RM 64-01
A TECHNICAL BREAKAWAY
Richard Mille has always shared a special bond with the world of cycling, an affinity fuelled as much by admiration for its athletes as by fascination with a mechanical universe in which each component and every single gramme can determine performance.
Over the years, this closeness to the peloton has deepened. Richard Mille has drawn icons of the sport into its orbit, including Mark Cavendish, Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates. Collaborating with Colnago, the legendary Italian bicycle manufacturer, felt like a natural next step.
RM 64-01 Manual Winding Tourbillon Colnago
CALIBRE RM64-01
Manual winding tourbillon movement with hours and minutes.
Limited edition of 50 pieces.
POWER RESERVE
Around 65 hours (± 10%).
ULTRA SKELETONISED GRADE 5 TITANIUM BASEPLATE AND BRIDGES
The RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago faithfully yet subtly translates the Italian manufacturer’s design codes into a watch whose tubular architecture channels the spirit of the iconic RM 012 Tourbillon. Inspired by the Cambiago bike builder’s cycle frames, the RM64-01 calibre was conceived around three guiding principles: lightness, transparency and volume. Its minimalist, resolutely graphic construction lays bare each of the 274 components with such clarity that the eye could almost be tracing the frame of a racing bike.
The skeletonised grade 5 titanium baseplate and bridges are microblasted, their edges brought to life by hand-polished bevels before a black and grey PVD treatment completes the finish. Within this structure sits the gear train, fitted with a fast-rotating barrel delivering a 65-hour power reserve. Positioned at 1 o’clock, the barrel sits in direct symmetry with the variable-inertia tourbillon at 7 o’clock – a layout that instantly recalls a bicycle drivetrain. This impression is reinforced by the titanium upper bridges which, with their star-shaped design, echo the iconic geometry of the Colnago ‘Master’ frames that were developed in the 1980s to boost torsional rigidity without adding weight.
Lacquered white and then hand-painted in azure blue and 5N red gold, these bridges are united visually by microblasted titanium hub caps featuring a blue lacquer finish. Conjuring Colnago frames with such realism on such a small scale demands an extraordinary level of machining and decoration. The colour palette draws directly on the Colnago ‘C68’, from which it borrows its main hues.
FREE-SPRUNG BALANCE WITH VARIABLE INERTIA
This type of balance wheel guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shocks and during assembly or dismantling of the movement, thus providing better chronometric results over time. The index is eliminated, thereby allowing a more precise and repeatable calibration using 4 setting screws.
FAST-ROTATING BARREL
This type of barrel provides 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.
MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS
- Movement dimensions: 33.00 x 30.80 mm
- Thickness: 6.28 mm
- Tourbillon diameter: 12.40 mm
- Balance wheel diameter: 10 mm
- Jewels: 19
- Balance wheel: Glucydur®, 2 arms and 4 setting screws, moment of inertia 11.50 mg•cm2, angle of lift 53º
- Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
- Balance spring: elinvar by Nivarox®
- Shock protection: KIF Elastor KE 160 B28
- Barrel shaft: nickel-free Chronifer® (DIN x 46 Cr 13 + S)
CASE IN BLUE AZURE AND WHITE QUARTZ TPT®
The case design is a natural extension of this technical mastery, refined architecture and exacting finish. For the first time on a Richard Mille sports watch, 5N red gold plays a part in the timepiece’s visual identity.
In cycling, as in Richard Mille’s vision of sports watches, lightness is non-negotiable. The 43.21 x 49.94 x 14.23 mm case is accordingly crafted from new Azure Blue and White Quartz TPT®, a material prized for its exceptional mechanical properties.
The tripartite case is water-resistant to 50 metres, ensured by two Nitrile O-ring seals. The case is assembled with 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.
The 5N red gold flange completes this colour scheme. The same precious alloy graces the crown cap, which is crafted from Quartz TPT®, then microblasted, satin-finished, polished and adorned with a lacquered Ace of Clubs in a nod to Colnago’s iconic emblem. The golden accents extend to the hands, which have been specially designed for this creation to echo the cranks of a bicycle bracket.
Finishing
Movement
• PVD treated baseplate
• Hand-painted bridges
• Hand-polished bevelling
• Hand-polished locking sections
• Sapphire-microblasted milled sections
• Lapped and polished contact points
• Burnished pivots
Steel parts
• Wire-drawn and microblasted surfaces
• Hand-polished bevelling
Wheels
• Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
• Circular-decorated front faces
• Rhodium plating (before cutting the teeth)
• Minimal corrections applied to the wheels
in order to preserve geometry and performance.
Other features
BARREL PAWL WITH PROGRESSIVE RECOIL
This device permits an appreciable winding gain (around 20%), especially during the start of winding. It is also helpful in ensuring an even distribution of the mainspring’s internal tension.
SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE BRIDGES AND CASE
The design of these screws permits better control of the torque applied during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.
WINDING-BARREL TEETH AND THIRD-WHEEL PINION WITH CENTRAL INVOLUTE PROFILE
The central involute profile of the winding-barrel teeth provides an optimal pressure angle of 20°, which promotes effective rotary motion and compensates for possible variations in the operation of the going train. This, in turn, ensures excellent torque transmission and a distinct improvement
in performance.