With its titanium base plate and ‘honeycombed orthorhombic titanium aluminide’ (a material and structure with strong thermal and rigid properties used in aeronautics) and ‘carbon nanofibre’ core, the new ‘Aerodyne’ dual time zone tourbillon—RM022 to its close friends—will undoubtedly be one of the star attractions at the SIHH.
The Richard Mille brand is making its debut into Geneva’s prestigious inner sanctum thanks to the support of Audemars Piguet. (The other new participant is Greubel Forsey, supported by its minority shareholder, Richemont; see article in this issue.) During the SIHH, Richard Mille will showcase its ultra-contemporary vision of timekeeping, where its advanced technology dictates the timepiece’s form and style by emphasizing the expressivity of the materials, which are employed as much for their intrinsic properties as for their appearance, texture and colour.
After the first Aerodyne, the RM021, which has already used these new materials, the RM022 has added a second time zone displayed at the centre of the dial by a transparent sapphire disc whose indexes appear when they pass in front of a clear background located at 3 o’clock. This second time zone can be corrected very easily by using a pushbutton situated at 9 o’clock.
On both sides of 12 o’clock, we find hands that show the watch’s power reserve and the torque (this displays the tension of the spring motor, which should ideally always be between 53dN/mm and 65dN/mm).
Another indication—a function selector, located between 4 and 5 o’clock—displays the selected mode thanks to a push-piece integrated into the centre of the crown. With a simple push (like a speed change selector—we all know Richard Mille’s passion for cars), the wearer can choose between winding, setting or the neutral position.
Driven by a manual-wind tourbillon movement, the RM022 features a number of advanced technical characteristics: variable inertia balance; rapid rotation barrel whose cover is closed by excentric screws; rotation barrel; barrel pawl with progressive recoil; ceramic endstone for the tourbillon cage; central bridge in rigidified Arcap; and a modular time setting mechanism situated on the case back and which can be replaced or maintained without touching the base plate or removing the hands.
This certainly is a beautiful and high-performing machine.
Source: Europa Star December-January 2010 Magazine Issue
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