2013/02/01
*RICHARD MILLE "New Productions 2013"
RICHARD MILLE the Tourbillon RM 59-01 Yohan BLAKE
The 23-year-old Jamaican Yohan Blake, multiple medallist at the London Olympics in 2012, is a member of the very exclusive circle of the world’s fastest sprinters. Last August in Lausanne, he won the 100 metres in just 9.69 seconds, running at a speed of 37.15 km/h, confirming his huge talent and record-breaking abilities.
A partner of the brand since July 2012, Yohan Blake runs with a Richard Mille tourbillon prototype on his wrist. Offering a real-life testing ground, he has enabled Richard Mille’s engineers to define the specifications of a watch specifically designed for athletics.
Like our other illustrious sporting partners, all members of the RM Family, Yohan Blake worked with Richard Mille to develop a special caliber designed for sprinters the world over. Mission accomplished with the RM 59-01 Yohan Blake, an aerodynamic, ergonomic and high-performance tourbillon watch featuring a very original structure that meets all the requirements of the sprinter and the brand.
The RM 59-01 impresses at first sight thanks to its extremely dynamic bridges that span the movement and evoke the claws of the «The Beast», Yohan Blake’s nickname. Machined from anticorodal aluminium Pb109, an alloy of aluminium, magnesium, silicon and lead, they support the tourbillon carriage and center-wheel pinion while consolidating the grade 5 titanium baseplate assembly with the case. They are also eloxed (through anodic oxidation) and hand-painted in green and yellow, two colours that also appear on the aluminium flange in tribute to the Jamaican flag – and in honor of Yohan Blake!
The RM 59-01 is equipped with a skeletonised, manually wound tourbillon movement, with an oscillating rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour and a power reserve of circa 48 hours. It offers an optimal performance/ regularity/power reserve ratio, provided by the combination of grade 5 titanium with anticorodal aluminium Pb109, optimised going train and a variable inertia balance.
The highly innovative case of the RM 59-01 Yohan Blake is a new interpretation of the tonneau shaped design favoured by Richard Mille. It features a surprising thickness and tapering extension between 2 and 5 o’clock, which prevents any rubbing of the torque-limiting crown against Yohan Blake’s wrist, making it extremely comfortable to wear. It is made from a translucent composite injected with carbon nanotubes. Thanks to its translucent character, the full complexity of the caliber can be admired through the case.
The RM 59-01 possesses a powerful identity that compels its recognition as a remarkable piece in the collection. Its design and architecture reflect the personality of the sprinter Yohan Blake, while its performance and unexpected innovations highlight the ambition of Richard Mille to propose ever-more technical and spectacular products.
The RM 59-01 Yohan Blake tourbillon watch is available in a limited edition of 50 timepieces.
Limited edition of 50 pieces.
CALIBER RM59-01: manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes.
Dimensions : 50.24 x 42.70 x 15.84 mm.
MAIN FEATURES
POWER RESERVE
Circa 48 hours (±10%).
SKELETONISED TITANIUM BASEPLATE
The baseplate has been finished in grade 5 titanium, a biocompatible, highly corrosion-resistant and remarkably rigid alloy, which enables the gear train to function effortlessly. The alloy is 90% titanium,6% aluminium and 4% vanadium.
This combination further increases its mechanical properties, which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aeronautical and automobile industries.
The skeletonised baseplate and the bridges have been subjected to intensive and complete validation tests to optimize their resistance capacities.
ANTICORODAL PB109 ALUMINIUM BRIDGES
This aluminium alloy is composed of aluminium, magnesium, silicon and lead. It provides the movement with great flexibility and improved shock-resistance.
Its green colouring is achieved through eloxing, a treatment using anodic oxidation. This forms a layer of crystals that retains green dyes. The yellow part of the bridge is hand-painted.
FREE SPRUNG BALANCE WITH VARIABLE INERTIA
A free sprung balance with variable inertia and a terminal-curve spring guarantees greater reliability in case of impacts and during movement assembly and disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.
FAST ROTATING BARREL (6 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours)
This type of barrel has the following advantages: - The phenomenon of periodic internal mainspring adhesion is significantly diminished and performance is thus
enhanced, - Provision of an excellent mainspring delta curve with an ideal power reserve/performance and regularity ratio.
BARREL PAWL WITH PROGRESSIVE RECOIL
This device permits an appreciable winding gain (circa 20 %), especially during the start of winding. It also aids in the even distribution of the mainspring’s internal tension.
WINDING BARREL TEETH AND THIRD-WHEEL PINION WITH CENTRAL INVOLUTE PROFILE
The wheel with a central developing profile and a pressure angle of 20° promotes rolling movement more effectively, compensates differences between centers, ensures excellent torque transmission and a distinct improvement in performance.
SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE BRIDGES
These screws enable better control of the screwing torque. Hardly affected by physical manipulations during assembly and disassembly, they also age well.
OTHER FEATURES
- Movement dimensions: 30.50 mm x 28.70 mm
- Thickness: 5.20 mm
- Tourbillon diameter: 10.90 mm
- Balance wheel diameter: 9.12 mm
- Number of jewels: 19
- Balance wheel: Glucydur, with 2 arms and 4 setting screws, moment of inertia 11.50 mg.cm2, angle of lift 53°
- Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
- Balance spring: ELINVAR by Nivarox®
- Shock protection: KIF ELASTOR KE 160 B28
- Barrel shaft in nickel-free Chronifer (DIN x 46 Cr 13 + S), with the following characteristics: stainless – non-magnetic – tempered
CASE
The RM 59-01 case is made from a translucent composite composed of injected carbon nanotubes that offer the perfect form of shock-protection for the movement and its central tourbillon.
The carbon nanotubes are extremely resistant (200 times more resistant than steel) and very light. They are more resistant to impacts than carbon fibre thanks to their structure, which features an exceptional surface/volume ratio. The nanotubes are injected into a mould containing a green-yellow polymer. This gives the case its final shape and translucency.
Its drawn-out shape between 2 and 5 o’clock stops the torque-limiting crown from rubbing against the sprinter handle.
The tripartite case is water resistant to 30 metres, ensured by two Nitril O-ring
seals. The case is assembled with 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.
SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE CASE
This permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.
TORQUE LIMITING CROWN
This additional security system prevents from accidental overwinding, which could cause damage to the winding stem or putting extreme pressure on the mainspring barrel.
INTERIOR FLANGES
Upper flange in Aluminium and lower flanges in grade 5 titanium.
CRYSTAL
- Bezel side: in sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare coating (on both sides)
- Thickness: 1,50 mm
- Case back: in sapphire with anti-glare coating (on both sides)
- Thickness: 1.20 mm at the centre and 1.95 mm at the outer edges
FINISHING
MOVEMENT
- Baseplate in grade 5 titanium microblasted PVD treatment
- Microblasted bridge in Pb109 aluminium, eloxed and hand-painted
- Hand-polished beveling
- Microblasted milled sections
- Stretched upper surfaces
- Polished sinks
STEEL PARTS
- Wire-drawn and microblasted surfaces
- Hand-polished beveling
- Long strokes above
- Long strokes on sides
- Polished sinks
PROFILE-TURNING
- Polished and lapped ends - Burnished pivots
WHEELS
- Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
- Circular decorations on the front surfaces
- Gilding (before cutting the teeth)
- Minimal corrections are made to the wheels to preserve their geometry and overall performance
