Richard Mille - RM 19-02 - Tourbillon Fleur

The RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur epitomises the tradition of horological artistry in a vibrant expression of watchmaking distinctive to Richard Mille’s vision of timekeeping in the 21st century. Here, extreme technique fulfils its role by bringing the intention, the idea and the concept to life with sublime effectiveness. The first automaton in the collection, the magnolia surrounds a flying tourbillon escapement with five delicate, hand-crafted and -coloured petals.

The flower opens and closes with rhythmic regularity in a delicate kinetic ballet. Each piece of this limited edition collection is unique. Calibre RM19-02 Manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes and automaton mechanism.

Limited edition of 30 timepieces. The magnolia was chosen for its incredible longevity. It has existed for millions of years on earth, well before the emergence of bees, flowering in an endless cycle of birth and regeneration.

The magnolia’s delicate appearance stands in sharp contrast to its strong organic structure and resilience to harsh environments The magnolia surrounds a flying tourbillon escapement with five delicate, hand-crafted and -coloured petals. Working either in passing or on demand using the pusher at 9 o’clock, the magnolia opens and closes with rhythmic regularity in a delicate kinetic ballet. The magnolia does not just open: the entire flying tourbillon with its stone-set stamen actually moves upwards by 1 mm, copying the natural motion of the flower as it arches upwards to increase its chances of pollination.

This amount of attention to detail exemplifies Richard Mille’s approach to watchmaking artistry on every level. The technical mastery behind this unique grade 5 titanium tourbillon calibre resides in a complex mechanism comprising 5 levers surrounding the underside of the petals, together with another system combined with a long pinion used to raise the flying tourbillon and stamen upwards within the circumference of the flower – all using energy supplied by a separate, second winding barrel. Demonstrating attention to even the tiniest of details, it is even possible to adjust the flower’s opening and closing cycle. Top view Right view Back view Left view.