Richard Mille continues to lead the conversation in contemporary watchmaking with the RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire, a collection that reaffirms the brand’s technical authority and creative independence. Having achieved the world’s first all-sapphire watch case over a decade ago in 2012, Richard Mille’s legitimacy with the material is well established. The RM 75-01 writes the next chapter in the brand’s sapphire story, with a movement created specifically to sit inside perfect sapphire — a first for the brand.

Designed by Cécile Guenat and her team, the collection draws from two very different sources of inspiration: gothic architecture and the natural flow of water. These references to architecture and nature come through in both form and palette. The case, fully machined from solid blocks of sapphire, is available in three limited versions: one in clear sapphire (15 pieces), and two with coloured casebacks in blue or lilac-pink sapphire (10 pieces each).

New sapphire crystal cases across three references

The sea-green rubber strap frames the perfect clarity of the transparent sapphire watch while the coloured sapphire case-backs: a lilac pink shade reminiscent of a South Sea twilight and a compelling sapphire blue, evoke a dreamy, whimsical and creative palette.

“We approached each element as a piece of architectural art,” noted Cécile Guenat, creation and development director at Richard Mille. “The harmony of depths and the meticulous selection of materials create a dynamic and captivating view of the movement.”

The skeletonised RM 75-01 calibre is visually striking, housing a flying tourbillon and barrel suspended without upper bridges. Inspired by ribbed vaults, the architecture of the calibre features a microblasted red gold flange resting on satin-polished titanium pillars. Touches of SuperLuminova and a red gold upper flange give the open design both structure and presence, even in low light.

True to form, the movement is engineered for robustness despite its lightweight construction. It uses a multilevel baseplate with clean geometry, bringing depth and dimension to the mechanics. A gold PVD-treated titanium plate anchors the composition and contrasts against the rhodium-treated wheels.

The challenge of working with sapphire cannot be overstated. It’s a material second only to diamond in hardness and demands extreme precision in machining and finishing. The introduction of colour through metallic oxides adds another layer of complexity as any slight variation during the growth process risks imperfections, making every finished case a technical achievement in its own right. Producing a single RM 75-01 sapphire case requires more than 1,000 hours of machining, including 40 continuous days of grinding. Nearly a third of that time is spent on polishing alone, made especially demanding by the case’s curved forms and structural pillars. 

The impeccable transparency of the sapphire puts the new movement entirely centre-stage — a fully skeletonised RM75-01 with a flying tourbillon and flying barrel. Encased entirely in sapphire, the movement is revealed in full and stunning clarity.

Tech Specs: Richard Mille RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire

Movement: Manual-winding Caliber RM 75-01; 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 32.9mm × 46.75mm × 14.35mm; sapphire crystal; water-resistant to 30m
Dial: Upper flange from 5N red gold with polished and microblasted steel markers; index points filled with approved luminous material
Strap: Rubber strap in sea-green, lilac-pink or white
Availability: Transparent Sapphire (15 pieces); Lilac and Blue Sapphire (10 pieces/model)