking science with innovative materials to create bold and striking timepieces – just as we would expect.Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
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