Richard Mille has a distinctively sporty appeal. Long known as a racing machine for your wrist, RM made waves last year by introducing the RM027, a $525,000 tourbillon that's lighter than a piece of paper...literally. It's so light, that it floats in water. The watch is worn by RM ambassador Rafa Nadal, even during his matches.
Tennis is one thing, golf is another. The new RM038 was designed, with a tourbillon, to "withstand the specific and exceptional stresses and forces at work within the world of the professional golfer".
It's not just the movement that is impressive here, but also the case. Some specifics:
"The case of the RM038 is made of an extremely rugged and light magnesium alloy classified as AZ91, composed of magnesium combined with aluminum and zinc plus additional trace metals. The resulting magnesium alloy is more than the sum of the parts, providing a light yet extremely strong material with a dendritic internal crystalline structure making it suitable for extreme applications in the aerospace, telecommunication and automotive industries.
After a long and delicate machining phase, the case is given an electro-plasma treatment named Titalyt II®, covering the surface with a layer of white, crystalline ceramic oxide containing a high ratio of resistant composites. This biocompatible treatment provides an additional layer of high wear and corrosion resistance to the surface of the case’s already extreme specifications. The tripartite case is assembled with 12 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion resistant washers in 316L stainless steel, with the structural water resistance to 50 meters ensured by two Nitril O-ring seals."
No word on pricing yet, but it's an RM Tourbillon, so expect it to be a lot. What do you think, are golfers ready to wear a tourbillon on their next trip to the club?