In the world of fine horology steel, titanium and gold hold a special place and are deemed a mark of durability, excellence and masterful workmanship. But is there more beyond the scope of familiar materials when trying to make sense of time in a stylish and unique way? Richard Mille presents the ultimate proof… The RM07-02 Pink Lady Sapphire, a variation of their iconic barrel-shape watch made this time for women exclusively.
Richard Mille introduced a collection of ultra-luxury timepieces for women with cases almost entirely crafted from synthetic pink-colored sapphire crystal. Because pink is assumed by society to be a girl’s color, the line was an instant hit! Since the debut of the brand’s first sapphire-cased watch in 2012, the unusual allure of these dazzling models has turned them into bespoke fashion icons around the globe and a necessary item for any It-girl and aspiring socialite.
The new RM 07-02 from Richard Mille, nicknamed the Pink Lady Sapphire, is a modern watch set with an automatic movement encased entirely in one full block of pink sapphire. The case isn’t carved out of a massive, naturally occurring stone, but rather a valuable synthetic sapphire used for watch crystals. Created in a lab with sufficient purity and clarity – it allows the light to shine through without inclusions. Hours and hours of precision and unimaginable craftsmanship go into the making of each individual case to ensure it meets the most rigorous criteria of quality and perfection.
The iconic barrel-shape of the Richard Mille has been elongated in order for the RM 07-02 Pink Lady watch case to be eminently feminine with 32.9mm wide and 46.75mm long dimensions. The bold yet, high-tech industrial look of the timepiece show the mechanical construction of it. Somehow masculine – the fine detailing and brazen pink color make it work. The distinctive look is girly and playful, setting the model apart from the majority of luxury watches out there in materials such as gold or platinum. The built-in degree of exclusivity makes this timepiece truly one-of-a-kind and should appeal to gentle souls who value style as much as functionality.
If the pink sapphire case was not extravagant enough on its own, Richard Mille has imbued the design with diamonds to further add lustre to the head-turning watch.The Calibre CRMA5 is a skeletonised, self-winding, two-handed movement with a variable-geometry rotor. This is truly a haute-joaillerie movement: The micro-blasted, hand-bevelled baseplate and bridges are all coated in 18-carat 5N red gold; the bridges and rotor weight are embellished with hundreds of diamonds. The CRMA5 utilises a free-sprung balance with variable inertia screws for an excellent level of timekeeping accuracy. And what all of these means is that this little gem-of-a-watch is more than just a nice-looking piece. It is a true horological work-of-art!
Ladies will be smitten with the adaptable nature of the Pink Lady Sapphire watch, where its variable-geometry allows the rotor weight to be adjusted to suit the wearer’s activity level – a cheeky nod to the transient and dynamic nature of the feminine spirit. Always changing, always searching, always moving, exploring and challenging. It’s a cute idea to be able to tune a movement to the habits of its wearer and one that sublimely complements the personality of the fairer sex.
The movement has a 50-hour power reserve, a high-beat operating speed of 28,800vph, 25 jewels, and a jewelled escape wheel for friction reduction and timekeeping stabilization potential. A variety of high-end surface finishes include hand-polished bevelling, micro-blasted milled sections, hand-polished sinks, drawn edges, satin finished surfaces, burnished pivots, diamond chamfering on the wheels, and polished post faces.In other words, the Richard Mille RM 07-02 Pink Lady Sapphire is a truly fascinating piece in nature and appearance. Its bold design is certainly an acquired taste as is its spectacular price tag, but if one thing is certain – it is that it will no doubt find favour with a well-heeled portion of Richard Mille’s loyal customer base.
