Comprising 12 unique timepieces organised into four chromatic universes: pink, violet, blue and green – the collection approaches jewellery as an integral part of the watch’s construction, with stones shaping the unique character of each timepiece. Gem-setting informs every surface of the RM HJ-02, from the case and buckle to the movement itself.
This new chapter expands Richard Mille’s exploration of high jewellery into more experimental territory and challenges its in-house gem-setting team even further. The geometry of stones determines how colour and light move across the watch: volumes swell and contract, symmetry gives way to asymmetry, and coloured stones shift across the case through compositions of opacity, saturation and reflection.
Snow, grain and bezel-setting techniques organise colour and define structure across 1,399 precious and ornamental stones set in each timepiece. Rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds and Paraíba tourmalines interact with malachite, chrysoprase, turquoise and mother-of-pearl in dazzling compositions of colour, alongside a constellation of other vibrant precious and ornamental stones that give the collection its kaleidoscopic intensity. Volumes are carved and layered. The complex geometries of stones in various sizes and shades create a striking visual rhythm. When every stage related to the gem-setting process is taken into consideration, from preparation to finishing and multiple control procedures, nearly 700 hours are devoted to each watch, the equivalent of approximately 88 full working days.
The collection draws from Art Deco’s geometric vocabulary, reinterpreted through Richard Mille’s technical and material language. The tonneau case no longer follows a single uninterrupted curve, but is broken into sharp transitions, layered planes and asymmetrical interruptions that radically alter its silhouette. The RM HJ-02 applies this refined identity directly to the case, which took more than a year to develop, contributing to a total development time of over three years for the entire watch.
At the centre of the RM HJ-02 is the new in-house automatic tourbillon calibre CRMT2. The skeletonised movement was developed alongside the case and dial so that the mechanical and jewellery elements could be integrated from the outset.
The calibre features gem-set white gold baseplate and bridges finished with microblasted, bevelled and rhodium-plated surfaces.
The RM HJ-02 stands out for this close interplay between mechanics and high jewellery. Exceptional precious and ornamental stones structure the lines of the movement, ensuring visual continuity with its silhouette. This composition highlights the key elements of the calibre, notably the fast-rotating barrel as well as the variable-inertia tourbillon. The gem-set gold rotor elevates its technical function into a true element of expression. The decorative work never obscures the function of the watch. Instead, it is an extension of the watch’s overall aesthetic.
The 12 unique RM HJ-02 In-House Automatic Tourbillon timepieces are a declaration of artistic freedom: a collection where colour and technical gem-setting prowess converge to create one- of-a-kind objects designed to stand apart.
