Richard Mille RM 17-02 Titanium Tourbillon, Light Power, Eye-Catching Color



Titanium has a weightless feel, but its color is eye-catching.

If you want to understand the Richard Mille RM 17-02 Tourbillon Titanium, you have to get your hands on it. The metallic feel of this watch is worth seeing, and more importantly, worth holding.

The lightness of the titanium case and the titanium movement are incredible. It is not the lightest mechanical watch in the world, but its size-to-weight ratio is remarkable. With a case width of 40.10mm, a thickness of 13.0mm, and an L2L of 48.15mm, the wearer may feel a little heavy on the wrist, but thanks to the curved case and integrated rubber strap, the wearing experience is light as air.

This is largely due to the fact that there are almost no parts inside except the iconic three-part barrel-shaped case used in most Richard Mille watches.

What makes this watch unique, however, is the extensive use of PVD treatment to color the movement’s titanium bridges. Known as “ribbed,” the titanium used has exceptional flatness and hardness, making it ideal for such slim movement plates, bridges and cocks.

The construction of a watch movement must remain solid, especially at these proportions, as the slightest movement or deformation of a bridge or plate or cock is enough to disrupt the necessary “end shake” and stop the watch.

End shake is the upper and lower clearance between the shoulder of a pinion pivot bearing and the surface of a jewel bearing (or baseplate/bridge/cock if the bearing has no jewels, such as many barrel bridges in tractor movements like the ETA 2824). The right amount of end shake is critical. Too little and the gears won’t turn freely; too much and they could slip out of engagement with the rest of the gear train (which could have disastrous consequences for the movement).

Using an extremely hard titanium alloy is a wise choice. The only downside is that machining is expensive, as titanium can easily catch fire if it’s machined too fast or with insufficient coolant.

Richard Mille makes fine materials, no doubt. Its designs are ingenious and world-renowned. Its technology and finishing techniques are industry-leading in many ways.

The satin-finished titanium case is understated and beautiful, but far from the wildest we’ve seen from the brand. While the tourbillon is a show-off for many brands, Richard Mille has long mastered the art of making a regulator that can theoretically compensate for gravity.

The barrel stop to prevent overwinding is a clever design that’s pleasing to the eye. The 70-hour power reserve and fast-spinning barrels (6 hours for the former and 7.5 hours for the latter, which helps reduce periodic sticking of the internal mainspring and creates an excellent spring increment curve for an ideal power reserve/performance and regularity ratio) are rare, and technology enthusiasts can also take solace in the invisible advantages of this watch.

So it’s the blue, black and gold PVD-coated elements that really stand out. They’re paired with a scattering of red rubies and some surprisingly bright yellow Western Arabic numerals for the hour markers, and the effect is stunning. Whether you like the effect or not will largely determine how you feel about this watch.

Technical specifications: Richard Mille RM 17-02 Titanium Tourbillon
Movement: Manual-winding RM17-02 calibre; 70-hour power reserveFunctions: Hours and minutes; tourbillon; power reserve and function indicatorsCase: 40.1 mm × 48.15 mm (13.08 mm thick); grade 5 titanium; water-resistant to 50 metersDial: Sapphire crystal with gold and blue PVD-treated bridgesStrap: Black canvas with leather inlays or blue rubber