Press Release

RM 50-02 ACJ TOURBILLON SPLIT SECONDS CHRONOGRAPH

The world of aviation has always played an integral and inspirational role for Richard Mille due to the

myriad of parallels with his own philosophy of 21st century watchmaking, combining horological tradition

with new materials in the realisation of horological masterpieces.

In analogous fashion, by providing solutions for modern requirements, modern aircraft design is

constantly undergoing evolutionary changes with regards to traditional methods of engineering and

design, where standard solutions are being challenged by new methods, means and materials with

the goal of creating extremely fuel efficient, light and fast aircraft. Airbus is a name that requires no

introduction as a world leader in the application of novel approaches to aeronautical design, in particular

those aircraft created for personal clients by its Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) unit. It was only natural

that Richard Mile and ACJ would join together to realise a horological masterpiece reflecting this

synergetic approach with the creation of the RM 50-02 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph.

Sylvain Mariat, Head of ACJ’s Creative Design Studio, drafted the designs for the RM 50-02 watch and

has worked closely with Julien Boillat and Salvador Arbona from RM R&D Office. This new timepiece, just

like the truly exceptional luxurious corporate jets built to the exacting and personal desires of clients

by ACJ, makes use of advanced, open worked design elements in the internal design of bridges and

baseplate in grade 5 titanium, along with an extensive application of skeletonisation to every possible

area, offering significant weight reduction. A number of parts within the movement have been coated

with a distinctive, special aeronautical coating normally used to protect engine and chassis parts from

corrosion and environmental conditions.

The end result is a visually breathtaking and dramatic view of the technical interior of the split seconds

chronograph movement which also technical repercussions such as the elimination of the initial jump of

the chronograph seconds hand during starting and stopping, with new split seconds components also in

titanium additionally lowering the chronograph’s energy consumption through the reduction of internal

friction.

The new RM50-02 tourbillon calibre also hosts a power reserve indicator (70 hours) between 11 and 12

o’clock, a torque indicator that supplies information about the tension of the mainspring allowing the

optimisation of the chronometer function and a function indicator to show the watch’s state in each of

the positions for winding, neutral and Hand setting.

The very distinctive and novel case shape in Titanium-Aluminum alloy (TiAl) with a secondary ceramic

bezel was developed to mirror the outlines of an ACJ’s typical window shape with a clearly visible, multi-

layered hull structure surround. This Titanium-Aluminum is the same alloy as that used in the Airbus for

its jet turbine blades, which must function safely under the convergence of high temperatures and high

fields of pressure, thus requiring a very strong and highly stress resistant material. A premiere for the

brand, this is also the first time the iconic Richard Mille screws around the outer edge of the bezel have

been replaced by Torq set® screws with their distinctively shaped head slots, and a jet engine inspired

crown bearing an engraved, wave patterned Airbus logo.

The tourbillon RM 50-02 ACJ is a limited edition of 30 pieces, only available in the Richard Mille

boutiques.