The new 50-piece limited edition Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne in white Quartz TPT, Carbon TPT, and titanium is the latest interpretation of an iconic calibre for this brand. A second iteration of the manual-winding tourbillon Calibre RM21-02 continues to redefine the boundaries of creativity through its harmonious fusion of precision, lightness, and resilience.
Richard Mille has always capitalized on engineering materials from fields far from watchmaking, with the aeronautics industry exerting an especially strong influence. This never-ending source of inspiration is what brought Carbon TPT to the brand’s Research and Development offices. Used in aeronautics, but also greatly in the automotive industry —from plane fuselages to Formula 1 machines—, Carbon TPT is at the heart of the RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne baseplate.
It is combined with a honeycombed structure produced of black-PVD treated HAYNES 214, applied in the demanding environment of specialized gas turbine parts, such as honeycomb seals, combustor splash plates, and other static oxidation-limited parts. The alloy’s honeycombed geometrical pattern was originally the subject of research by NASA for applications on supersonic aircraft wings. Both materials definitely embody the concepts of air and speed.
Within this aerodynamic structure, the winding barrel and tourbillon are thoughtfully positioned centrally. They gracefully balance on lightweight titanium bridges with four arms on either side. Surrounding these components are torque and power reserve indicators, providing insights into the quantity and quality of energy stored within the barrel. An added layer of control is also granted by the function selector.
The Richard Mille RM 21-02 case measuring 42.68 x 50.12 x 14.30 mm exhibits remarkable architectural intricacy, seamlessly associating Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT with a titanium caseband. This meticulous combination of materials yields a case that is not only visually captivating but also exceptionally robust, delivering unmatched resilience in the face of everyday use and its demands. This construction renders the RM 21-02 as one of the most sophisticated case constructions ever manufactured by Richard Mille.
The casing ring is eliminated, and the movement is fixed to the chassis with four grade 5 titanium screws and silent blocks (ISO SW). The bezel is made of Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT, two exclusive materials with unique appearances. Their remarkable surfaces display extremely regular undulations, as they are composed of multiple layers of parallel filaments obtained by dividing carbon fiber or silica threads. These layers, with a maximum thickness of 45 microns, are impregnated with matrices and then woven on a special machine that modifies the direction of the weft by 45 degrees between layers. Heated to 120 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 6 bars, these materials are then ready to be processed on a CNC machine in Richard Mille’scase factory. Quartz TPT is also used for the case back while the caseband is made of satin-finished grade 5 titanium with pillars in carbon TPT. The tripartite case is water resistant to 50 meters, ensured by 2 Nitrile O-ring seals. The case is assembled with 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel. The interior flange is in microblasted and satin-finished titanium with a black galvanic treatment.
The Richard Mille RM 21-02 Tourbillon Aerodyne Limited Edition is powered by the manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes, function selector, power reserve, and torque indicators. The movement features a baseplate in honeycombed Orthorhombic Haynes 214 with Carbon TPT. Coreyhaynes 214 is a nickel-chromium-aluminium-iron alloy, designed to provide the optimum high-temperature oxidation resistance for a wrought austenitic material, while at the same time allowing conventional forming and joining.
Intended principally for use at temperatures of 955°C and above, Haynes 214 alloy exhibits resistance to oxidation that far exceeds that of virtually all conventional heat-resistant wrought alloys at these temperatures. Combined with a Carbon TPT core, the honeycombed geometrical pattern of Haynes 214 offers unparalleled stiffness, a low thermal expansion coefficient, and exceptional torsion resistance. The orthorhombic baseplate is given a black PVD treatment to highlight its original construction. The bridges are made of Grade 5 TItanium, a biocompatible, highly corrosion-resistant, and remarkably rigid alloy, which enables the gear train to function effortlessly. The alloy is 90% grade 5 titanium, 6% aluminum, and 4% vanadium. This combination further increases the material’s mechanical properties, which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aeronautics, and automotive industries. They are coated with black and grey PVD treatments.
Sticker Price $928,000 USD. For more info on Richard Mille click here.
