Renowned for their technical ingenuity and distinctive aesthetics, the RM 74-01 and RM 74-02 In-House Automatic Tourbillons introduce two new iterations of Richard Mille’s fully in-house automatic tourbillon calibre. These striking timepieces, though sharing the same ultra-skeletonised core, stand apart in their materials and design, making them fraternal twins with unique identities.
The RM 74-01 features grey Cermet, a material that offers exceptional resistance to corrosion and scratches—ideal for a watch case. Combining the lightness of titanium with the hardness of ceramic, grey Cermet consists of a metallic zirconium matrix integrated with high-performance ceramic inserts. Its hardness, comparable to that of a diamond, makes it an ideal choice for this model’s case. The development of this innovative material took years of research by Richard Mille in collaboration with the IMI Group, a microtechnology specialist. Complementing the case construction, the caseband, bridges, and baseplate are crafted from grade 5 titanium, ensuring a smooth and harmonious aesthetic.
On the other hand, the RM 74-02 is enhanced with Gold Carbon TPT®, an exclusive Richard Mille material within the world of watchmaking. The technical challenge in developing this material lay in combining Carbon TPT®, a unique composite, with gold leaf. After years of development, this distinctive blend offers unparalleled resistance and lightness, juxtaposing the deep matte black of carbon with the brilliance of gold. The dark silhouette of the case is interwoven with strands of 24-carat yellow gold, extending across the baseplate, the red-gold caseband with polished pillars, and the crown encircled with yellow gold.
At the heart of these two models lie the in-house CRMT6 calibre for the RM 74-01 and the CRMT5 calibre for the RM 74-02. The RM 74-01 features baseplates and bridges crafted from grade 5 titanium, treated with PVD and electroplasma coating, ensuring robustness and stability. Meanwhile, the RM 74-02 incorporates yellow and red gold elements for a striking contrast. Both calibres operate with a tourbillon regulator and a free-sprung balance wheel, guaranteeing precision and reliability. Their fast-winding barrels provide a continuous energy flow, regulated through involute profile gear teeth, enabling an impressive 50-hour power reserve.
A key innovation of these movements is the variable-geometry rotor, allowing each timepiece’s winding system to be tailored to the wearer’s activity profile, enhancing efficiency and personalisation.
The RM 74-01 and RM 74-02 exemplify Richard Mille’s signature slender design, with their tourbillons prominently displayed at 6 o’clock. Their refined craftsmanship is further accentuated by a flange with bevelled festoon detailing, which elegantly frames the movement within each case. Intricate hand-finishing techniques add to their sophistication, ensuring that these exceptional timepieces are a perfect fusion of horological science and artistic elegance.
With their blend of technical mastery, material innovation, and meticulous handcrafting, the RM 74-01 and RM 74-02 embody the pinnacle of haute horology, affirming Richard Mille’s legacy of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking excellence.
