Richard Mille presented the RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics, three models that pay homage to the 1980s Italian art and architecture movement Memphis Group.
With the new RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics models, Richard Mille pays homage to the 1980s Italian art and architecture movement Memphis Group founded by Ettore Sottsass.
Available in three pastel hues - blush pink for the RM 07-01 Pastel Pink, lavender pink for the RM 07-01 Pastel Lavender and powder blue for the RM 07-01 Pastel Blue - these new timepieces for Ladies blend a vibrant celebration of summer-inspired colours with Richard Mille's core values of performance, technical excellence, and innovation.
Cécile Guenat, Creative and Development Director at Richard Mille, explains the inspiration behind this collection: ‘I find Memphis Design particularly fascinating in its diversity and freedom. The creator’s goal at the time was to escape the strictures of Modernist aesthetics and they were pioneers in the use of all types of materials through their designs. At the heart of the design process for this collection was the idea of juxtaposing colours in materials. Then we enriched this work by weaving inside the ancient craft of guillochage. This creates a symbiosis of the ultra-modern and the traditional in watchmaking.’
Guillochage is a traditional decorative method, crafted by skilled hands using hand-turned engines. It involves creating repeated, intersecting lines to form geometric patterns that add texture and play with light on a surface. The guillocheur must maintain consistent pressure to ensure a uniform result.
A grey PVD-treated red gold dial serves to showcase the engraved Memphis motif, surrounded by other decorative detailing in coloured ceramic, laser-cut rubber appliques and diamond-set elements.
The 31.40 x 45.23 x 11.85 mm three-part cases are made of lightweight TZP ceramic and offers water resistance to 50 metres / 165 feet ensured by 2 Nitrile O-ring seals.
Used for the bezel and caseback, the Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (TZP) ceramic is renowned for its lightness, strength and colour-retention properties. Even over long periods of time, the hue of this sophisticated material remains perfectly balanced and unfaded, looking fresh as the day it was produced. The submicron grain size furthermore permits excellent surface finish for a stunning matt effect.
Fixed on white gold, microblasted casebands with polished pillars, these bezels protect the in-house skeletonised automatic winding CRMA2 movement which uses Grade 5 titanium for the bridges and the baseplate. All components are skeletonized to allow maximum light to pass through and fill the space.
The skeletonization also highlights the care given to the high-grade finishing of the movement with its drawn, chamfered and polished surfaces combined with microblasted and electroplasma treatments.
The CRMA2 sports a variable-inertia balance maintaining perfect long-term performance and a variable- geometry rotor in 5N 18K red gold that adapts the winding of the watch to the wearer’s activity. Beating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), it offers a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
The RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics collection embodies the Richard Mille’s unwavering commitment to crafting timepieces that not only tell time but also tell a compelling story of creativity, innovation, and the joy of breaking free from the ordinary. richardmille.com
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