Richard Mille is always a leader in the industry when it comes to new technology and materials. This year, it wows us with its first-ever, gem-set sapphire watch. The brand has used sapphire - clear, pink and green - before, but this is the first time it sets the sapphire with diamonds. The fantastic case takes weeks to create, starting with a study of the sapphire's composition, then moving on to the machining of each ultra-hard piece from a single block of sapphire using diamond-tipped tools. The case requires 40 days of finishing. To set the gemstones (also a long operation), a laser is required to determine the tiniest micrometer openings into which prongs of gray gold are placed. The diamonds are then set into the prongs in rows. The blue sapphire creates an intriguing color dance with the diamonds, which appear blue in certain places, especially around the mother-of-pearl center dial. The brand's RM 07-02 self-winding movement powers the watch using a variable-geometry rotor.
Details
| Company | Richard Mille |
| Price range | Price on request |
| Gender | Female |
| Case | Tonneau |
| Complications | Hours Minutes |
| Movement | Automatic |
| Power Reserve Range (hours) | 49 - 72 |
| Power Reserve | 50 hours |
| Case Size | Medium (31mm - 39mm) |
| Case Diameter (mm) | 47x33 |
| Case Colour | Blue |
| Case Material | Sapphire |
| Gemstones | Diamonds |
| Caliber | CRMA5 |
| Where to buy | Richard Mille in Beverly Hills |
| Reference Number | RM 07-02 |
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From the inception of the brand in 2001, Richard Mille endeavored to apply to its watchmaking the same techniques employed by the most innovative industries. Inspired by developments in aerospace engineering and Formula 1 racing, the timepieces created by Richard Mille embody technological advancements that surpass that of horology alone.This dedication to agility has procured over 80 models including the world's thinnest manual-wind watch, the Richard Mille RM Up-01 Ferrari, debuted in 2022. Unique from other ultra-thin watches, this timepiece does not utilize the caseback as a mainplate, nor contain a crown, instead time can be set via an innovative wheel mechanism found on the side of the dial. Other Richard Mille collections prove equally impressive, including the colorful RM 88, latticed RM 74-01 and astronomical RM 52-05 co-designed by Pharrell Williams.
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