Introducing the Richard Mille RM 65-01 Yellow and Blue Quartz TPT Automatic Split-second Chronograph

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Richard Mille’s most complicated automatic watch gets a material makeover.

Last week, Richard Mille added two new colors to the replica RM 65-01 collection. First launched in 2020, the RM 65-01 consists of 600 parts in total and is the most complicated automatic (non-LE) watch the brand has ever produced. The highly saturated egg-yellow color will be limited to 120 pieces, while the pale blue will be the main color of the collection. Both are made of Quartz TPT or Thin Layer Technology (Quartz TPT was originally developed for the RM 27-02 Nadal), a composite material made of multiple layers of quartz fibers, which is often used in very high-performance applications due to its resistance to high temperatures, high strength, and transparency to electromagnetic waves.

With a focus on motorsports, Richard Mille has long specialized in highly complicated chronographs. These new RM 65-01s are the latest in a series that began with the RM 004, a manual-winding, split-seconds chronograph powered by a Renaud & Papi movement. This high-frequency, automatic split-seconds chronograph uses Caliber RMAC4, a high-frequency movement with variable inertia that beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour (vph)/5 Hz. The RMAC4 in the RM 65-01 was supplied by Vaucher and was originally based on the architecture and layout of Parmigiani’s caliber PF361.

I’m not a big fan of talking about frequency, but taking a few frequency crash courses (refresh your knowledge here) is very helpful in understanding this model. Technically, a chronograph running at 5 Hz is more functional than the more common 4 Hz alternative. The movement running at 5 Hz features a balance that physically oscillates at 36,000 vph; in dial terms, this means being able to measure elapsed time in tenths of a second intervals (after all, that’s the whole purpose of a chronograph – just ask Zenith), while a chronograph running at 4 Hz would measure eighths of a second. copy watch for sale

Equipped with a vertical clutch and a double six-column wheel for a smooth push-button feel (hey, you get what you pay for), this chronograph is capable of measuring up to 12 hours. Total power reserve is 60 hours, while a variable-geometry rotor optimizes winding based on the wearer’s activity. The pusher at eight o’clock is labeled “Quick Winding”, which is very much in the style of Richard Mille, as it enables just that. More for functional purposes (or, as another watch journalist astutely told me, “a solution in search of a problem”), pressing this pusher just 125 times “quickly” charges the mainspring. A function selector on the crown enables the wearer to quickly switch from traditional winding mode (W) to setting a semi-instantaneous date (D) or hour and minute display (H).

Summer is officially here, which means prime Richard Mille fake season for the flamboyant, watch-wearing elite—and for Pharrell Williams, who can’t seem to take off his RM UP 01. Speaking of Pharrell, last year a custom-colored RM 65-01 was auctioned at Joopiter’s “Just Phriends” auction, complete with Pharrell’s signature on the caseback. The sale was curated by Sarah Andelman, former creative director of Parisian concept store Colette. R.I.P. Colette. This all speaks volumes about the beauty of this RM model, considering the overall colorful, modern feel of the other lots in the auction.

Color is one of the things RM does best. While this release appears to be a simple color change to the existing 65-01, it is important to note that the colors and hues must be added to the resin material that eventually becomes Quartz TPT during the first stages of manufacturing. If the color-changing chemicals conflict with any other materials in the quartz composite, the entire material could be affected. This color change is likely the result of a long R&D process, and few other brands would go through such a lengthy process just for a color change.

Is a quick-winding mechanism essential when you can wind your high quality fake watch simply by pulling out the crown? No. But these are adult toys. The more cleverly the buttons on the dial are color-coded to correspond to the functions, the more fun it is. Do these watches look more technical than they really are? Maybe. Am I willing to let myself be blinded by marketing because I like to get a quick glimpse into a very glamorous lifestyle that is not mine? Yes.

Basics
Brand: Richard Mille
Model: RM 65-01
Case dimensions: 44.50 x 49.94 mm
Thickness: 16.10 mm
Case material: Quartz TP + Quartz TPT
Luminous: Yes
Water resistance: 50 m
Strap/bracelet: Rubber strap
Movement
Caliber: RMAC4
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, split-seconds chronograph, function selector, rapid winding and variable geometry rotor
Diameter: 31.78 x 29.98 mm
Thickness: 8.69 mm
Power reserve: Approx. 60 hours (±10%) (without chronograph running)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
Jewel: 51

Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5711/1P Platinum Watch

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The Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5711/1P, a slightly modest three-hand watch that commemorates the 40th anniversary of Nautilus, together with the large 49.25 mm wide Nautilus Chronograph Reference 5976/1G. When Patek Philippe launched the Nautilus 3700/1A in 1976, its 42 mm wide case soon earned it the nickname “Jumbo”. Now, some forty years later, Patek Philippe must double those figures with the 5711/1P in a 44.05 mm wide all-platinum case. That’s all you need to know.

If the “P” in the reference number hasn’t already been known to all Patek lovers, the 5711/1P has a Petite Wesselton (meaning very high purity/clarity grade) diamond set on the bezel. The 6 o’clock position marks that it is made of the most expensive precious metal usually used in Swiss luxury timepieces. Little changed since the first Nautilus was introduced in 1976, this bracelet is a hallmark of Gerald Genta’s original design, also entirely in platinum, with brushed links and polished center links.

The case diameter is 44.05 mm, which seems large, and is measured from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock, including the crown. On the other hand, the measurement from the 10 o’clock to the 4 o’clock position, excluding the crown protection and the corresponding “lugs” on the left side of the case, is only 40 mm, while the lugs of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5711 The pair lugs/1P are also a very wearable 44mm (to give you an idea, most 42mm diameter round best fake watches are 49 to 50mm lug to lug). That’s why the 44mm case can’t actually be worn so big. The waterproof level has not changed much in 40 years and remains at 120 meters.

In addition to the platinum case and bracelet, 18K white gold baton-style hour and minute hands (the seconds hand is in rhodium-plated brass) and some large baguette-cut hour markers on the dial add extra flair to the watch. The blue “garage door” dial of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary Reference 5711/1P. The dial is 18k yellow gold with PVD blue treatment, and the “40” above the “1976-2016” is a little less conspicuous and disruptive than the one on the 5976/1G chronograph. The blue of the Nautilus has always looked good.

The movement inside is the Patek Philippe 324 SC automatic movement, which powers many Nautilus and other watches. It features the time and date with a central seconds hand (white date wheel at 3 o’clock), as well as other standard cheap Patek Philippe items such as the Gyromax balance wheel, Spiromax hairspring and, of course, the Patek Philippe Seal. Despite these advantages, the power reserve is expected to be between 35 and 45 hours, which is acceptable given that the 324SC is only 3.3mm thick and features 21-karat gold rotors – though we’re still not sure what caused the 10 Caliber approved changing hours, without the need for a chronograph or complicated calendar functions.

We briefly touched on some Nautilus history when we discussed the 5976/1G, but 40 years is relatively new in the brand’s 175+ year history. At this point, we’ve moved beyond the irony of a platinum version of a watch representing a luxury steel sports watch, which is irony in itself. The return of the brown natural cork box is a cool “throwback” of the historic character, an authentic replica of the sleek 1976 original. Like the original Nautilus, it is designed to evoke vivid associations with the proud ocean liners that inspired the porthole design of this casually elegant timepiece. The 40th Anniversary cork has a polished stainless steel frame at the base and hinged lid, and a steel plaque on the front, also a faithful replica of the 1976 original.