$19.94
$31.9
Richard Mille RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph Watch The first self-winding rattrapante. Hot on the heels of the RM 72-01 powered by the brand’s first in-house chronograph movement, Richard Mille has just introduced the RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph, continuing its historical focus on ultra high-end chronographs, which began with RM 004 of 2003. Not only is the RM 65-01 the first self-winding split-seconds chronograph from Richard Mille, it’ll also be the brand’s first serially produced watch with the complication, joining watches like the RM 11 as a mainstay of the line up. Initial thoughts Highly-complex chronographs are embedded in Richard Mille’s DNA – the company’s first chronograph was RM 004, which was a hand-wind, split-seconds powered by a Renaud & Papi movement. And in the space of a year, Richard Mille has unveiled two all-new chronographs, starting with the RM 72-01, and now the RM 65-01. RM 65-01 in Carbon NTPT The RM 65-01 is typically Richard Mille in style and materials, exuding sportiness with its techno-industrial movement finish, skeletonized dial, and multi colored indicators. On any other watch, the colors would look like the designers are trying too hard, but in the RM 65-01, they just work. The movement, however, is notable for being a technically accomplished calibre produced by Vaucher, the respect movement specialist that’s a sister company of Parmigiani. Historically Vaucher has only supplied movements for the brand’s entry-level timepieces, while the more complicated calibers were made by Renaud & Papi or done in house. Based on the Vaucher V M F 6710, the R M A C 4 inside the RM 65-01 is a high-frequency movement running at 36,000 beats per hour that has an integrated split-seconds chronograph, making it one of the most sophisticated movements in Richard Mille’s collection, and certainly the most impressive caliber that isn’t a tourbillon or grande complication. The R M A C 4 visible through the display back And it also has a novel, a slightly gimmicky feature: a button on the case flank that can be used to wind the watch, much like the Roman Gauthier Logical One. Unlike the Logical One, however, the RM 65-01 can also be wound with the crown, making the addition of the “rapid-winding” pusher seem like a bit of an affectation. And requiring 125 presses to fully wind the mainspring, the rapid-winding mechanism isn’t so rapid after all. The RM 65-01 is not limited in production, but will no less be produced in very small numbers. It combines exotic materials and a high-end chronograph, and the price, though astronomical, is par for the course for Richard Mille. The mainspring will be fully wound after 125 presses RM style Like previous Richard Mille chronographs, the RM 65-01 doesn’t feature a dial as much as it does a skeletonized frame that is set over the movement – there is no traditional dial to speak of. Though there is a dizzying array of information on display, the indications have been cleverly color-coded: the time indication is highlighted in yellow; the chronograph minute and hour totalisers, at three and nine o’clock respectively, are highlighted in orange; while the date is in green. The complications on the dial are color-coded to improve legibility The rubber outer face of the crown is a function selector working in tandem with the indicator at five o’clock that’s color-coded according to the function: “W” for winding, “D” for setting the date, or “H” for time setting. And the tachymeter scale has been printed on the steeply-sloping flange, which adds a measure of depth to the dial and serves as an anchor point for the triangular hour indices. The dial consists of a skeletonized frame with the chronograph counters and running seconds registers that is laid on top of the movement Like all contemporary Richard Mille watches, the RM 65-01 is big – 44.5 mm wide, 50 mm long, and just over 16 mm high – but its ergonomics are good. Thanks to the tonneau-shaped case with a curved case back, as well as the lightweight carbon composite case, the watch will wear far more comfortably than its dimensions suggest.
Richard Mille
