Richard Mille

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Tourbillon Split Second Chronographs: RM050 and RM056

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The big ‘show stopper’ party piece this year was the RM056 (http://richardmille.watchprosite.com/show-forumpost/fi-18/pi-5087828/ti-765828/s-0/). Otherwise nicknamed ‘the Ghost’, the RM056 has a tourbillon split chronograph as the movement, and for those who know the Richard Mille line up, that is the old RM008 movement. Both the RM050 and the RM056 have the redesigned RM008 movement inside them – now listed as the RMCC1 movement. The bridges have been redesigned and the whole movement has been reworked and improved. A manual wind movement, the new calibre launched in the RM 050 is not a simple exercise in merely reviewing the existing RM008 movement. The engineers and watchmakers at Richard Mille began by researching every possible part to lower the movement weight by 20%, the equivalent of 10 grams, making the total movement weigh a mere 9.5 grams. The baseplate and bridges are created from grade 5 titanium (an alloy composed of 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium).







The RM056 was the talking piece of the booth; and the fair for that matter. Behind the main entrance, the watch lived up to its nickname well as it seemed to appear as an apparition in the display case. The watch had a levity about it and everyone who did see the watch was awe-struck. I have to say that there is a technical difficulty to this watch that makes it impressive. But more so the visual result, that captures your attention.







The RM050, while also being a special edition, is the first of a new series of tourbillon split second chronographs from Richard. To start the series, Richard returned to what he does best: that use of materials and the play on the senses that would suppose a watch of that standard should be ‘hefty’. Not a bit of it. Richard chose to use the same casing material as the RM027: namely a polymer resin and carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are something akin to tiny macaroni type carbon tubes that are injected into the polymer giving it colour, texture, lightness and rigidity. The watch is deceptively light and as always with Richard’s watches, hugs the curvature of the wrist as if made just for you.







The pushers on chronograph are responsive and the stop/start is immediate; I could not detect any ‘jump’ or lag. The movement now has more depth to it on the dial side; the reverse side still shows the same movement has before, but this has now been refined. On the subject of the chronograph functions: how Richard and the team managed to machine in the areas for the chronograph pushers on the RM056 is something to be admired.





There will only be 5 pieces of the RM056; and the RM050 is limited to 10 pieces. All very limited in supply and the RM056 watches are now all spoken for!