Evolution Theory: Richard Mille’s latest in Carbon TPT®

At SIHH 2019, Richard Mille elicited a flurry of excitement as well as delectable colour with the Bonbon collection, comprising the Fruit and Sweets lines. From the array of 10 different designs, the six that belong to the Fruits line-up are graced with Carbon TPT®: RM 07-03 Litchi, RM 07-03 Myrtille, RM 16-01 Citron, RM 16-01 Fraise, RM 37-01 Cerise and RM 37-01 Kiwi—sporting sweet, inviting hues on one hand while being anchored by the strength and substance of Carbon TPT® on the other.

The same year saw the RM 07-01 being celebrated with the exclusive premiere of a full bracelet in Carbon TPT®—utterly lightweight at 29 g with 200 components yet solid, and sophisticated yet sporty—after 13 months of development.

In 2020, Carbon TPT® forged its next big move that unfolded through a tale of union after sustained research and innovation to successfully combine a composite material to a noble material: Gold Carbon TPT®, an exclusive alliance of carbon and gold leaf. Exemplifying once again the qualities of toughness and lightness, now coupled with the nobility of a precious metal, the RM 07-01 and the RM 037 Gold Carbon TPT® perfectly represent a technical and technological tour de force.

Now in 2021, fresh off the trajectory in the constant evolution of Carbon TPT® is the latest milestone from Richard Mille’s feminine collection. The addition of two new models were revealed recently for the iconic RM 07-01 Automatic collection, a symbol and icon of the Richard Mille universe. Embellished in an unprecedented manner are the RM 07-01 Automatic Starry Night, with its extraordinary gem-set star motifs; and the RM 07-01 Automatic, with a sensuous and fascinating open-link bracelet arrayed in gold and Carbon TPT®.

It cannot be denied that these two arresting RM 07-01 iterations give a new prominence to Carbon TPT®, a high-performance material that is simultaneously light and strong, and most importantly, it guarantees optimal protection of the movement. But what defines Carbon TPT® most aesthetically speaking is its striking surface appearance of damascene patterns and a moiré sheen. A bonus is the welcoming warmth that is invoked by the matte aspect of the material that lends itself naturally to both the touch and wrist.

Without further ado, from the introduction of the RM 07-01 Automatic Starry Night, we learn that Carbon TPT® was the first choice in terms of material, to the exclusion of all others, to be considered for the case and strap—the bracelet weighing a light-as-feather 29 g, available exclusively for the women’s collection. Granting exuberance to the model is the prong setting on the bezel and dial, reminiscent of twinkling celestial bodies, and which gracefully highlights the diamond-studded profile of the watch. Richard Mille creations are never complete without a showcase of advancement in technicity so the Starry Night setting is the perfect demonstration of mastery in the machining of the technical material.

While gold is molded by tools used by artisans to make prongs for holding the gems, conversely, Carbon TPT® is shaped by specialist CNC machines that are equipped with diamond parts to provide the mitraillage for setting—mandatory to overcome the hardness and resistance of Carbon TPT®. To hold steadfast the 181 diamonds found on the RM 07-01 Automatic Starry Night are hand-polished prongs in 5N red gold that were produced separately before being embedded on the watch via the myriad of stone settings of varying diameters.

Demanding a fair share of attention with the combination of these two materials is another riveting version of the RM 07-01 Automatic, offering an entirely new take on the open-link bracelet whose hand-finished links weave together Carbon TPT® and 5N red gold. This timepiece model unites a bezel and caseback in Carbon TPT® with a caseband in 5N red gold. The star of the show in this instance is definitely the sensuous bracelet with its display and play of matte and shine, and suppleness and extreme strength.

Both the RM 07-01 Automatic Starry Night and RM 07-01 Automatic open-link bracelet are powered by the in-house Calibre CRMA2, a skeletonised automatic movement with hours, minutes and a variable-geometry rotor. Reaffirming the stature of the RM 07-01 and all the technical characteristics it represents, replete with the appealing lines of the tonneau case, detailing on the tonneau-shaped clasp and the shapely crown in red gold, this bold and magnificent timepiece duo is an exemplary study of beauty, mechanics and ergonomics— bringing the iconic RM 07-01 collection to the next level of elegance and modernity.