Colorful, high-tech, complex, and ready for the hot months ahead, these timepieces are up-to-date in every way.
This summer, fake Richard Mille’s futuristic, patented Quartz TPT (Thin Layer Technology) case takes on a new look, while housing a lightweight split-seconds chronograph movement.
In 2001, Richard Mille’s founding mission statement announced its commitment to reinventing haute horlogerie, discarding the codes of the past. Modern materials were a big part of that plan, and Quartz TPT was one of its most significant developments (“Quartz” refers to the case material, not the movement). The quartz resin case of the RM 65-01 is the embodiment of Richard Mille’s proprietary material, now available in light blue and dark yellow, representing the sea and sun of the exotic destinations Richard Mille clients will no doubt be heading to this summer.
Quartz TPT is a strong material. It is used in high-tech racing sailboats, for example. It is made of silica fibres impregnated with resin, which acts like glue to bind the fibres together, and then heated to 120 degrees at 6 bar of air pressure. The end result is a case material that is very strong, has a consistent, long-lasting colour and, given the large case (44.5 mm x 49.94 mm x 16.10 mm), can be quite eye-catching. Richard Mille RM 65-01 Split-Seconds
When Richard Mille started using TPT in 2017, it was in black, the main colour of carbon fibre. Eventually, RM technicians started using quartz fibres, which allowed them to infuse colour into the resin. A grey version of the RM 65-01 was introduced last year, and now sky and sun hues are added. So far, the RM 65-01 has been available in red gold and carbon fibre TPT, titanium, carbon fibre TPT and grey quartz TPT. The baseplate and bridges are made of titanium. replica watches price
The split-seconds movement is often considered one of the most complicated movements, even more so than the perpetual calendar. Not only is this watch actually complicated, it also looks complicated – like the control panel of a space shuttle, perhaps. But there is method to this madness. The colours of the crown and dial are coordinated according to function, and each pusher matches a function on the dial. On the deep yellow model, for example, the pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock start, stop and reset the chronograph. They are marked in red to match the red-tipped chronograph central seconds hand and the markings on the chronograph hour and minute totalisers.
The 600-part RMAC4 movement is the most complicated automatic movement ever made by Richard Mille. It is a split-seconds column-wheel chronograph that runs at a high frequency of 36,000 vph, making it extremely precise. However, the 60-hour power reserve is only valid when the chronograph is not in use, which obviously affects running times, as it would with any mechanical chronograph movement.
Continuing the feel of the control panel, the gearbox on the crown contains a function selector that can quickly switch from traditional winding mode (W) to setting the date (D) or hours and minutes (H). This function of the crown is rare. The date is displayed vertically in a window at 11 o’clock and is color-coded with the date function selector on the crown. The chronograph functions are all decorated in light blue, including the numerals, the tip of the hour hand and the small seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The color seems to match the energy of the high-beat movement, and the button at 8 o’clock on the side of the case matches the rhythm by quickly charging the barrel spring. replica watches sale