STYLE Edit: Richard Mille introduces two new ceramic versions of the RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-House Chronograph – featuring the Swiss watchmaker’s first own version of the movement
- Richard Mille debuts the calibre CRMC-1 as well as a double pinion system which Salvador Arbona, technical director for movements, explains is thinner than a vertical clutch
- Unlike a traditional chronograph, this mechanism splits the torque between the different counters, so that the movement is less sensitive to disturbances
Technical innovation and pushing boundaries are integral to Richard Mille’s watchmaking philosophy. It has consistently innovated in materials and movements alike, resulting in watches like the RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal, which has a tourbillon movement suspended on a net of ultra-thin wires.
On top of being Richard Mille’s first in-house chronograph movement – previous ones were supplied by the likes of Vaucher and Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi – the CRMC-1 also contains a patented new coupling system that uses a pair of oscillating pinions mounted on rockers to connect the chronograph wheels to the timekeeping gear train. Typically, other chronograph movements use a vertical or horizontal clutch system, or a single oscillating pinion system, making Richard Mille’s double pinion system innovation wholly novel in the watch industry. To debut this new type of mechanism in its first in-house chronograph movement is emblematic of Richard Mille’s constant pursuit of excellence.
The mechanism splits the torque between the different chronograph counters, with the display and connection to the minutes and hours, disengaged from the seconds wheel. In a traditional chronograph, the seconds wheel typically has the least energy of the movement’s components, and any disturbances that affect the seconds will also affect the watch’s rate, power reserve and other mechanisms. Because these systems are separated in the CRMC-1, the movement will be less sensitive to disturbances, and activation of the chronograph complication will not affect the rate of the base movement, or its power reserve, thereby ensuring that the watch always remains accurate and reliable.
In addition, the twin pinion system they have chosen also occupies less space than the oft-lauded vertical clutch system, which is favoured for its reduced wear and tear on component parts. “This new double-pinion system is thinner than a vertical clutch, which would be hard to fit into the heart of the movement,” explains Salvador Arbona, technical director for movements. This means that the movement – and therefore the watch overall – can have a thinner profile. The CRMC-1 measures a relatively slim 6.05mm, while the watch overall measures 11.68mm. For comparison, the brand’s popular RM11 is more than 16mm thick.