Richard Mille RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire: Sculptural Transparency in Sapphire
Richard Mille’s latest creation, the RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire, represents a bold exploration of material and form. Unveiled in April 2025, this limited-edition trilogy marks the first time the brand conceived a movement specifically for a sapphire case. Drawing inspiration from Gothic vaults and the fluidity of water, the collection spans three expressions: a fully clear sapphire edition (15 pieces) and two bi-coloured versions pairing clear upper bezels with lilac or blue lower sections (10 pieces each). Beyond its crystalline exterior, the RM 75-01 stands out for its fully skeletonised calibre, which features a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock and a fast-rotating flying barrel—both suspended without upper bridges to accentuate the airy architecture. Crafted from blocks of sapphire requiring over 1000 hours of machining and polishing, the three-part case reveals every nuance of the calibre within. The flange, in micro-blasted 5N red gold supported on satin-polished titanium pillars, recalls Gothic ribbed vaults, while touches of Super-LumiNova dramatise the scene after dark. At its heart, a Grade 5 titanium baseplate in gold PVD combines rigidity with lace-like finesse, hosting a manual-winding movement that offers hours, minutes and roughly 65 hours of power reserve. Despite its technical artistry and scratch-resistant shell, the RM 75-01’s 30 m water resistance and bulky 14.35 mm height may challenge everyday practicality. Legibility is nuanced due to the skeletonised dial. Yet for collectors who prize avant-garde transparency and architectural drama, this sapphire tourbillon stands as a singular statement.
Case
The RM 75-01 case is a technical tour de force: bezel, caseband and caseback are milled from solid sapphire blocks, a material second only to diamond in hardness. Achieving micron-level tolerances requires over 1 000 hours of machining—430 hours for preforming and 350 hours for polishing—plus anti-glare treatment on both sides of the front and back crystals. Available in three limited versions—fully clear sapphire (15 pieces), clear upper bezel with lilac lower bezel (10 pieces) and clear upper bezel with blue lower bezel (10 pieces)—each case embodies Gothic inspiration through its wave-like curves and pillar-like edges. On the practical side, sapphire’s scratch resistance and warm, smooth surface make for a comfortable wearing experience. Yet the 46.75 mm length, 32.90 mm width and 14.35 mm thickness give the watch a substantial presence on the wrist. Water resistance is rated to 30 m, secured by two nitrile O-rings, which limits its everyday robustness. Assembly relies on 24 spline screws in Grade 5 titanium and abrasion-resistant 316L washers. While the transparent architecture impresses, the complex machining and delicate nature of sapphire cases also mean caution is needed to avoid chipping under severe impact.
Dial
Rather than a traditional dial, the RM 75-01 employs a fully skeletonised presentation, placing its architectural calibre front and centre. A 5N red gold flange frames the movement, featuring polished and micro-blasted steel markers filled with luminous material. Minute and hour indications are discreet yet legible against the multi-layer structure. The openworked construction highlights every machined bevel, burnished pivot and micro-blasted surface, integrating form with function. However, the intricacy can challenge quick time reading—users must decipher arches and pillars from hands. Colored sapphire variants introduce a subtle tint that can further affect contrast. Despite these drawbacks, the dial’s sculptural depth and architectural rigor make it a standout feature, revealing the movement’s skeleton lacework and emphasising the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Movement
At the heart of the RM 75-01 is a manual-winding calibre conceived specifically for the sapphire environment. Measuring 29.71 × 20.78 × 5.45 mm, the movement uses 18 jewels and runs at 3 Hz (21 600 vph). Its Grade 5 titanium baseplate, treated with 5N gold PVD, resembles metallic lacework: an ultra-rigid aerospace alloy that supports involute-profile gear teeth, a flying barrel and the flying tourbillon without upper bridges. This ‘floating’ architecture reduces parts count, strengthens visual rhythm and maintains shock resistance. Technical highlights include a free-sprung, variable-inertia balance, with an angle of lift of 50°, an Elinvar balance spring and KIF Elastor shock protection. The fast-rotating flying barrel completes a revolution every 5.2 hours, minimising mainspring adhesion and optimising torque delivery for a ~65-hour power reserve. A barrel pawl with progressive recoil boosts winding efficiency by 20%, while involute-profile barrel teeth ensure smooth torque transmission. Finishing is meticulous: hand-angled and polished bridges, sapphire-blasted milled sections, burnished pivots, rhodium-plated wheels with diamond-tool chamfering and satin-finished steel parts. The result is a mechanical sculpture—minimalist in element count but rich in architectural complexity and finishing pedigree.
Strap
Complementing the watch’s aquatic inspiration, it comes fitted with rubber straps that lend a casual yet refined touch. The strap’s flexibility and bi-material construction prioritise comfort and secure wear, even with the watch’s sizeable dimensions. A titanium folding clasp ensures a precise fit, though its solidity adds weight at the caseback.
Price & Availability
Richard Mille will offer the RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire exclusively through its boutiques in limited runs: 15 pieces in clear sapphire and 10 each in lilac-tinted and blue-tinted variants. Pricing has not been officially disclosed but is expected to reflect the extensive machining, bespoke movement and exclusivity—likely positioning it among the brand’s highest-tier offerings. Delivery will begin in late 2025, subject to allocation by geography and collector demand. As with previous limited-edition tourbillons, waitlists and boutique reservations are anticipated.
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Rolex GMT-Master, we turn our attention to a model line originally developed to meet the demands of intercontinental air travel—one that has long since become a staple among sporty stainless-steel wristwatches. In this article, we explore the technical evolution of the GMT-Master, explain how the time zone mechanism…
To mark the brand’s 250th anniversary and 70 years since the birth of the Type XX (the standard Type version was released in 1953), Breguet is launching two new chronograph models. Under reference 2075, the maison introduces two variants: one comes with a black anodised aluminium dial, the other is limited to just 250 pieces…
Oris is presenting a smaller version of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 introduced in 2020. The three new divers are housed in a smaller 41.5 mm case but nonetheless feature the Calibre 400. The latter boasts an impressive power reserve of 5 days and high durability. The watches come in blue, anthracite or green…
Collective Horology and Zenith have unveiled the Defy Skyline C.X Edition, a limited edition watch that reinterprets the Defy Skyline with a focus on industrial design. This marks Collective Horology's tenth project to be done in collaboration with another watch brand, and showcases a unique aesthetic and functional features. With a limited run of 200…
“We’ll see you on the other side” 50 years after the Apollo 8 mission, the first to orbit around the moon, OMEGA is releasing its newest "Dark Side of the Moon" timepiece. Unlike previous "Dark Side" models, this release houses a specially decorated version of OMEGA's "Moonwatch" movement. To display the workings inside, the dial…
70 years ago, Panerai introduced the tritium-based luminous substance Luminor – now, the Florentine watchmaker is launching a highly modern watch with a further improved luminosity and – for the first time – a service warranty of 70 years. PAM1117 Ever since the 1940s, Panerai has continuously worked on improving the emission of light. By…
The Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater Ceramic combines a ceramic case with a minute repeater for the first time. Until now, it has not been possible to accommodate the complication in a case made of the extremely hard material. This was because water resistance could not be guaranteed due to the movable…
To mark its 20th anniversary last year, Dior surprised us with the comeback of the Chiffre Rouge, the first mechanical watch to emerge from a maison that is best known for its haute couture fashion and significantly less so for its haute horlogerie. However, this could soon change thanks to LVMH's ever-growing expertise in the…
Jaeger-LeCoultre's recently relaunched 'Master Control' collection features redesigned 40mm watches with open casebacks, sunray brushed silver-white dials and a blue central seconds hand. The watches are now driven by updated calibres integrating various energy-saving enhancements. One of the new iterations is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar, which features a complete calendar as well as a…
The Florentine watchmaker Panerai is introducing the Panerai Luminor Marina 44 mm - PAM01313. As a successor of the diving watch Luminor (the name is inspired by the luminous substance tritium) developed in the early 1950s, this watch will be the core model of the newly designed Luminor collection. The case of the Panerai Luminor…
To mark Zenith's 160th anniversary, the legendary calibre 135 is making a return as the centrepiece in the new G.F.J. collection. The timepiece is a tribute to the multi-award-winning calibre, which was produced in two different versions from 1949 to 1962. Its 135-O variant, manufactured for observatory chronometry competitions, broke records by winning more than…
This German manufacture from the provincial city of Pforzheim is known for its long history of making pilot's watches. The Stowa Flieger Verus was first presented in 2018 as a modern interpretation of the classic pilot's watch. With its matte case and purist dial design, the watch received the Red Dot Design Award. Now, the…
The collection „La Musique du Temps” includes a series of exceptional chiming watches. The new Les Cabinotiers Grande Complication Astronomique à Sonnerie Ode to Music is based first and foremost on a minute repeater which determined the construction of the entire calibre. The starting point was the Manufacture 1731 movement, due to its extreme slimness for a…