Richard Mille’s RM 07-01 Intergalactic collection. — Photos: Lilas Lequellec/Richard Mille
It appears that Richard Mille, the exclusive luxury watch maison from Les Breuleux, up in the Swiss Jura Mountains, has now gone on to reach for the stars with its horological collection!
For its latest series of outstanding timepieces for women − the new RM 07-01 Intergalactic collection − the watchmaker has reimagined the craft of gem-setting.
Inspired by one of the most dazzling sights in the universe: the night sky, the Intergalactic collection gives a sense of the stars rushing away from the centre of the universe, thanks to the bevy of diamonds strategically placed over the dial and case of every watch.
Crafted from Carbon TPT − an in-house material that forms a striking contrast with the sparkling gem, first used in a watch almost a decade ago − makes the watches a technical marvel.
Carbon TPT is created by dividing carbon fibres into their component filaments, and then packing them into layers of maximum 30 microns thick.
The process results in a beautiful, wavy appearance reminiscent of wood while at the same time, offering a material with incredible strength and lightness.
Interestingly, the Carbon TPT’s hardness posed unique challenges for the gem-setters working on the collection.
The story begins with Richard Mille’s Dark Night: Bezel and caseband in Carbon TPT, dial set with 51 diamonds and red gold prongs, crown in polished red gold with red gold prongs on black rubber. — Photos: Richard Mille
Unlike setting diamonds into gold, which can be shaped into prongs to secure the diamonds, the hard, rigid structure of Carbon TPT means that a space for the diamonds must first be machined using diamond-bit milling tools.
And then, the diamonds themselves must be secured into the case by gold prongs that are meticulously inserted by hand into the into the various settings that have been first drilled into the surface of the case.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that many of the 5N red gold prongs that are set into the case of the RM 07-01 Intergalactic don’t actually secure a diamond, but rather, are there for aesthetic purpose to help create the models’ star-packed galaxy vibe!
It is available in four models – Dark Night, Starry Night, Bright Night and Misty Night, all adorned with various combinations of diamonds, and red gold prongs and pillars.
Starting with the RM 07-01 Dark Night, this tells the story of the creation of the many constellations, represented by the glittering of gold prongs.
Then, diamonds shine and catch the eye on both the RM 07-01 Starry Night, with its Carbon TPT bracelet, and the RM 07-01 Bright Night with a caseband crafted in micro-blasted 5N red gold.
Starry Night: bezel and caseband in Carbon TPT, central dial set with 181 diamonds and red gold prongs, caseback in Carbon TPT, crown in polished red gold with red gold prongs on black rubber, and carbon bracelet.
Finally, the firmament twinkles warmly on the RM 07-01 Misty Night, as this model is decorated with 5N red-gold pillars and perfectly sums up the women’s RM 07-01 collection.
But more than anything else, the collection’s aesthetic appeal stems from its unique blend of haute horlogerie craftsmanship and high-tech materials, resulting in a design that evokes a celestial explosion of stars.
“It all started with the vision of an explosion of stars taking place in the black darkness,” explains Cécile Guenat, Richard Mille’s director of creation and development.
“We wanted to rethink our approach to gem-setting as a way of bringing the elements together in an intense way.”
All four of the RM 07-01 Intergalactic watches feature cases that follow the brand’s signature tonneau shape, with the cases themselves measuring 31.4mm in diameter by 11.85mm thick.
Bright Night: Central dial in Carbon TPT set with diamonds and red gold prongs and inserts, caseband crafted in micro-blasted 5N red gold, crown in polished red gold with red gold prongs on black rubber.
They also have an overall lug-to-lug distance of 45.66mm, making them some of the most compact models that Richard Mille currently offers.
At the heart of the new models is the in-house CRMA2 calibre.
This is a skeletonised automatic movement that comes with a baseplate and bridges made from grade 5 titanium, and that features hour and minute functions.
What’s unique about its movement is that it possesses a variable geometry rotor – one that is optimised for winding motion.
Misty Night: Crown in polished red gold with red gold prongs on black rubber, bezel and caseband in Carbon TPT, centre dial set with 251 diamonds and red gold prongs, caseback in Carbon TPT.
This actually allows the watches to be set according to the owner’s activity level, while the innovative free-sprung balance wheel leads to greater reliability and more accurate timekeeping.
By taking inspiration from the cosmos, Richard Mille has certainly made the RM 07-01 Intergalactic collection a truly fitting testament to the watchmaker’s way of using its unique gem-setting mastery as a means of bringing multiple luxurious elements together in the most delightful fashion.
