INTRICATE CRAFTSMANSHIP

Impeccable craftsmanship marries the highest levels of technological innovation in the various setting variations of Richard Mille's ladies’ timepieces. Photos: Richard Mille

With an unapologetically bold aesthetic, Richard Mille timepieces are instantly recognisable in the world of horology.

The production and development of these exquisite watches involves countless hours of research and innovation, combining architectural complexity with sophistication in design.

Impeccable craftsmanship marries the highest levels of technological innovation in the various setting variations of their ladies’ timepieces.

The RM 037 Ladies’, a fully feminine interpretation of the original unisex RM 037, completely embodies the essential combination of beauty and elegance with technical features and attention to detail that Richard Mille is known for.

The RM 037 White Gold Snow Set retains the technical DNA of the brand while elevating its design with exquisite materials and clever engineering, proving that technical sophistication and aesthetic elegance are not mutually exclusive.

A direct response to Richard Mille's initiative to put women in the primary spotlight, the watch embodies the essential combination of beauty and technical detail.

The RM 037 White Gold Snow Set retains the technical DNA of the brand while elevating its design with exquisite materials and clever engineering.

The skeletonised movement baseplate with bridges in black PVD treated grade 5 titanium has a large date at 12 o’clock created from two skeletonised, rotating discs, and a function selector that allows the wearer to choose between Winding, Neutral or Handsetting, all without the need to pull the crown in different positions.

Two pushers resembling drops of water, one placed between 10 and 11 o’clock (date adjustment), and 4 and 5 o’clock (function selector), allow for easy access to the these functions, with the action chosen appearing in a small window (H-N-W) between 3 and 4 o’clock.

The calibre CRMA1 itself is a technical exercise in aesthetic visual contrasts, combining satinated surfaces with chamfered, blasted, brushed and polished areas, including rare black polishing, in order to make every detail of the movement a sensual pleasure to the eye.

Its unique crown system allows the integrity of the movement to be fully guaranteed and protected from external influences, since it does not use a classical crown attachment going into the depth of the movement’s heart, resulting in a crown that is impossible to dislodge.

With a special profile for the teeth of the wheels in the going train, a free sprung balance and variable rotor geometry, the RM 037 Ladies’ is a true Richard Mille in every level.

The case of the RM 037 is available with 18K red gold caseband with highly scratch resistant ceramic bezels in white (ATZ) or black (TZP), or full cases in 18K red or white gold, accompanied by a rich variety of stone setting and dial variants in precious and semi-precious materials such as diamond, onyx, pearl and jasper.

Winter wonderland

Expert gem-setters enable Richard Mille’s timepieces for women to sparkle brightly with a thousand rays.

The technique, "snow setting", lends an opulent quality to these pieces, making them worthy of a winter wonderland.

Whatever the stone, whether diamonds, rubies, emeralds, tsavorites, sapphires, opals, hematite or others, the right setting technique brings its secret beauty to light. Chosen to fit with the shape of the watch, the surface to be covered and the brightness desired, the setting – medium, invisible or pave – enhances these precious stones.

The snow setting has an extra flourish of originality conferred by a seemingly haphazard arrangement of the stones, a technique which provides a scintillating effect and a natural brilliance.

Set side by side, directly on the selected material, the stones of differing sizes are held only by slender prongs drawn out by the craftsman, completely blanketing the surface.

Its unique crown system allows the integrity of the movement to be fully guaranteed and protected from external influences.

The difficulty of this setting resides in the selection and arrangement of stones, playing on their varying diameters from 0.5mm to 1.6mm, ensuring the gems fit snugly to a micron’s precision, while maintaining the illusion of a random pattern.

Every snow setting is utterly unique, just like each stone.

By embracing the volume of the watch to enhance its sensuous curves, this setting emphasises an artistic dimension that permeates the women’s collections, as with the RM 037.

Engineering, elevated to art

Technical specifications of the RM 037 Ladies

Calibre CRMA1: skeletonised automatic movement with hours, minutes, adjustable rotor geometry, oversize date and function selector.

Dimensions: 52.63 x 34.40 x 13.00 mm.

Main features

Power reserve: Circa 50 hours (±10%).

Baseplate and bridges made of Grade 5 Titanium

Microblasted grade 5 titanium with electroplasma treatment gives great rigidity to the baseplate, as well as precise surface flatness which is essential for the perfect functioning of the gear train.

Bridges are also in grade 5 titanium, microblasted and electroplasma treatment.

The skeletonised baseplate and the bridges were subjected to separate and extensive validation tests to ensure optimal strength requirements.

Calibre CRMA1 is a skeletonised automatic movement with hours, minutes, adjustable rotor geometry, oversize date and function selector.

Rotor with variable geometry

- Heavy external outside edge and heavy edge ring in ARCAP

- Weight segment in heavy metal

- Ceramic ball bearings

- Automatic winding system OneWay® with ceramic ball bearings

- Bidirectional winding system

This rotor with variable inertia has been incorporated into the calibre CRMA1 as it allows the rotor to be set according to the owner’s activity level.

The setting is modified by adjusting the two weights which can be moved into the correct position and fixed in place by spline screws.

Inertia of the movement is increased when the two weights are closer to each other and the barrel then rewinds more quickly.

If the weights are positioned to the extremities of the rotor, the inertia is decreased, resulting in the barrel winding more slowly.

Free sprung balance with variable inertia

It guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shock and also during movement assembly and disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.

The regulator index is eliminated and a more accurate and repeatable adjustment is possible thanks to four small adjustable weights located directly on the balance.

Fast rotating barrel (5 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours)

This type of barrel has the following advantages:

- The phenomenon of periodic internal mainspring adhesion is significantly diminished, thereby increasing performance.

- Provision of an excellent mainspring delta curve with an ideal power reserve/performance and regularity ratio.

Newly developed gear teeth profile

The entire going train of the watch, the primary transmitter of power throughout the movement, utilises a special profile for the teeth of the wheels.

Developed specifically for the calibre CRMA1, the wheels use a 20° pressure angle.

This system equalises any discrepancies that might arise between the centres of each wheel, for instance during thermal changes and normal use, and promotes an excellent transmission of torque to the balance wheel, thus supporting excellent chronometric characteristics.

Oversize date display

Semi-instantaneous, horizontally placed under 12 o’clock, functioning via two skeletonised calendar discs over a white field.

The date can be easily corrected via the pusher located at 10 o’clock.

Function selector

A push-button located at 4 o’clock allows one to select the winding, neutral and handsetting functions with a simple push in a manner similar to a car’s gearbox.

An aperture located at 4 o’clock shows the function selected: W (Winding) - N (Neutral) - H (Handsetting).

Spline screws in grade 5 titanium for the movement

This permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.

Other features

- Movement dimensions: 28.00 x 22.90 mm

- Thickness: 4.82 mm

- Jewels: 25

- Balance: CuBe, 4 arms, 4 setting screws, inertia moment 7.5 mg.cm2, angle of lift 50º

- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

- Balance spring: AK3

- Shock protection: Incabloc 908.22.211.100 (transparent)

- Escapement wheel jewels: Rubifix (transparent)

Case

The design and execution of the watch demonstrates a complete conceptual approach to the movement, case and dial.

As a result, everything has been constructed according to an extremely rigorous specification, in the manner of the analytical engineering methods used in the design of Formula 1 racing cars where the chassis and the engine are developed in complete harmony.

The in-house CRMA1 is highlighted by the combination of unique materials such as red gold for the caseband and TZP black ceramic for the bezel and the caseback.

It is particularly resistant to knocks and scratches and undergoes a long production process which results in a final matt surface finish.

The caseband is in satin 5N red gold with polished pillars. The RM 037 is available in TPZ black ceramic, in ATZ white ceramic and in white or red gold.

The three-part case is rendered water resistant to 50 meters ensured by two Nitril O-ring seals.

It is assembled using 20 grade 5 titanium spline screws and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.

New patented stem-crown construction

This designed crown allows the integrity of the movement to be fully guaranteed and protected from external influences, since it does not use a classical crown attachment going into the depth of the movement’s heart.

The result is that the crown is virtually impossible to dislodge and yet it is easily inserted and removed under the skillful hands of the watchmaker when needed; a typical view towards longevity that typifies the brand’s philosophy.

An ideal solution for the long-term protection of the movement.

Spline screws in grade 5 titanium for the case

This permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.

Upper flange

In carbon fibre; index points filled with approved luminous material.

Master level finishing

Crystal

Bezel side: in sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment (2 sides).

Thickness: 1.60 mm

Case back: in sapphire with anti-glare treatment (2 sides)

Thickness: at the centre 0.95 mm and outer edges 1.66 mm

Finishing movement

- Microblasted anglage

- Microblasted milled section

- Microblasted sinks

- Electroplasma treatment for the baseplate and the bridges

Steel parts

- Satin finished surfaces

- Anglage hand polished

- Hand polished sinks

- Burnished sections

Profile-turning

- Lapped and polished ends

- Burnished pivots

- Post faces polished

Wheels

- Concave chamfering with a diamond tool

- Diamond polished angles

- Circular finished faces

- Rhodium-plating (before cutting the teeth