Richard Mille’s Technological Innovation : The 5 Lightest Watches Of The Brand

Weight… how many times in everyday life this word comes back. It is often a given, something we have to deal with, but it can frequently be a limit.

As an aviation and engine enthusiast I have always seen weight as the enemy to fight. To increase the performance of an aircraft or a racing car, you have to try in every way to reduce it.

But what happens when the technologies used in these two fields are made available to Richard Mille and thus applied to watchmaking?

Actually, there is no better way to find out than to check out the Top 5 of the lightest watches ever manufactured by the brand

5. Richard Mille RM 27-03

We start this ranking going back to 2017, when RICHARD MILLE presents, in collaboration with tennis champion Rafael Nadal, the RM 27-03: a tourbillon that reconciles innovations in terms of materials with a testimony of watchmaking architecture.

Le sorprendenti tonalità rosse e gialle della sua cassa in Quartz TPT^® rendono omaggio alla nativa Spagna di Rafa Nadal, mentre il ponte scheletrato superiore evoca la testa di un toro rivolta in avanti, simbolo della Spagna, oltre ad essere l’emblema scelto da Nadal.

A major innovation of this extraordinary timepiece lies in the ability of its tourbillon caliber to withstand shocks of up to 10,000g. This new threshold has been reached thanks to years of research and development and countless hours of testing, in particular “pendulum impact test” which simulates linear acceleration, which occurs due to sudden movements, or shock to the wearer.

But let’s get to the case, where the maison really took it up a notch.

The plate of the RM 27-03 is crafted out of Carbon TPT®, a material consisting of several layers of parallel filaments, obtained by separating the carbon threads, with a maximum thickness of 30 microns.

The layers of Carbon TPT® are saturated with resin and then stacked on a special machine that changes the orientation of the fibers between each layer by 45 °. Once heated to 120 ° C and subjected to a pressure of 6 bar, the Carbon TPT® is ready to be processed.

The plate of the RM 27-03 is an integral part of the case, the middle case has been eliminated, while the bezel and the back are assembled directly on the plate, creating a structure called “unibody”, a type of construction used for racing cars, which guarantees maximum stiffness and greater impact resistance.

The TPT® Carbon plate, the main component of the RM 27-03, has undergone a series of extreme tests before approval in order to optimize its mechanical properties.

The bridges are made of grade 5 titanium, a biocompatible, highly corrosion resistant and remarkably rigid alloy, which allows the gears to operate effortlessly. The alloy is 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium.

This combination further increases the mechanical properties of the material, which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aviation and automotive industries.

The bezel and case back of the RM 27-03 are made of Quartz TPT®, an innovative material designed and developed by RICHARD MILLE in collaboration with North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT®) and made according to the same technique as Carbon TPT®, but by silica threads.

The case is water resistant to 50 meters thanks to two nitrile O-rings and is assembled using 12 slotted screws in grade 5 titanium and washers in 316L.t stainless steel.

The combination of all these technical prodigies lead the RM27-03 to weigh a total of 34 grams including the strap.

The list price of the model is $750.000.

4. Richard Mille RM 27-04

In fourth place in our ranking we find the RM 27-04, with which RICHARD MILLE celebrates 10 years of ultra-light partnership with Rafa Nadal.

This new model integrates seamlessly with the previous watch collections created for the Spanish champion, and is unique in more ways than one.

The plate and the skeletonized bridges are made of grade 5 titanium, which combined with a black PVD treatment, gives the entire assembly a great rigidity, as well as a precise flatness of the surface.

The choice of titanium, along with its combination with PVD coating, further increases the mechanical properties of the alloy, making it a frequently opted for choice among the aerospace and automotive industries. 

In the dial there is a net formed by a single braided steel cable, just 0.27mm in diameter, held in place by two turnbuckles with 5N gold PVD treatment.

This 855mm2 rope net supports the entire gauge.

Inspired by the process used to string a tennis racket, the watchmaker begins by attaching the steel cable to the turnbuckle at 5 o’clock, then proceeds to weave the mesh structure, threading each of the main strings one after the other, before starting to intertwine the transverse cords. 

Intertwining above and below the main strings, the cable enters the titanium flange, hollowed out 38 times, before ending its journey in the turnbuckle at 10 o’clock. The regular angles formed by these strings limit excessive friction and localized wear. of the main strings, during the numerous bumps suffered during a tennis match.

The movement is then connected to the link of the strings, through five hooks in polished grade 5 titanium, with 5N gold PVD treatment, which originate on the back of the plate.

Designed to stay suspended within its case, the RM27-04 caliber can withstand accelerations of over 12,000g, a new endurance record for Richard Mille.

The case is made with a brand new exclusive RICHARD MILLE material, TitaCarb®, a high performance polyamide, reinforced with up to 38.5% carbon fiber by the RICHARD MILLE team and its partner, Biwi SA. 

Thanks to this carbon injection, TitaCarb® offers an exceptional tensile strength of 370 MPa, equal to 3,700 kg / cm2.

The case of the RM 27-04 is also water resistant to 50 meters thanks to a nitrile O-ring, and assembled using 8 slotted screws in grade 5 titanium and washers in 316L stainless steel.

In addition to its high fracture resistance, which is close to that of steel, this material, used in the most demanding industries, is ideal for machining components.

Its solidity and rigidity, combined with the low coefficient of thermal expansion and high resistance to humidity and temperature, make it the ideal material to meet the specifications of a watch, which weighs only 30 grams (with strap) , is destined to venture onto the pitch with Rafael Nadal.

The price of the Richard Mille RM 27-04 is $1.000.050.

3. Richard Mille RM 27-02

Continuing our climb to the top of the ranking we find, in third place, the RM 27-02, a timepiece that belongs to the elite circle of RM watches, destined to leave its mark in an era, cashes a caliber without compromises that reinterprets the art and methods of watch design in the 21st century.

The result of research by the engineers on Carbon TPT®, the brand presented the very first skeletonized case known as “unibody“, in which the middle case and the baseplate were merged into a single piece, eliminating the need to connect the two components together.

This structure, inspired by the chassis of racing cars, increases stiffness and impact resistance; an important technological and watchmaking breakthrough made by ProArt.

The unibody plate is a technical enterprise that requires in-depth knowledge, in addition to the mastery of micromachining of new materials, a concept that the maison has cultivated since the beginning.

The sculptural plate supports the bridges, very original for their three-dimensional construction and finishes, beveled, shot-peened and featuring a hand-satin finish, as well as for the complexity of their composition, in grade 5 titanium and carbon. 

The bridges support an imposing mechanical heart capable of operating for over 70 hours without compromising its regularity, thanks to a rapidly rotating barrel that delivers constant power.

The innovations are therefore not limited to the heart of the watch alone, as evidenced by the categorical absence of compromises on the case. 

Working with North Thin Ply Technology, RICHARD MILLE engineers have developed a very original material, known as Quartz TPT®, made up of hundreds of layers of quartz filaments stacked on top of each other. These fibers are exceptionally resistant to high temperatures and are characterized by extreme resistance and transparency to electromagnetic waves.

No thicker than 45 microns, the silica layers are inserted between the Carbon NTPT® layers by an automatic positioning system, which changes the orientation of the fibers between each layer by 45 °. Heated to 120 ° C in an autoclave similar to those used to make aeronautical components, the material is then ready for processing at ProArt. 

During this phase, the various layers of Quartz TPT® and Carbon TPT® are placed randomly, ensuring that each machined component is unique, such as the core of the platen, machined using the same process.

The solid bezel and caseback in Carbon and Quartz TPT® are then fixed to the plate by means of 12 slotted screws in grade 5 titanium.

A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment adds the finishing touch to this unique combination. Weighing in at less than 20 grams, the RM 27-02 is so light that Nadal called it his second skin.

The list price is back at €775.000.

2. Richard Mille RM 027

From the key concept of lightness the RM 027 was developed, in close collaboration with Rafael Nadal, who tested it in real conditions and than wore it for the first time at the 2010 Roland Garros.

The RM 027 Tourbillon plate is made of titanium and LITAL® Aluminum, an alloy with a high lithium content, containing aluminum, copper, magnesium and zirconium, with a density of 2.55.

The addition of lithium, one of the lightest elements, gives this alloy great strength and lightness; it is no coincidence that this particular alloy is also used, for the same reasons, in the aerospace industry, in the construction of the Airbus A380, helicopters, rockets and satellites, as well as in F1 racing cars.

In sum, the result is one of the lightest mechanical tourbillon wristwatches in the world with a movement weighing just 3.83 grams; the RM 027 weighs less than 20 g (including strap) making it the lightest watch ever produced by Richard Mille… well at least until the last watch of this ranking was produced, 3 years later.

1. Richard Mille RM 27-01

With this timepiece, produced in 2013, the maison pushed the boundaries of haute horologerie and achieved a new world record as the lightest mechanical watch ever created.

An exceptional creation, the RM 27-01 pushes the concepts of lightness and strength to the extreme, weighing in at 18.83 grams, including the strap, which turns out to be the heaviest part.

As for the previous models the incredible result are obtained thanks to the skilled use of intertwined fibers and cables.

The RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal has a platina attached to the case by four intertwined steel cables, just 0.35 mm in diameter. This structure combines strength and flexibility to protect the movement, which weighs only 3.5 grams, thanks to the use of grade 5 titanium for the main plate and the tourbillon carriage; and aluminum-lithium for the barrel bridges and gears.

These cables are held in tension by means of an ingenious mechanism of tensioners (positioned at 3 and 9 o’clock) and pulleys, which act as pylons positioned at the four corners of the movement. Each cable is fixed to the tensioner, and passes over the upper pulley and in motion before returning, via the lower pulley, to the lower flange. Once the watchmaker has threaded the cables, he tension them by turning the central tensioning ring with a special tool.

Designed to stay suspended within its case, this exceptional caliber can withstand accelerations of over 5,000g.

The RM27-01 caliber is a triumph of engineering and technology. Inspired by the suspended infrastructures of civil engineering, its complex and original architecture is the result of Richard Mille’s determination to create a movement held in total suspension in the heart of its case.

Carbon takes pride of place in the composition of the RM 27-01 case, which features a one-piece caseback; its anthracite color is due to the high concentration of carbon nanotubes; The result, perfect resistance to shocks and scratches.

Conclusioni

Beyond the technical challenge posed by the calibers, the cases that protect them meet some of the most stringent standards in existence. Whatever material it can be made of, titanium, carbon composite, Carbon TPT®, the RM’s cases present intrinsic production difficulties, due to its profile and shape.

The curved profile of each of their timepieces makes these watches exceptionally ergonomic and comfortable, on all wrist sizes. This intentional bending takes a long time in every stage of fabrication, pre-production, production and finishing, as well as placing exceptionally high demands on final quality control.

The process of manufacturing a crate can take up to several months and hundreds of operations. Due to this complexity and rigor, this cases are considered, by Swiss experts, to be the most complicated watch cases in the industry.

There is a clear parallel to the levels of finish found in beautiful sports cars, where some parts are based on laborious craftsmanship, while others more on perfect workmanship, due to their visual, tactile or technical characteristics. 

A combination of these different approaches can be found in every watch; some parts, such as Carbon TPT® components or carbon nanofiber plates, come out of their industrial treatment in perfect shape, flawlessly finished in a way that far surpasses even the most skilled human intervention.

Even though the design and the image of the Richard Mille could be subject to personal preferences, we must admit that the maison reaches new heights in terms of technological improvements.

If you are interested in knowing more about the RM history, we suggest you our article on the birth of the brand and the first watch they ever produced.

Author: Andrea Muratore

Translated by: Enrico Dalla Guerra

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