The new RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer tackles a unique challenge, fully tracking a match through the prism of Haute Horlogerie. The team spent five years developing an entirely novel, patented tourbillon flyback chronograph calibre. Two new complications are introduced here: the match-phase indication and the mechanical goal counter, demonstrating the Brand’s ability to merge sport-specific functionality with advanced mechanical watchmaking.
Soccer-specific Complications
The RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer draws its identity from its new calibre, a clear expression of technical mastery and refined hand-finishing. The RM41-01 titanium calibre integrates a tourbillon escapement, a 70-hour power-reserve and a function indicator alongside a flyback chronograph with overlapping central minutes and seconds.
The first all-new original complication featured in this watch, the match-time indicator, is located at 9 o’clock and indicates the current phase of the match. Each reset of the flyback chronograph advances the display from 1st to 2nd Half, followed by 1st and 2nd Overtime.
Crafted from microblasted grade 5 titanium, the movement architecture pushes the limits of technical feasibility. Baseplate and bridges are highly skeletonised to provide room for its 650 internal components. On the flyback chronograph side, two column wheels orchestrate a dance of levers and hammers. The chronograph’s overall design ensures a coherent and rational distribution of components without unnecessary layering that favours technical solutions to optimise functions.
Extreme Architecture, Extreme Finishes
Richard Mille brings the concept of skeletonisation to its apotheosis: every bridge, gear, and lever is meticulously optimised to remove unnecessary material. This approach reduces weight and brings to bear an extraordinary number of finishing techniques. Every component of the movement, seen or unseen, offers a level of finishing that reflects countless hours of painstaking handcraftsmanship.
An Uncompromising Case
True to the brand’s identity, the RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer prioritises usability and ergonomics. Designed to deliver both comfort and a strong presence on the wrist, the 105-component tonneau-shaped case is presented in two versions.
The first of these introduces Basalt TPT®, the latest composite developed with North Thin Ply Technology (NTPTTM) and derived from the eponymous volcanic rock. Like the Dark Blue Quartz TPT® used in the second case iteration and the Carbon TPT® found on both casebands, Basalt TPT® combines exceptional mechanical performance with resistance to chemicals and corrosion, thermal stability, and UV resistance.
The tactile feedback of the pushers is uniform across all functions, meaning each pusher requires the same pressure to activate, thanks to precisely calibrated levers and the addition of a dedicated column wheel for the reset function. This function now delivers the same refined tactile sensation as others. This innovative double-column-wheel flyback chronograph construction has been patented.
Able to track every minute, every goal, and every stretch of extra time, the RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer offers a unique mechanical interpretation of this sport. Blending ingenuity, complexity, and practicality, the RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer continues to push the boundaries of what is technically achievable and what mechanical beauty can express.
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more information: richardmille.com
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