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Richard Mille Unveils The RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll

Everyone has been going tourbillon mad recently including Hublot. Now Richard Mille (who else) is back on the watch scene with his latest hit…The RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll. Be prepared to get All Shook Up with our lowdown on what makes this latest timepiece really tick.

Featuring symbolic “devil’s horns” in the centre of the openworked dial, this £800,000 plus timepiece is inspired by the Rock and Roll generation.
Hand crafted by Genevan engraver Olivier Vaucher, the iconic rock hand gesture is not the only element to lure avid watch collectors to the dark side.

Why Is Richard Mille Such a Legendary Rebel Without a Cause?

Sympathy for the devil this aint. Perhaps the Ozzy Ozbourne of the horological world, Richard Mille has been shaking up the watchmaking industry since their inception in 1999.

Source: Forbes

After three years of developing the fabled RM001 tourbillon, it was deemed by many in watch circles to be as revolutionary as Johnny Rotten. Visuals were one matter but Mille wanted to take the delicate complication and stuff it inside a sports watch. We might need extra time for this!

To see if it could stand up to daily wear and tear, the story goes that Richard Mille claimed to have thrown his personal RM001 on the ground in front of prospective retailers at Baselworld. And did it stand up to the horological test? You bet. Mille became an instantaneous sensation along with his money no object ostentatious materials aimed at the glitterati.

Everyone had a piece of stunning arm candy on their wrists from John Malkovich to rappers Drake and Jay-Z. The latter actually sported a RM 56-01 Tourbillon Sapphire worth in excess of £3 million. This gained traction, notoriety and exposure for the brand…in double time.

But like Mick Jagger said, you can't always get what you want. And this is precisely the case if you want to buy a Richard Mille watch. Limited piece runs, exclusivity, distinctive F1 inspired aesthetics and elite status mean their watches are sold out before they are even manufactured. Such is the demand.

Furthermore, pioneering design, crazy lightweight compositions, insanely tough shock resistance watches and mind boggling technology sees Richard Mille remain as one of the top luxury watchmaking brands.

The Inspiration Behind The Richard Mille RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll

Steppenwolf may have sung about being born to be wild. But Richard Mille states The RM66 Flying Tourbillon is most definitely “horn to be wild”.

Source: Richard Mille

Richard Mille watches certainly define uber luxury refinery. And this symbolic gesture is captured in the middle of the skeletonized dial for watch lovers to drool over. So why the devil’s horn? Synonymous with rockers for decades, it is inspired by the raising both the index and small or “pinky” finger with ring and middle fingers tucked under the thumb.

Part of a cultural generation, it has become a social craze spanning generations. Be it fans of The Foo Fighters, Metallica or The Sex Pistols, this signal is instilled in cultural and social spheres bringing inclusion and a sprinkling of revolt. Remember, when you buy a Richard Mille watch, you are investing in their unusual architecture which is certainly a headline grabber in this

But hang on just a minute…there are other devilish details to consider. Check out the index pointers which look similar to guitar plectrums and the meticulous goth-style grade 5 titanium crown. Paying tribute to The Richard Mille 052 Tourbillon Skull, the engraved cranium is housed within the striking spider shaped crown.

Design Features of The Richard Mille RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll

Measuring 42mm, The Richard Mille RM66 Flying Tourbillon boasts a wealth of impressive features. The iconic heavy metal devil horn gesture takes centre stage bearing resemblance to an X-ray hand design. Though you wouldn’t find this on the NHS!

Source: Richard Mille

This was painstakingly undertaken by master engraver Olivier Vaucher by deburring and refining. This led to unveiling the detailed bone contours and emphasising the joints via micro-blasting.

Made from polished 5N red gold, this symbol of rebellion is positioned inside a tonneau-shaped case that’s composed of grade 5 titanium. The bridges and baseplates are also made of the same material boasting high levels of corrosion resistance and rigidness with high resistance capabilities.

Then there’s the manual calibre RM66. Dubbed the flying tourbillon with variable inertia, Richard Mille has broken down all horological barriers again. This is thanks to the inclusion of both a flying tourbillon located at noon and quick-rotating barrel with 72 hour power reserve at 6 o’clock.

Collectors who are looking to buy a Richard Mille watch will simply love the free-sprung balance offering a greater ability to counter shocks with improved accuracy. There’s no denying the attention to detail across the highly skeletonized dial and grade 5 titanium movement allowing incredible visibility.

Source: Richard Mille

This was done via an incredibly complicated regulating mechanism that is hardly utilised by Richard Mille. The cadre of the “flying” tourbillon is put together without an upper bridge giving a weightless sensation.

Beating at 21,600 vph (3Hz), the hand-polished beveling movement is just 5.68mm thick. A true nod to craftsmanship and detail, the flanges are composed of 5N red gold PVD-coated titanium while the complex torque reducing crown is a marvel in itself. 200 plus hours were spent on this individual component alone proving when you buy a watch like this, no stone is left unturned.

Case of The Richard Mille RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll

The fully curved “Clou de Paris” studded case involves a high level of craftsmanship. Slap this beauty on your wrist with consummate ease and premium comfort which is reinforced by carbon TPT. Enjoying a distinctive damascene look, watch fans will find this material on the bezel and caseback too.

Source: Richard Mille

Meanwhile, the caseband is just as impactful. Made from grade 5 titanium, it delivers polished bevel inserts with plates that contain 5N red gold. This is rounded off with a gorgeous Clou de Paris pattern bearing resemblance to a studded punk belt. This has been hand polished in order to perfect the unique sharp edges.

For dive watch enthusiasts, this bad boy can only plunge to 50m. Therefore, you might want to buy a watch instead such as The Richard Mille RM 032 Diver Flyback Chronograph with an imposing 300m of water resistance.

Research and Development of The Richard Mille RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll

“Polishing titanium is much more difficult than polishing gold or steel.” - Julien Boillat, Technical Director for Cases, Richard Mille.

Source: Richard Mille

Suffice to say this was no mean achievement involving a staggering amount of research and development to pull off this sublime tour de force. Apparently, it took 1,500 hours for the horological boffins at Richard Mille to conjure up this latest triumph.

As for the casing squad, it is believed that they worked for 9 solid months on this specific model. So how about the retail price of The RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll? With a run of only 50 pieces, time may be running out already.

They will be available solely at Richard Mille boutique stores for a jaw dropping cost of approximately £890,000. Seems like the devil doesn’t wear Prada after all!

Conclusion

Some may call The RM66 Flying Tourbillon Rock’n’Roll many things. Mesmerising, dynamic, bold or downright showy. Nonetheless, its sterling techniques, innovative design and non-conformist attitude has broken all the norms.

Staying true to its brand, once again Richard Mille has taken a concept and mastered the electrifying effect it will have on the luxury watch industry.

Want to find a statement piece to rock your horological world? Looking to buy a Richard Mille watch for the best price, no strings attached? Then visit Chrono Hunter. Contact us today for a no-obligation estimate.

We will reach out to our trusted network of the finest luxury watch retailers in the UK, finding you the most competitive price. Whether investing in a new collection or want to buy a watch or sell a watch for the first time, we are your essential go-to platform. Receive offers for your chosen timepiece in less than 24 hours and experience first class customer service from our expert team.

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