Ever the watchmaking rebel, ultra-high-end brand Richard Mille has again pushed the boundaries of what can be incorporated into a design. This latest release is a playful and unconventional take on the world of rock and roll, and with its black carbon case and a gold hand it has to be one of the most unusual luxury watches we’ve seen in a while. In keeping with the brand’s ethos, the RM 66 Flying Tourbillon pairs cutting-edge watchmaking knowledge with lighthearted symbolism. It’s another restricted release with production limited to only 50 pieces.
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Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon | Image: Richard Mille
Rock music has some well-established tropes and the RM 66 works these into its unique design. Picture the overarching themes of rock and metal and you’ll no doubt think about black leather, polished studs and dark imagery. To some degree, they’re all here.
The most obvious element is the large red-gold hand that dominates the skeletonised dial. It’s a wonderful piece of craftsmanship and is styled to look like an x-ray, with the bones appearing to hold the movement in place. But it’s the hand’s devil horns gesture that acts as the international sign of rock/metal culture. These skeleton digits sit in the centre of the dial, above the movement and below the hands. Around them sit the hour markers – shaped like guitar plectrums.
Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon | Image: Richard Mille
In keeping with the rock imagery, the gold skeleton fingers contrast with a distinctive case forged from Carbon TPT. This rough matt material suits the rock aesthetic and is complimented by a grade 5 titanium caseband. This titanium is then interspersed with hand-polished gold studs fashioned to resemble the belts worn by punk rockers. The final touch for the case is an ornate crown decorated with a gothic-inspired spider.rq
Richard Mille is famed for more than its unconventional designs. Known for the complexity and precision of its movements, the RM 66 continues that tradition. Like the dial, it’s highly skeletonised and is built from grade 5 titanium. The flying tourbillon is housed at 12 o’clock and the power reserve at 6 o’clock. To give you an idea of the difficulty in creating a piece like this, Richard Mille’s team spent 1,500 hours on research and development and an additional nine months of labour just for the casing team.
Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon | Image: Richard Mille
The RM 66 Flying Tourbillon is Richard Mille down to a tee. It’s fun, quirky and incredibly complex. With only 50 pieces available and a reported price tag of USD$1,095,000, this is a watch for the serious collector.
Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon | Image: Richard Mille
Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon
Diameter: 42.7mm
Height: 16.1mm
Case: Carbon TPT/Grade 5 Titanium
Movement: Calibre RM66 Manual Winding Tourbillon
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 50M
