Richard Mille releases the new RM 17-02 Tourbillon White Quartz TPT

Richard Mille has released the RM 17-02 Tourbillon White Quartz TPT, a new model integrating its advanced RM017 tourbillon movement. Price CHF670,000

Richard Mille has quietly released a new timepiece integrating its advanced RM017 tourbillon movement, the RM 17-02 Tourbillon White Quartz TPT, with hours, minutes, power-reserve and function indicators.

Combining watchmaking tradition and mechanical innovation, the new model comes in the typical Richard Mille tonneau-shaped case, this time entirely crafted in full white Quartz TPT.

The distinctive appearance of this high-tech material, characterised by its unique striations, is achieved by interlaying 600 layers of silicon each 45 microns thick and impregnating them with a white matrix before heating them to 120 °C in an autoclave. 

This process gives the material a very high resistance/weight ratio. Other properties include transparency to electromagnetic waves and exceptional resistance to UV rays and high temperatures. 

Furthermore, it is non-allergenic and highly resistant to a range of chemicals that the watch could encounter during its lifetime.

Measuring 48.15 mm x 40.10 mm with a thickness of 13.08 mm, this tripartite case 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. 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. 

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

A mix of cobalt blue, gleaming gold, and black PVD coatings interplay across the titanium microblasted framework of the skeletonized baseplate.

The function indicator works in a manner similar to a car’s gearbox, identifying 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.

A limited edition of 30 pieces globally, the new Richard Mille RM 17-02 Tourbillon White Quartz TPT has a price of CHF 670,000, excluding sales taxes. richardmille.com

Suggested reading:

- Richard Mille's quest for innovation: hi-tech materials

- Our visit to the Richard Mille factories