STYLE Edit: Richard Mille’s first in-house flyback chronograph, RM 72-01, a collaboration with film composer Thomas Roussel and Benjamin Millepied, the LA Dance Project founder married to Natalie Portman
Rafael Nadal and Felipe Massa wear Richard Mille timepieces, so it’s no wonder the luxury watch brand is most often associated with sports – but its new RM 72-01 Lifestyle Flyback Chronograph is all about music
However, to announce the launch of its first in-house flyback chronograph this year, the maison instead took an artistic twist, opting for a collaboration with renowned choreographer Benjamin Millepied and music composer Thomas Roussel.
Designed, developed and built over 30 months, the movement for the new RM 72-01 has been entirely made in-house at Richard Mille’s manufacture in Les Breuleux, Switzerland. Unlike the usual construction where a single wheel transmits energy from the going train to the chronograph, the CRMC1 in RM 72-01 relies on twin oscillating pinions. This is the first time any brand has used the novel concept of a double-clutch system with oscillating pinions.
“This pinion, which can enmesh or withdraw from the gear teeth, has been twinned. There is now one for the minutes and another for seconds. This system is thinner than a vertical clutch, which would be hard to fit into the heart of the movement,” says Salvador Arbona, technical director for movements at Richard Mille.
Despite its 425 different components, the CRMC1 is just 6.05mm thick and is one of the slimmest chronographs from the brand. Richard Mille has submitted a patent application for this double-clutch chronograph, which is energy efficient as well. The chronograph’s minute and hour function are independent of the watch’s seconds wheel, which helps in delivering a power reserve of 50 hours – irrespective of how much the chronograph is used.
As for the watch’s connection to the world of music, the unconventional layout of the dial is inspired by the three beats in the traditional musical measure of a waltz. Unlike the conventional chronograph layout where the registers are placed at three, six and nine o’clock, the RM 72-01 has them placed at three, eight and 11 o’clock. The minutes counter is orange, green represents the hours, and blue is for seconds.
The watch case is a slim 11.68mm, but it retains the traditional Richard Mille form and details. The pushers and crown have been streamlined to give the timepiece an extremely sleek look.