WATCHES & JEWELLERY
shows forward-looking expertise. Commercially available sapphire would shatter in no time by the impact of a polo ball. Therefore, in cooperation with the acknowledged expert Stettler, a laminated glass “à la car” windshield, never before used for watches and therefore also patented, was created. Because a thin polyvinyl film can be found between two sapphire disks, the glass can move, but never break into several pieces which would damage the precious movement. “When you are open to many things, activities, when you walk around with open eyes and ears, you encounter people and trends that have a stimulating effect. If you then also find partners from different areas, you are faced with permanent challenges. Polo has different requirements than car racing or tennis. This sets goals that can be achieved with ideas. In the beginning there are meaningful functions or displays, then you have to think about the right materials. Eventually everything flows together, and a suitable watch is created. That’s why I also rely heavily on titanium. “Speaking of titanium: Ferdinand A. Porsche first used the solid, long-term stable, yet very lightweight material, for watch cases nearly 40 years ago. The pioneering achievement of Richard Mille is to use it for what is inside. Even tiny screws can be made from grade 5 titanium, although its price point can somehow take your breath away. One kilogram costs a good 20 million Swiss francs. For watchmakers, working with this extremely hard material borders on being a nightmare. Despite all technological advances, the rejection rate is up to 40 percent. Accidental scratches somewhere on the movement are unavoidable and require rigorous elimination. “That explains to some extent why the price of my watches don’t just arise from my imagination, but are seriously calculated. The development of a model sometimes eats up several years, and that is for extremely low quantities.” The ease in which chronometry could be associated with carbon and titanium initially did not necessarily inspire me, Richard Mille confesses. “I remember a customer to whom I presented our first full titanium construction. He asked me why was it so light. In his view it didn’t make sense, because he connected worth with weight. A few years later, we had a platinum watch, and the same customer wanted to know why it was so heavy, uncomfortable.” That’s what happens when you’re always ahead of the game: for designs, movement assemblies and regularly with new materials. In the end, for Richard Mille, boundaries are only there to be surpassed, sooner or later.
Pablo Mac Donough
View of the automatic movement of the Richard Mille RM37-01 Sucette
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