- Year
- 2021
- Condition
- Very good
- Accessories
- Box and papers
- Case
- Tripartite tonneau
- Size
- 42.70 × 50.00 mm
- Edition
- 75 pieces
Overview
A samurai suit of armour in gold, around a deliberately compact tourbillon
The RM 47 took nearly four years of design work and began in a conversation between Richard Mille and Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 world champion with a long interest in Japanese traditional arts. The calibre was made deliberately compact to leave room for a stylised samurai suit of armour, hand-carved by the engraver Pierre-Alain Lozeron and painted by Valérie Lozeron.
Eleven components make up the armour, in 3N yellow gold. Details refer to the Asano clan, whose crest of two crossed falcon feathers symbolises strength in battle. The case is black TZP ceramic with a 3N yellow gold caseband, and it measures 42.70 × 50.00 mm — the 47 in the name is the count of the rōnin, not a dimension.
Key details
Design and engineering
- Hand-carved armourEleven sculpted, engraved and partly painted 3N yellow gold components arranged around the tourbillon and visible from both the front and the back of the case. They took sixteen hours of engraving and nine hours of painting — more than a full day’s work per watch.
- Compact calibreThe RM47 movement was designed smaller than it needed to be, specifically so that the armour would have room.
- Asano clan detailingThe crest of two crossed falcon feathers, associated with the clan to which the forty-seven rōnin belonged.
- Baseplate and bridges in grade 5 titaniumSkeletonised, with a black PVD treatment, giving corrosion resistance, rigidity and flat surfaces.
- Tripartite caseA 3N yellow gold caseband receiving a bezel and caseback in black TZP ceramic.
- 3N yellow goldChosen to recall the gold leaf used in Japan to embellish shrines and traditional craftwork.
Specifications
Technical specifications
| Reference | RM 47 |
|---|---|
| Calibre | RM47, manual winding tourbillon |
| Functions | Hours, minutes; tourbillon |
| Power reserve | Around 72 hours (± 10%) |
| Baseplate and bridges | Grade 5 titanium, skeletonised, black PVD treated |
| Decoration | 11 hand-carved and painted 3N yellow gold components; 16 hours engraving, 9 hours painting |
| Case | Tripartite tonneau |
| Case dimensions | 42.70 × 50.00 mm |
| Bezel and caseback | Black TZP ceramic |
| Caseband | 3N yellow gold |
| Strap | Black rubber |
| Edition | 75 pieces |
Buying with HYPA
Purchase with confidence
- Manufacturer warranty confirmed from the warranty card
- Insured worldwide delivery
- Payment by bank transfer or cryptocurrency
- Registered Australian dealerHYPA International Pty Ltd · Victorian Second-Hand Dealer Licence SHD-0018017.
- Direct specialist supportSpeak with the HYPA team before, during and after the purchase.
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