Richard Mille - RM 17-01 Tourbillon Brown Cermet

0 0 Thursday, 7 April 2022 Edit this post

Richard Mille presented the new RM 17-01 Tourbillon Brown Cermet, a sleek model powered by the RM017 calibre, a tourbillon movement that combines the values of watchmaking tradition and mechanical innovation.

Its tonneau-shaped case is characterised by a warm-toned brown cermet bezel paired with a precious red gold caseband.

Richard Mille RM 17-01 Tourbillon Brown Cermet

Cermet is a high-tech material that combines the lightness of titanium and the hardness of diamond. For its exceptional physical properties, it is frequently used in ballistic protections and in aerospace for re-entry shuttle components, exterior fuselage pieces and in the brakes on competition vehicles. Cermet has a hardness of 2,360 Vickers, comparable to other performance high-ceramic making it ideal for use in bezels, an area highly exposed to scratches.

Measuring 48.15 mm x 40.10 mm with a thickness of 13.08 mm, the tripartite case of the RM 17-01 offers water resistance up to a pressure of 5 ATM (50 metres / 165 feet) ensured by 2 Nitril O-ring seals. It is assembled with 12 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.

Supported by a skeletonised baseplate, the grade-5 titanium bridges flank the great wheel at the top of the watch and the 12.30 mm tourbillon located at the bottom.

The Grade 5 titanium alloy (90% titanium, 6% aluminium, 4% vanadium) offers excellent properties including remarkable rigidity and corrosion resistance which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aeronautics and automobile industries.

Baseplate and the bridges were subjected to intensive and complete validation tests to optimise their resistance capacities. In fact, extreme rigidity with precise surface flatness is essential for the perfect functioning of the gear train.

Beating at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), the RM017 tourbillon movement can withstand over 5,000 g’s and guarantees a 70-hour power reserve.

The fast-rotating barrel (6 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours) increases the power reserve performance as well as the regularity ratio. The free-sprung balance offers better reliability in the event of shocks, movement assembly and disassembly, and also guarantees better chronometric results over time.

The following functions are supported: hours, minutes, power-reserve and function indicators.

In a manner similar to a car’s gearbox, the function indicator identifies the hand-setting (H), neutral (N), and winding (W),positions as the crown is pulled out. A hand located at 4 o’clock indicates the current position. The crown has a torque limiting security system that prevents accidental overwinding, which could cause damage to the winding stem or put excessive pressure on the barrel spring.

At 2 o'clock, the power-reserve indicator shows the number of hours of energy left in the mainspring before the watch must be wound again.

Protected by a sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment on both sides, the sapphire dial features a grade 5 titanium flange with green galvanic treatment and contrasting yellow minute track and Richard Mille logo.

The new Richard Mille RM 17-01 Tourbillon Brown Cermet has a price of CHF 630,000 excluding sales taxes. richardmille.com