EXCELLENCE THROUGH INNOVATION

Rarely has a watch been designed with such a precise aim: to provide accuracy without concessions. Richard Mille achieves the aim with complete mastery.

Since 2001, Richard Mille creations have stood out through a unique style underlining the value of fine-watchmaking mechanisms. With the RM 031 Haute Performance, design

and calibre are as one. The aim? To reach the holy grail: ultimate precision. To achieve exceptional performance, the watchmakers have developed a calibre featuring the very latest innovations. The movement has a direct-impulse escapement developed by APR&P for Audemars Piguet. Running at 36,000 VpH and with two balance springs made from Elinvar (unchanging elasticity), a steel-nickel alloy used in making precision chronometer springs, the transmission results are optimised. The result is a time variation of between 0 and 30 seconds a month. The entire mechanism has been improved to guarantee excellent distribution of the energy produced by the pair of fast-rotating barrels (4 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours).

This cutting-edge mechanism is housed in an imposing, round, platinum-machined case measuring 50mm. The design of the watch respects a global approach, with each piece of the movement benefitting from a very high-level finish carried out by hand for perfect integration.

The calibre drives the hours, minutes and seconds. It also has a function indicator at 5 o’clock. When the crown is pulled out, the indicator hand show winding (W), hands (H) or neutral (N), somewhat like the gearbox in an automatic car. The RM 031 Haute Performance comes in a limited edition of 10 pieces.

Price: €1,129,500 including VAT richardmille.com

By Dan Diaconu