Richard Mille is taking a reductive approach to a new collection of hand wound references that bring back the classic RM 55. That means no gem settings, no crazy complications, and no wild color schemes. Rather, all the drama is provided by the unique architecture of the openworked movement and that case it’s set within. The new RM 55-01 collection is therefore a distilled vision of the brand’s greatest strengths, which is lightweight and high-performance.
I’m not sure I’d call any Richard Mille watch understated, but if ever there was one it would be this RM 55-01. The square case, which features a subtle curvature, measures a hair under 38mm across, and about 47mm in total length, with a thickness of 10.7mm. It’s a sober frame constructed of carbon or quartz TPT (Thin Ply Technology) that, together with the bare bones movement constructed largely of titanium, adds up to a featherweight experience on the wrist.
Richard Mille is using a new caliber dubbed the RMUL4, which is reduced to only the necessary framework to keep the gear train held in place. The baseplate and bridges are constructed from grade 5 titanium, the design of which serves as the backbone of what you might consider a dial, as in, other than the hands, this frame is what you’ll be looking at. There are two small barrels providing 55 hours of torque-optimized reserve when fully wound, and the whole thing weighs a mere 5 grams. For comparison, a standard ETA 2824-2 weighs around 20 grams.
The sandwich style case remains, with plates made of carbon TPT, which reveals a raw carbon pattern, or quartz TPT, which can be had in white or grey. Each variation is quite subdued in nature, with only the grey receiving any form of contrasting color in the form of light red lume in the hour markers and hands. As a result, it might just be the most legible of the bunch.
As a whole, the RM 55-01 represents the conceptual ethos of the brand better than most watches. They refer to the process as a “holistic approach to the dial, case, and movement” in which each is developed with the whole in mind. An example they cite is the lack of a casing ring, instead using a rubber chassis mount made bespoke for the specific watch. The result is a watch that doesn’t feel like disparate elements coming together, but rather a single unit that works to express the design goals.
Stepping back, this is a somewhat polarizing design, which is nothing new for Richard Mille. There’s an inherent irony with this watch in that it is clearly designed for maximum performance, with a lightweight frame and fabric strap making for a watch that will wear like an extension of your body, while at the same time sacrificing legibility in the name of transparency. It puts the experience itself over any practical function, but it’s an experience that you can take anywhere, and do anything in. Indeed, the brand’s ambassadors do exactly that, rather famously.
The Richard Mille RM 55-01 is available now, with pricing available on request, though it will be in the six figures. Richard Mille
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