The new flyback chronograph houses the watchmaker’s latest achievement—its first in-house chronograph movement
For a watchmaker known for its avant-garde and remarkably complicated creations, it’s somewhat surprising that Richard Mille hasn’t, for so long, been tempted to further seal its repute by putting its mark on an in-house chronograph movement. Not until this year, that is. With the release of the RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-house Chronograph, the brand has officially introduced the calibre CRMC1, a skeletonised flyback chronograph movement completely developed and produced in-house.
This is a new type of flyback chronograph, patented by the watchmaker, that is designed to divide the “torque” generated in the movement. The objective? To provide each of the counters with its own energy source—achieved via the watch’s unique feature of double oscillation pinions. Without going into the deeper complexities, the advantages this innovation brings include a more compact size for the movement—compared to standard alternatives—as well as less sensitivity to disturbances.
This explains why the RM 72-01 can be kept at a thickness of 11.68mm, which is relatively thin compared to other watches of its kind. Aesthetics-wise, this new chronograph bears the most distinctive hallmarks of the Richard Mille line-up—namely the tonneau-shaped, slightly curved case, and the five-pronged bezel screws along its outline.
