Two years after the black and white shades of the RM 71-01, the new RM 71-02 Tourbillon Automatic Talisman collection brings colour to the forefront. The collection consists of 10 models, each made in a limited edition of seven, imbued with the quintessence of the 1970s. This decade, marked by the rise of nightclub culture, as well as the birth of electronic and disco music, saw the development of the urban 'night owl' tribe. Cécile Guenat, Creative and Development Director at Richard Mille, revisited the unrepentant individualism of the disco era. She has captured the play of light, sound and colour through a synthesis of the different layers of 1970s culture: from the eerie rhythm of the hits of the time, to the theatrical décor of Studio 54, not to mention the fashion of the period, mixing shiny lamé, rhinestones and sequins. Ten watches that stand out with exuberance, displaying their strength and beauty. Flamboyant, flamboyant sequins, amethysts, diamonds, spinels, rubies and sapphires create a magnetic alchemy. A magical energy and symbolism reinforced by those of the dials, embellished with hematite, which is associated with strength, malachite, indicating inner balance, lapis lazuli, linked to truth and illumination, sugilite, symbol of protection, and pink opal, bearer of serenity. The new Talisman collection highlights the uniqueness of these pieces through the highly symbolic choice of stones, arranged in different geometric patterns throughout the case, as well as on the dial. "The intense glamour of the disco era was due to the multiplication of colours and textures," explains Cécile Guenat. "I had to find a way to make this idea tangible. The processing of the stones themselves proved to be a huge challenge. Because stones of almost similar shades can look completely different depending on their size and the type of setting". The ten models differ in the arrangement of the stones, the setting pattern, the engraving and the central decoration of the dial (which is 0.90 mm thick), all sharing the same, movement, the calibre CRMT1. First unveiled in 2018 as part of the RM 71-01 Tourbillon Automatic Talisman collection, it is Richard Mille's eighth manufacture movement, but was also the company's first automatic tourbillon. A feat that required 1,000 hours of development, a true technical achievement given that the tourbillon cage is integrated into the heart of a movement just 6.2 mm thick and weighing a mere 8 grams. Developed for everyday use, this achievement reaffirms Richard Mille's constant commitment to extreme mechanical innovation.
