With the RM 16-02 Automatic Extraflat, Richard Mille reveals a new artistic vision for the collection’s original rectangular timepiece, the RM 016. This latest model daringly reinterprets the brand’s established aesthetic codes. Resolutely contemporary in style, the RM 16-02 boasts a sobriety of line that conceals a wealth of technical sophistication.
PURITY OF MECHANICS
At first sight, the watch stands out for its unique urban aesthetic, fully owning its unconventional approach to watch conception. Showcasing the authenticity of its materials and the refinement of a design stripped of artifice, its strong character draws on the example of Brutalist architecture. Interlaced forms suggest a fascinating maze drawing in the eye, where each detail revealed is an invitation to further exploration. Like the passages of a labyrinth, the design plays on optical illusions, conjuring the allegory of a single, structured path, where aimless wandering yields to contemplation.
Mechanics-wise, Richard Mille’s expertise takes pride of place. The Calibre CRMA9, the 15th and latest addition to the in-house family of movements, is an engine specially imagined for the RM 16-02. The Brand’s movement engineers designed this tangle of titanium to maximise the entrance of light thanks to the cutaways of its openworked elements.
Purity of line and efficiency of every component are the watchwords governing this movement. The skeletonised baseplate in microblasted grade 5 titanium with a grey electroplasma coating covers the entire visible surface of the watch. Only the minutes bridge stands out, distinguished by its black PVD coating. The extreme skeletonisation of the CRMA9 Calibre is impressive, calling as it does for infinite precision in the milling and finishing of its 67 openings of varying sizes, with chamfered edges finishing each cut. Almost 2 hours of milling per plate and dozens of separate manual operations are necessary to complete this meticulous process. Time well spent, as the skilfully orchestrated openings create an impression of lightness and transparency, while accentuating the interplay of shapes and depth within the movement.
A genuine triumph of engineering, the baseplate further enhances the modern feel of the timepiece while simultaneously revealing the technical complexity at the heart of the creation. The bridges on the back lend its silhouette a rich complexity. Like the baseplate, these parts have undergone rigorous 10-year aging and shock-resistance tests to ensure they withstand the rigours of everyday life.
Against the background of the movement, whose full volume is accessible to the eye, emerges the entirely new silhouette for the oscillating weight, fashioned in platinum and fitted with two grade 5 titanium inertia blocks. The bidirectional rotor is mounted on ceramic ball bearings for efficient winding of the 50-hour power reserve.
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more information: richardmille.com
Photo Credit By richardmille.com
