Press release
Last August in Lausanne, he won the 100 metres in just 9.69 seconds, running at a speed of 37.15 km/h, confirming his huge talent and record-breaking abilities.A partner of the brand since July 2012, Yohan Blake runs with a Richard Mille tourbillon prototype on his wrist. Offering a real-life testing ground, he has enabled Richard Mille's engineers to define the specifications of a watch specifically designed for athletics.Like our other illustrious sporting partners, all members of the RM Family, Yohan Blake worked with Richard Mille to develop a special caliber designed for sprinters the world over. Mission accomplished with the RM 59-01 Yohan Blake, an aerodynamic, ergonomic and high-performance tourbillon watch featuring a very original structure that meets all the requirements of the sprinter and the brand.
The RM 59-01 impresses at first sight thanks to its extremely dynamic bridges that span the movement and evoke the claws of the «The Beast», Yohan Blake's nickname. Machined from anticorodal aluminium Pb109, an alloy of aluminium, magnesium, silicon and lead, they support the tourbillon carriage and center-wheel pinion while consolidating the grade 5 titanium baseplate assembly with the case. They are also eloxed (through anodic oxidation) and hand-painted in green and yellow, two colours that also appear on the aluminium flange in tribute to the Jamaican flag – and in honor of Yohan Blake!The RM 59-01 is equipped with a skeletonised, manually wound tourbillon movement, with an oscillating rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour and a power reserve of circa 48 hours. It offers an optimal performance/ regularity/power reserve ratio, provided by the combination of grade 5 titanium with anticorodal aluminium Pb109, optimised going train and a variable inertia balance.
The highly innovative case of the RM 59-01 Yohan Blake is a new interpretation of the tonneau shaped design favoured by Richard Mille. It features a surprising thickness and tapering extension between 2 and 5 o'clock, which prevents any rubbing of the torque-limiting crown against Yohan Blake's wrist, making it extremely comfortable to wear. It is made from a translucent composite injected with carbon nanotubes. Thanks to its translucent character, the full complexity of the caliber can be admired through the case.The RM 59-01 possesses a powerful identity that compels its recognition as a remarkable piece in the collection. Its design and architecture reflect the personality of the sprinter Yohan Blake, while its performance and unexpected innovations highlight the ambition of Richard Mille to propose ever-more technical and spectacular products.The RM 59-01 Yohan Blake tourbillon watch is available in a limited edition of 50 timepieces.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
- Limited edition of 50 pieces.
- Caliber RM59-01: manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes.
- Dimensions : 50.24 x 42.70 x 15.84 mm.
- Movement dimensions: 30.50 mm x 28.70 mm - Thickness: 5.20 mm
- Tourbillon diameter: 10.90 mm
- Balance wheel diameter: 9.12 mm
- Number of jewels: 19
- Balance wheel: Glucydur, with 2 arms and 4 setting screws, moment of inertia 11.50 mg.cm2, angle of lift 53° - Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
- Balance spring: ELINVAR by Nivarox®
- Shock protection: KIF ELASTOR KE 160 B28
- Barrel shaft in nickel-free Chronifer (DIN x 46 Cr 13 + S), with the following characteristics: stainless – non-magnetic – temperedCase- The RM 59-01 case is made from a translucent composite composed of injected carbon nanotubes that offer the perfect form of shock-protection for the movement and its central tourbillon.
- The carbon nanotubes are extremely resistant (200 times more resistant than steel) and very light.
- They are more resistant to impacts than carbon fibre thanks to their structure, which features an exceptional surface/volume ratio. The nanotubes are injected into a mould containing a green-yellow polymer. This gives the case its final shape and translucency.
- Its drawn-out shape between 2 and 5 o'clock stops the torque-limiting crown from rubbing against the sprinter handle.
- The tripartite case is water resistant to 30 metres, ensured by two Nitril O-ring seals.
- The case is assembled with 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.Crystal- Bezel side: in sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare coating (on both sides) - Thickness: 1,50 mm
- Case back: in sapphire with anti-glare coating (on both sides)
- Thickness: 1.20 mm at the centre and 1.95 mm at the outer edgesFinishingMovement- Baseplate in grade 5 titanium microblasted PVD treatment
- Microblasted bridge in Pb109 aluminium, eloxed and hand-painted - Hand-polished beveling
- Microblasted milled sections
- Stretched upper surfaces
- Polished sinksSteel parts- Wire-drawn and microblasted surfaces - Hand-polished beveling
- Long strokes above
- Long strokes on sides
- Polished sinks Profile-turning
- Polished and lapped ends - Burnished pivotsWheels- Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
- Circular decorations on the front surfaces
- Gilding (before cutting the teeth)
- Minimal corrections are made to the wheels to preserve their geometry and overall performance.
