With the RM 60-01 Regatta Flyback Chronograph, Richard Mille presents his first technical watch for navigating the seven seas. Powered by the grade 5 titanium RMAC2 caliber with its 55 hours of power reserve, variable inertia balance, complete flyback chronograph functions, annual calendar with oversize date and UTC function, the RM 60-01 adds navigational capabilities thanks to its special rotating bezel with indications of the four cardinal points combined with a graduated 360° and a 24-hour scale disk.
The massive titanium grade 5 case measuring 50 mm in diameter and 16.33 mm in thickness, features a unique four-part structure. The system is completed by the incorporation of horns in the case assembly. The four-part case of the RM 60-01 is very difficult to make. After a turning operation lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes, no less than 800 milling operations are required, taking several hours. Machining demands nearly 11 hours of separate operations. It is followed by a meticulous quality control procedure that takes a full day for each case. The 3 pushers, their components and the crown of the RM 60-01 require 10 days of machining, during which they undergo numerous tests for water-resistance and quality control, followed by the manual brushing and polishing of the entire case. All of these stages are vital in producing the characteristic ergonomic quality of Richard Mille watches.
Using the RM 60-01 is based on two factors: knowledge of local time and the position of the sun. To calculate one’s location, the UTC indicator is directed towards the sun using the UTC pusher located at 9 o’clock and then the bezel is turned so that that the UTC hand lines up with the actual local time engraved on the bezel’s circumference.
When set in this manner, the compass headings North, South, East and West on the bezel will be correctly aligned with the actual direction on the Earth’s surface. What differentiates the RM 60-01 form other similar types of watches is its ability to orientate within the northern as well as southern hemispheres without any additional calculations. As an additional safety precaution, the chronograph pushers have a special quick locking and releasing mechanism. Locking —red arrow— and unlocking —green arrow— the flyback chronograph pushers requires only a quick turn of the secondary crown, thus avoiding possible accidental changes of the chronograph readout.
The beating heart inside this new timepiece presented at the SIHH 2014, is the Richard Mille Calibre RMAC2 automatic movement with hours, minutes, running seconds at 3 o’clock, oversize date, month, annual calendar, Flyback chronograph with central seconds counter, and 30 minute countdown timer at 9 o’clock, 24 hour totalizer at 6 o’clock, UTC function and adjustable rotor geometry. When fully wound the calibre provides a power reserve of 50 hours. The components of the movement are in grade 5 titanium with black PVD coating and the movement features 62 jewels, an Elinvar balance spring and Rubifix transparent escapement wheel jewels. As usual, the beautiful calibre is fully visible via the display case back.
Sticker Price $150,000 USD. For more info on Richard Mille click here.
