THE NEW RICHARD MILLE RM 88 SMILEY
Richard Mille never avoids producing a timepiece that is a bit out of the usual. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has done it with the launch of the Bonbon collection, the RM 38 "Pink Watch" for Bubba Watson, and now the brand new RM 88 Smiley. A combination of sunshine and rainbows, the RM 88 Smiley is an inspiration from a 1972 publication of France Soir, which saw the trademarking of the omnipresent yellow-tinged laughing face. Like every other Richard Mille watch, the RM 88 Smiley is an impressive technical achievement, with a recently developed automatic tourbillon inside.
The new Smiley watch is a reminder for all of you to lose that frown and smile.
Let us take a closer look at the watch.
THE DIAL
Even when one considers how much work and attention to detail is put into a watch by Richard Mille, the amount of detail on the dial is pretty impressive. All of the elements used in the dial are hand-finished. This is done to such an extent that the spines of the little cactus are individually polished in order to remove its green PVD coating.
Four solid gold parts were used to make the cocktail glass which sits to the right of the Smiley. Above it is a good flower that is mirror-polished with rhodium-plated petals. The one feature of the dial which makes the headline is the Smiley, produced in micro-blasted and painted yellow gold, which sits on top of the varnished, hand-painted rainbow. The pink flamingo is made from red gold and undergoes multiple processes. The flamingo's wings are polished, and the feathers are traced with the tip of a Dégussit grinding stone. Its eye is made by using the smallest beading tool that exists. Its pedestal is micro-blasted, and the part which represents the grass and water is polished. The component is coated with a metallic pink PVD coating, after which the beak is painted black.
THE CASE
The top and bottom portions of the case are made from ATZ ceramic / alumina-toughened zirconia. The top and bottom portions are then split by a mid-case made from red gold. The case measures 48.15mm x 39.74mm and 13.3mm in height.
This is an interesting combination of two distinct materials, one being a high-tech, scratch-resistant ceramic, while the other one is a traditional material, red gold.
THE MOVEMENT
The RM 88 Smiley features a brand new movement, Richard Mille's Caliber CRMT7. Due to the addition of several 3D dial elements, Richard Mille had to make sure that the movement to be produced had enough room to house the 3D elements and display them in their best light. The movement is extensively skeletonized as it has now become the trend in Richard Mille's movements. The caliber is equipped with a tourbillon which is hidden in the clouds. The baseplate and bridges are made of grade titanium. The hand-polished movement has a power reserve of circa 50 hours.
STRAP
This Richard Mille watch comes with an integrated yellow fabric strap.
The Richard Mille RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley is limited to 50 pieces. You can purchase this watch for 2,654,505 USD or Dhs. 9,750,000.00AED.
