Richard Mille RM033 Extra Flat Titanium, 2015

Dealer description — S.Song Watches

Since its establishment in 2001, Richard Mille has distinguished itself through an unconventional approach to watchmaking, combining advanced materials, highly technical movements and designs inspired by motorsport and aerospace engineering. While the brand is best known for its distinctive tonneau-shaped cases and elaborate complications, it has also produced a number of round-cased watches that retain the same technical philosophy. Introduced in 2011, the RM 033 Extra Flat represented a departure from Richard Mille's earlier collections. Featuring a completely round case and an exceptionally thin automatic movement, it was conceived as an alternative to the brand's more familiar tonneau-shaped watches. Unlike the more complicated references typically associated with Richard Mille, the RM 033 displays only the hours and minutes, placing greater emphasis on its skeletonised construction and unusually slim movement. Here, we have the RM 033 in titanium, featuring a skeletonised dial with oversized Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. Measuring 45.7mm in diameter and just 6.3mm in thickness, the case is remarkably thin for a watch of its size. Its construction retains many of Richard Mille's characteristic design elements, including the exposed spline screws, integrated lugs and a combination of brushed and polished surfaces. Despite its relatively thin profile, the substantial diameter gives the watch considerable presence on the wrist, while the lightweight titanium construction helps offset its size. The dial is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive aspects of the RM 033. Rather than employing a conventional solid dial, the watch exposes the skeletonised movement beneath, with its darkened titanium bridges and mechanical components providing a technical backdrop. Particularly attractive are the four oversized Arabic numerals, which appear almost suspended above the movement, complemented by luminous hour markers and broad, skeletonised hands. The contrast between the silver numerals, dark movement and brushed titanium case creates a remarkably cohesive appearance. Powering the watch is the automatic calibre RMXP1, an exceptionally thin movement measuring just 2.6mm in thickness. Developed with a decentralised platinum micro-rotor, the movement achieves its slim proportions by positioning the winding mechanism alongside the movement rather than above it. The calibre features a free-sprung balance with variable inertia, operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour and provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve. Its baseplate and bridges are constructed from Grade 5 titanium, with extensive skeletonisation and specialised surface treatments providing the rigidity required for such a thin movement.