Richard Mille RM 67-01 automatic ultra-thin watch



Richard Mille's collections quickly rose to prominence, developing not just one but several models that are considered by collectors and industry experts to be the ultimate icon of contemporary watchmaking. One of its most popular models is undoubtedly the RM 010 automatic watch, recognized by customers worldwide for its clean lines and functionality.

But Richard Mille did not want to rest on this success and began a new development destined to become an icon of tomorrow: the RM 67-01 self-winding ultra-thin watch. Developing the mechanical aspects of a thin automatic watch presents its own difficulties, and the dual challenge of designing such a movement is combined with the impression of visual depth; a central theme in Richard Mille's concept. One of the keys to achieving this is the RM 67-01’s extremely extensive skeletonization, as well as its new approach to dial construction, which takes the eye from the edge of the bezel through three layers to the central hour and minute hands.

The numerals of this new model are made of solid metal and are mounted on two interconnected solid titanium rails, fixed directly to the movement. To enhance the effect of depth, each individual numeral is molded from solid metal and coated with Luminova® to ensure legibility at night – a first for the brand in the world of watches. The vertical date display has now been moved to the right side of the dial at 5 o’clock, in a window that also has a Luminova® bezel.

The new automatic movement CRMA6, measuring just 3.6 mm in height, was developed in-house specifically for the RM 67-01 by Les Breuleux engineers.

The surfaces of the plates and bridges, made of grade 5 titanium, are plasma-treated in gray and black. They are combined with a rotor flywheel made of platinum. The exquisite skeletonization on the back of the case, including the large open barrel, oscillating weight, gear train and bridges of the automatic winding mechanism, also proves the emphasis on depth effects.

The modern architecture of the RM 67-01 Automatic tells its own mechanical story; even the three slotted screws on one side of the dial signal to the watchmaker that they are rotating in the opposite direction to the standard. As can be seen in the movement, extensive use of custom-made hexagonal screws guarantees a precisely defined and very precise correct tension level according to function and use.

Central to the movement's design is the use of involute tooth profiles for the entire gear train, rather than the standard cycloidal gears commonly used in the watchmaking industry. These profiles are commonly found in car gearboxes and other high-efficiency engines, but their use in watchmaking is extremely rare. This gear profile enables particularly efficient energy transfer in the gear train, providing excellent timing results.

The winding, date and time setting function selectors are located between 1 and 2 o'clock. Even if your new watch has an automatic winding mechanism, you should still wind it a little manually when you use it again after a few days. The function selector moves with the pull of the crown, taking the guesswork out of selecting functions based on the feel or number of "clicks" when the crown is pulled and pressed.

The case of the RM 67-01 features an ultra-flat design for the first time, making it the slimmest model among tonneau-shaped Richard Mille timepieces.

Its delicate silhouette took nearly six hours to create, longer than any similar case in the collection. After the manufacturing phase is complete, the case is satin-finished and polished by hand. It is then assembled with a sapphire crystal and seals for initial water resistance testing, before being disassembled again and subjected to final quality control. The movement is then assembled into slender lines. All these processes make the Richard Mille tonneau case one of the most time-consuming and complex watch cases made in Switzerland today.

Technical features of RM 67-01
CALIBER CRMA6: skeletonized automatic movement with hours, minutes, date and function selector. Dimensions: 38.70 x 47.52 x 7.75mm. 25 jewel bearings, balance: CuBe, 4 arms, 4 adjusting screws, moment of inertia 7.5 mg/cm2, 50° elevation. Frequency: 28,800 a/H (4 Hz), coil spring: AK3, shock protection: INCABLOC 908.22.211.100 (transparent). Movement dimensions: 29.10 x 31.25 mm, height: 3.60 mm
Features: Plate and bridge made of grade 5 titanium. Shot-peened Grade 5 titanium with a gray plasma finish gives the plate tremendous strength and makes it exceptionally flat, allowing the gear train to run smoothly. The bridges are also made from shot-peened grade 5 titanium and treated with a black plasma process, a first for Richard Mille. Skeleton plates and bridges are individually and extensively tested to ensure their exceptional durability.
Balance wheel with variable moment of inertia: provides better reliability in the event of shocks and when assembling and disassembling the movement, thus increasing long-term accuracy. The return hand has been removed and replaced by four small adjustable weights located directly on the balance wheel to ensure more precise and repeatable adjustment of the moment of inertia.
Platinum oscillating weight: The platinum oscillating weight with OneWay® winding system and ceramic ball bearings effectively winds the barrel and maintains the compact dimensions of the ultra-thin skeletonized movement.
Fast rotating barrel (5 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours) This type of barrel offers the following advantages: The temporary sticking of the spring leaves is significantly reduced, thus improving performance. Mainspring tension curve with excellent delta values, power reserve with ideal performance and uniformity ratios
Optimum gear tooth profile: The entire gear train of the watch uses a special tooth profile developed specifically for the CRMA6 movement, which serves as the main power transmission within the movement: the gears operate at a pressure angle of 20°. This system compensates for any misalignment between the wheel axles, for example due to temperature fluctuations or normal use, and ensures excellent torque transmission to the balance wheel for optimal accuracy
Grade 5 Titanium Spline Screws for Bridges Spline screws provide greater control over the torque the screw is subjected to during assembly. These screws are essentially unaffected by human intervention such as assembly or disassembly and show little sign of aging.
Power reserve: about 50 hours (±10%).
Date display: semi-momentary, vertical opening at 5 o'clock.
Function selector: Similar to a car's automatic transmission, the function selector allows you to identify at a glance the various positions of the winding and where the date and time are set when the crown is pulled out. Each position is indicated by the hand at 2 o'clock according to the following functions: W (winding) - D (date) - H (hand setting).
Finishing/finishing

Clockwork: shot peened bevel, shot peened milled profile, shot peened fillet,
Gray black plasma surface treatment of circuit boards and bridges
Steel parts: satin polished surfaces, hand polished bevels, hand polished fillets, polished areas
Form turning: ground and polished end pieces, rolled tenons, polished pin heads
Wheels: Diamond coated grooves, diamond polished bevels, rounded edges, rhodium plated (before tooth milling)