It all began in the Richard Mille manufacture, where watchmaking is a vocation: a quest to push back the boundaries of the possible. Each watch is conceived as a work of art that combines cutting-edge technology and timeless aesthetics. This is how the idea of incorporating gold leaf into Quartz TPT, a high-tech material, was born.
The Idea That Originated In Manufacturing
In the world of haute horology, there are places where craftsmanship is treated as a vocation. In one such place is the creative forge of Richard Mille, where each instrument of time takes shape from a synthesis of advanced technology and an aesthetic designed to last.
The design of the RM 74-02 Tourbillon Automatic in Quartz Gold TPT® was born from this vision. Its distinctive features include:
- Manufacture Automatic Tourbillon Caliber CRMT5
- Bezel and back with gold leaf embedded in Quartz TPT®
- Exclusive Richard Mille material in watchmaking
As in certain works of modern art, experimentation with materials is not just an exercise in style but the driving force behind the whole project. Hence the idea of incorporating gold leaf within Quartz TPT®, a high-tech material in which tradition meets research.
Gold Quartz TPT: A Blend of History and Innovation
The RM 74-02 Tourbillon Automatic owes much to the concept of uniting seemingly distant elements. Thus, while Time retains its central role, it was chosen to incorporate it into a Quartz TPT case enclosing sheets of 22-carat 5N red gold.
This material, made in collaboration with the Swiss company North Thin Ply Technology, follows a complex process: thin layers of quartz fibers are stacked and heated to 120° under a pressure of 6 bar. These layers form a strong composite, and the resulting natural veining makes each specimen distinctive. In between, gold leaf inserts flow, producing calibrated reflections, a dance between the warm tones of metal and the translucence of quartz.
In this choice, there are references to the history of those who experimented with gold and stones since classical times, when craftsmen and alchemists sought the balance between utility and enchantment. The difference today lies in the use of state-of-the-art techniques typical of an engineering workshop rather than a medieval workshop.
A Mechanical Heart: The CRMT5 Caliber
Inside the Quartz Gold TPT® case beats the caliber CRMT5, an automatic tourbillon movement developed in-house by Richard Mille. The 18K 5N red gold plate and 18K 3N yellow gold bridges outline a skeletonized architecture.
The tourbillon, here, acts like a dancer precisely marking time, while the adjustable geometry rotor, made of red gold and platinum, powers the 50-hour power reserve. Each gear is designed to transfer energy continuously, supported by a fast-winding barrel and involute teeth.
The carefully finished chamfered inner bezel follows the lines of the movement as if it were the frame of a Renaissance architectural work, combining the elegance of a classic design with a mechanical soul that does not sacrifice functionality.
The Union of Science and Art
Richard Mille has long offered watches that go beyond the simple definition of luxury objects. After experimenting with Gold Carbon TPT, the choice fell on Gold Quartz TPT for the new RM 74-02 Tourbillon Automatic, enhancing the idea that innovation is an essential part of the watchmaking heritage.
On the one hand, one senses the legacy of the great Swiss tradition, based on craftsmanship and passion for detail. On the other, one senses the contemporary drive to explore composite materials and complex production processes. It is a balance between two worlds that few can hold together, resulting in a creation in which aesthetics and mechanics influence each other.
The date of 10/30/2024 will mark the debut of a model that tells stories of ateliers and workshops, materials and ideas. The RM 74-02 Tourbillon Automatic in Quartz Gold TPT is a moment of dialogue between science and art, a meeting of different inspirations that find a point of union in the dimension of the passage of time.
