Just in time for summer, Richard Mille has introduced two new colorful iterations of its most complex watch, the RM65-01 Split Seconds Chronograph. The new pastel blue Quartz TPT and dark yellow Quartz TPT versions introduce more vivid colors to the collection’s palette. You might remember that the watchmaker unveiled a grey Quartz TPT variant of the highly-complex watch last year, which added a lighter, fresher mood to the timepiece’s aesthetics. Evoking the hues of azure skies and the warm tones of the sun, the two new editions give an energetic and colorful twist to the RM65-01 line.
The proprietary Quartz TPT case comprises hundreds of layers of quartz filaments and carbon fibers, with silica layers in between. Fibers are aligned in layers no thicker than 45 microns and saturated in a resin developed especially for Richard Mille. The layers are stacked using an automatic positioning system that changes the orientation of the fiber between each layer by 45 degrees. It is heated to 120 degrees Celsius and subjected to a pressure of 6 bars before being machined on a CNC machine at Richard Mille’s factory. The resulting material is ultralightweight and extremely durable.
Housed inside the case is the most complex automatic movement to be developed and manufactured by Richard Mille. In fact, Richard Mille took 5 years to develop the timepiece. Powering the watch is the caliber RMAC4, a high-frequency automatic split-seconds chronograph movement that pushes the boundaries of watchmaking. It offers an impressive power reserve of 60 hours. The movement is equipped with the latest-generation split-seconds mechanism developed in-house. The 6-column wheel ensures optimized simultaneous movement, maximal function locking, and greater adjustment durability. The dark yellow Quartz TPT version is limited to just 120 examples, while the prices start at $380,000.
