Richard Mille’s RM-027 Tourbillon

Richard-Mille-RM027-Tourbillon

Watch maker Richard Mille unveils the RM 027 Tourbillon, the Swiss company’s first timepiece to weigh in at less than one ounce. This feat being a goal held by Richard Mille himself and created as a lightweight tourbillon that professional tennis player Rafael Nadal (who also collaborated on the project) can wear on the court.

Richard Mille RM0 27 Tourbillon watchThis watch will be strictly limited to just 50 pieces and a price tag of $525,000 that clearly reflects its level of exclusivity. Mechanically the RM 027 employs a lithium-aluminium alloy for the movement baseplate and a carbon composite for the exterior. Such aerospace-grade materials are not new to Mille’s watches however, with the RM 009 featuring a case made of the aluminium and silicium mixture used in satellites, but they reach their apogee in the RM 027.

Belying the watch’s lightness is its appearance. A network of columns and struts lends the look of a heavyweight to the RM 027 while protecting the tourbillon’s power train from shocks—including those it might sustain at this year’s US Open.

www.richardmille.com