With its middle case and chain in titanium, its plate made of carbon nanofibres, its central bridge crafted from rigidified Arcap, and the use of zircon stones for the tourbillon carriage, one cannot really say that the Tourbillon RM 020 Pocket Watch by Richard Mille is a nostalgic or backward looking timekeeper.
On the other hand, is this new timepiece on the vanguard of a revival? It is still too early to tell, but it is true that Richard Mille has struck a great chord with this highly original piece that incarnates concretely what so many marketing campaigns have bombarded us with—the union of the old (a form, a way to wear the watch, and a long forgotten attitude) and the modern (not only the materials, but also the construction of the movement).
This pocket watch brings together many innovations. Among the most important is its plate made of carbon nanofibre, an isotopic ma-terial cast under high pressure at 2000° C whose stability is exceptional no matter what the conditions and the temperature may be. It is equipped with a variable inertia balance, and its two directly coupled barrels provide a power reserve of ten days.
In its own way, this watch fully restores the utility of the tourbillon because, as we know, this escapement principle was invented by BrÉguet precisely for pocket watches that are worn vertically. The device is not particularly important for wristwatches since they are naturally carried in all positions.
With its titanium chain and a rapid change mechanism for attaching and detaching the timepiece, the Tourbillon RM 020 Pocket Watch by Richard Mille can easily be transformed into a small table clock, thanks to the support that is supplied with it. Its titanium middle case comes with bezels and case-backs in red or white gold or in titanium.
Bravo to the artist!
Source: Europa Star April-May 2008 Magazine Issue
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