Dances With Time

Richard Mille orchestrates the RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-House Chronograph—its first-ever flyback chronograph developed and constructed in-house—accompanied by WITHIN produced in collaboration with brand partners Benjamin Millepied and Thomas Roussel.

- TAN SIOK HOON

Richard Mille has done it again. Its newest creation is birthed from the heart of creativity that underpins the driving force and DNA of the avant-garde watch brand. Making its mark upon introduction, the RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-House Chronograph is encapsulated by movement, poised at the intersection of haute horlogerie, dance and music. Featuring the first flyback chronograph entirely developed and designed by the brand, the exceptional in-house creation entailed no less than 30 months of full-time work to bring it into fruition.

At its core is the Calibre CRMC1, at a slim 6.05 mm with 425 different components, comprising a double oscillating pinion mechanism developed and patented by Richard Mille, along with a pending patent for its double-clutch chronograph. The twin oscillating pinion, one each for minutes and seconds, allows the transfers from minutes to hours to be isolated from the seconds wheel in this flyback chronograph. The beauty of this is that the chronograph function can be activated without depleting the power reserve—a tremendous horological achievement.

Furthermore, the chronograph is not limited to timing only short periods being fitted with 24-hour and 60-minute counters positioned at 5 o’clock and 2 o’clock respectively. Significantly, what defines the new RM 72-01 is the way it keeps time: three beats to a measure that is timed to a rhythm revolving around the numbers three, eight and eleven. As the hands of each counter tick, their movements are harmonised by three beats for each of the three counters in a stylised, hypnotic dance within their three respective timescales—blue for seconds, orange for minutes, green for hours—conducted by a six-column wheel.