Richard Mille 07-01 Coloured Ceramics: Combining 80s Design and Modern Technology
As the leaves turn brown and fall from the trees, many are bidding summer goodbye – but Richard Mille’s new 07-01 Coloured Ceramics models are not amongst them. Under the vibrant parasol of its ‘Endless Summer’ campaign, the brand is introducing three dreamy new pastel-coloured watches for women. The watches draw inspiration from 1980s style, primarily the correspondingly postmodern architecture movement ‘Memphis Design’, with its roots in Milan.
The case
For this colourful trio of 07-01 timepieces, Richard Mille opts for a lightweight TZP ceramic bezel. Coming in blush pink, lavender, or powder blue, these TZP ceramic bezels are not just a pretty face, but also extremely strong, lightweight, and able to maintain their colour over the years even with extensive wear. Meanwhile, the case bands (comprising the middle section of the case) are white-gold and sandblasted for a contemporary aesthetic. The watch case combines dimensions of 31.40 x 45.23 mm with a height of 11.85 mm.
The dial
Resilience is key
A hallmark of Richard Mille, the baseplate and bridges of the 07-01 Coloured Ceramics use micro-blasted electroplasma-treated Grade 5 titanium. This has two benefits: it gives greater rigidity to the mainplate and provides precise surface flatness, which is essential for ensuring the smooth functioning of the gear train. Both the skeletonised baseplate and bridges also undergo extensive tests before their release, in order to ensure that dial meets optimal strength requirements.
An artistic spin
The aesthetes amongst Richard Mille’s fanbase will no doubt appreciate the horology house’s nod to the post-modern Memphis Design movement. This comes in the form of juxtaposing colours and shapes. Highly contemporary, the 07-01Coloured Ceramics‘s design provides a definitive contrast to traditional watchmaking designs, thus making it every bit a ‘Richard Mille’ in spirit.
On closer inspection, the shapes on the dial showcase the geometric guillochage technique, which comprises of repeated individually applied lines across a plain surface. This decorative technique requires hand-turned engine crafting and an extreme dexterity of expert hands. While adding a refined and modern touch, the guillochage adds an interplay between light and shadows across the grey PVD-treated red gold dial. Finally, coloured ceramic, laser-cut rubber appliqués and diamond-set elements add a glamorous touch to the playful watches.
The movement
While the 07-01 Coloured Ceramics offers only hours and minutes, it is nevertheless very much a high-tech movement. The CRMA2 is a skeletonised automatic winding movement with hours, minutes and variable-geometry rotor. Notably, it integrates a variable-inertia balance that maintains excellent long-term performance, as well as the aforementioned variable-geometry rotor in 5N red gold, which adapts the winding of the watch to the wearer’s activity. Alongside the integration of a full involute gear train and a fast-rotating barrel, the calibre CRMA2 lays focus upon performance and accuracy, while providing the RM 07-01 with a solid power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
Price and strap
Last but not least, the trio of Richard Mille 07-01 Coloured Ceramics timepieces come with sleek polished calfskin straps in an array of three contrasting colours. The price of all three watches is the same, at 179,000 Swiss francs (excl. VAT).
The year 2022 was an impressive one for the Swiss watch industry. Exports set a new record of CHF 24.8 billion, an increase of 14% on 2019 figures, and the MoonSwatch embarked upon its unprecedented success story, with more than three million pieces now sold. But what about 2023? Which markets are strongest, which trends…
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar has a reversible case that houses two dials. The main dial offers a full calendar with moon phases, while the back features a second time zone with day/night display. The watch appears in stainless steel on the one hand and, as an elegant alternative, with a pink gold case.…
For more than 20 years this line is part of the classics of the Geneva manufacture. Now Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces three further models of the 'Master Ultra Thin Collection' on the watch fair SIHH 2019. The new models are available with different special complications: a moon phases, tourbillon or perpetual calendar. The dial of these limited versions are made…
The new OMEGA Speedmaster Chronoscope adds an elegant chronograph with vintage aesthetics to the collection. The name Chronoscope says it all. Because with the watch, the speed of an object, the distance to an event and the heartbeat of a person can be measured. For this purpose, the watch has three scales that give the…
For globe trotters and lovers of travelling, Vacheron Constantin extended its 'Overseas Collection' on the Geneva watch fair SIHH in January 2019. The new ultra-thin model with perpetual calendar has been introduced with two different dials. The first version has a blue dial and a blue strap (Ref. 4300V/000R-B509), the second version has a bracelet…
The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono is now available as a boutique version with a dial in ‘Tudor Blue’. The watch combines the traditions of diving and motorsport watches in a striking, sporty chronograph. The model stands out with its domed, blue dial with a satin-finished sunburst surface and contrasting silver-coloured totalisers. The chronograph is…
In celebration of the Chronomètre à Résonance's 20th anniversary, F.P. Journe is introducing a new model. The new 2020 Chronomètre à Résonance is notably different to its predecessors, which were discontinued last year. Crucially, it has a brand new rose-gold calibre (1520), which powers the watch using a single (rather than the previous double) mainspring…
The striking design of the new Patravi ScubaTec Black was inspired by the Black Manta Special Edition, that was introduced in summer 2019. It will be available starting from April 2020. Not only the design is inspired by the Black Manta Special Edition, the new sports watch is also dedicated to protecting the oceans and…
Like the artist Richard Orlinski himself, Hublot always manages to discover new sensations from the seemingly limitless number of materials for its creations. Characterised by rough edges, the Swiss watchmaker and Richard Orlinski have created a multi-faceted watch in the French artist's characteristic style. Another milestone for a collaboration that has been in place since…
Hublot is introducing three new ceramic colours for the Spirit of Big Bang Chronograph. The cases and bezels are crafted from ceramic in Sand Beige, Dark Green, and Sky Blue. These models celebrate the 12th anniversary of the collection, which features a non-round case design. Each colour is limited to 200 pieces and showcases Hublot's…
Blancpain graced the world with the first modern diver's watch back in 1953. While Rolex paved the way with the first water-resistant Oyster Perpetual watch as far back as 1926, the Fifty Fathoms used the wisdom of amateur diver and Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter to define the essential features of diving watches. This includes characteristics…
Breguet is introducing an exceptional new timepiece in the form of the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de l'Horloge. Inside the watch, two independent tourbillons rotate the movement on its own axis, thus moving the fixed hour hand around the dial. All bridges, plates, hands and gears are polished and decorated by hand. The…
Cartier is introducing a platinum version of its Tank Cintrée, in a special edition that makes up part of the brand's Les Rééditions. Les Rééditions are sought-after watches that Cartier creates with its collectors in mind. Following re-editions such as the Pasha Calendrier Perpétuel and last year's Pebble watch, this 2023 piece makes a return…