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STYLE Edit: Why high-flyers will love Richard Mille’s most complicated watch – if they can get one

The design of Richard Mille’s RM 62-01 watch borrows elements from the bespoke cabin interiors of an Airbus Corporate Jets.

Just when we thought that haute horology at Richard Mille could not get any more intriguing, the brand has unveiled its most complicated watch – the RM 62-01.

Conceptualised and created over five years, the timepiece offers a vibrating alarm made of 816 parts, including two barrels, seven hands, 11 displays and a tourbillon cage.

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Inspired by the world of aviation, the RM 62-01 has been made in collaboration with Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) and is designed for affluent jet-setters who will truly appreciate the functionality and aesthetics of this watch.

While the design of the RM 62-01 borrows several elements from the bespoke cabin interiors of an ACJ aircraft – from the deep, contrasting colour codes to the sapphire glass shaped like an aeroplane window, and the extra-wide crown modelled on a jet turbine – the functions offered by this watch are hard to beat.

The RM 62-01 has a 70-hour power reserve and a tourbillon.

Promising a 70-hour power reserve, the RM 62-01 is equipped with a UTC indicator for a second time zone, an oversized date display, am/pm indicator, a tourbillon and – most fascinating of all – the vibrating alarm function which can be wound with the help of a pusher instead of rotating the crown. While most companies have spent millions on making the alarms on their watches sound louder and clearer, the brand has characteristically opted out of that race. The alarm on the RM 62-01 is made to be felt only by the wearer and not heard by anyone else.

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“Rather than a hammer that creates a sound by striking a pillar, a gong or the interior of the case, the time signal is transmitted by a vibration only the wearer can perceive. In the intensely focused atmosphere of a meeting room, as in the confined space of a first-class cabin, such consideration is always welcome,” according to the brand. To achieve this discretion, the brand has used a special oscillating mass that spins at a high enough speed for the user to sense the vibration of the alarm but not hear it. The maximum duration of the vibration is 12 seconds. To protect the watch’s movement from getting disrupted by the vibrations of the alarm, Richard Mille has used a combination of titanium and Carbon TPT for its case structure, so that the vibrations are only felt on the wrist and not transferred to the movement.

The alarm can only be felt by the wearer and not heard by anyone else.

Among its other significant features, the watch also offers a pusher on the crown to select five adjustable modes: N (neutral), W (winding), T (time setting), U (UTC hand setting) and A (alarm setting). The selected mode is highlighted using a disc at 3 o’clock. To ensure flawless functioning, the brand had a single watchmaker work full-time on this special timepiece from beginning to end.

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“Before producing an entire movement, a wide range of technical questions had to be answered. Four partial prototypes and extensive studies based on models and space constraints were required to fit so many components and functionalities in the limited volume,” according to the brand.

The RM 62-01 has a vibrating alarm function that can be wound with the help of a pusher instead of rotating the crown.

Limited to just 30 pieces, the RM 62-01 is not the brand’s first watch brought out in collaboration with Airbus Corporate Jets. The first one, the RM 50-02 Tourbillon, was introduced in 2016 and was quite similar to the latest iteration in its design. However, the ease and functionality of the RM 62-01 is absolutely matchless. While all the functions relating to the vibrating alarm are grouped on the lower part of the main dial, the tourbillon function is displayed at 9 o’clock. The second time zone is indicated by a green hand at the centre and the oversized date is positioned at 12 o’clock. The alarm has three indicators of its own: on/off, am/pm and a power-reserve indicator. The subdial between 4 and 5 o’clock is equipped with the hour and minute hands that can be used to set the alarm function to the nearest minute of a full 24 hours.

If you are a high-flyer who loves mechanical toys, this watch should definitely be on your wish list.

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Style Edit

The RM 62-01 from Richard Mille transmits its alarm by vibration only, a considerate move designed for boardroom meetings and first-class cabins