Six years after releasing his first polo watch, Richard Mille returns to one of his favorite playing fields with the sporty and dynamic RM 53-01 Pablo Mac Donough.
Like its predecessor – the RM 053 from 2012, the new timepiece is created to withstand the violent shocks endured during a polo match, from falls to collisions to mallet strikes. But the technology employed in the RM 53-01 is new and represents a world first for the watch industry.
Richard Mille RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough
The unprecedented laminated sapphire crystal of its Carbon TPT case offers a breath-taking look at the watch’s suspended tourbillon calibre. The watch’s glass is actually composed of two sheets of sapphire crystal, sandwiching a thin Polyvinyl sheet, the result of a collaboration with Stettler Sapphire, a Swiss specialist who took inspiration from current practices in the automotive realm to produce a laminated glass. Even if the sapphire glass cracks or shatters, it will not fall apart as the Polyvinyl film holds it together.
Not only that protects the tourbillon movement, also inside there are some precautions taken by the watchmakers at Richard Mille. The movement has been suspended by braided cables basically. Cables which are just 0.27 mm in diameter.
Richard Mille RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough
‘The 10 pulleys at the heart of the movement guarantee an even distribution of tension and perfect balance of the whole, what’s more, they provide optimal shock absorption to more than 5,000 g’s.’, says Salvador Arbona, Technical Director for Movements at Richard Mille.
A new and complex accoutrement for this watch, despite its risks, is still practised by gentlemen. Limited to only 30 pieces, the new Richard Mille RM 53-01 is priced at $900,000 USD.
Richard Mille RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough
