RM 38-01
NEW INSIGHTS FOR GOLFERS
After the success of the limited edition RM 038 Golfer’s Tourbillon released in 2011, Richard Mille undertook the development of yet another specific tourbillon watch for Bubba Watson with added functionalities to complement his powerful drives on the course. The result is the RM 38-01 Bubba Watson, a timepiece that combines a patented g-sensor with a tourbillon mechanism, thus providing new insights for golfers during their game.
RM 38-01 TOURBILLON BUBBA WATSON
CALIBRE RM38-01
Manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes and g-force indicator.
Limited edition of 50 pieces
POWER RESERVE
Circa 48 hours (± 10%).
BASEPLATE AND BRIDGES MADE OF GRADE 5 TITANIUM
The movement is a technological marvel with its highly skeletonised, asymmetrical flying bridges and baseplate machined from grade 5 titanium with PVD treatment.
This choice of materials and finish ensure rigidity, flatness and resistance for all the moving parts, simultaneously allowing the movement to effortlessly express its architectural aspirations of air and form.
The skeletonised baseplate and bridges were subjected to separate and extensive validation tests to ensure they met rigorous strength requirements.
G-FORCE INDICATOR
The mechanical g-sensor, a Richard Mille patented complication containing more than 50 moving parts within a mere 17 mm, allows the user to see the accumulated motion of their swing in g’s.
The sensor, placed under 12 o’clock, is able to record the force generated by a golfer’s swing, specifically during the last segment. In reality, this means that the RM 38-01 can record up to 20 g’s of acceleration, a very important insight for golfers such as Bubba Watson, renowned for his ability to hit a ball at more than 310 kilometres per hour.
FREE-SPRUNG BALANCE WITH VARIABLE INERTIA
This mechanism guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shock and also during movement assembly or disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.
The regulator index is eliminated and a more accurate and repeatable calibration is possible thanks to 4 small, adjustable weights located directly on the balance.
WINDING-BARREL TEETH AND THIRD-WHEEL PINION WITH CENTRAL INVOLUTE PROFILE
The central involute profile of the winding-barrel teeth and pinion provides an optimal pressure angle of 20°. This promotes effective rotary motion and compensates for possible variations in the engagement of the going train, thus ensuring excellent torque transmission with a distinct improvement in performance.
MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Movement dimensions: 32.80 x 29.00 mm
Thickness: 7.77 mm
Tourbillon diameter: 12.30 mm
Balance wheel diameter: 10.00 mm
Numbe of jewels: 21
Balance: Glucydur®, 2 arms and 4 setting screws, moment of inertia 11.50 mg•cm2, angle of lift 53º
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Balance spring: elinvar by Nivarox®
Shock protection: KIF Elastor KE 160 B28
Barrel shaft: nickel-free Chronifer® (DIN x 46 Cr 13 + S) with the following characteristics: stainless – antimagnetic – suitable for tempering
CASE IN GREEN CERAMIC
This low-density material (6g/cm3) is highly scratch-resistant and has a low thermal conductivity coefficient.
Constituted of 95% yttrium-stabilised zirconium, TZP has a fine grain that provides the perfect finish. TZP has the reputation of being a particularly scratch-resistant material (1,400 Vickers).
A long and difficult machining and grinding process using diamond tools is necessary to create the complex forms of the bezels. These qualities make it the ideal material for a bezel that will be highly exposed to impact.
The caseband is made of grade 5 titanium with a protective white rubber casing.
OR IN QUARTZ TPT®
Quartz TPT® is composed of hundreds of layers of quartz filaments. No thicker than 45 microns, the silica layers are inserted by an automatic positioning system that changes the orientation of the fibres by 45° between layers. Heated to 120 °C in an autoclave similar to those used to make aeronautical components, the material is then ready for machining at Richard Mille’s factory.
The caseband is made of grade 5 titanium with a protective white rubber casing.
Both versions are water resistant to 50 metres, ensured by two Nitrile O-ring seals. It is assembled using 20 grade 5 titanium spline screws and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.
TORQUE-LIMITING CROWN
This security system prevents accidental overwinding of the watch, which can cause damage to the winding stem or place extreme pressure on the barrel spring
Finishing
Movement
• Baseplate and bridges in microblasted grade 5 titanium
• Anglage and polishing by hand
• Sapphire-blasted milled sections
• Straight line grain finish of the upper surfaces
• Polished sinks
Steel parts
• Sapphire-blasted surfaces
• Satin-finished surfaces
• Anglage and polishing by hand
• Straight line grain finish of the upper surfaces
• Polished sinks
Wheels
• Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
• Circular-smoothed faces
• Rhodium plating (before cutting the teeth)
• Minimal corrections applied to the wheels in order to preserve geometry and performance.
Other features
FAST-ROTATING BARREL (6 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours)
This type of barrel provides the following advantages:
- The phenomenon of periodic internal mainspring adhesion is significantly diminished, thereby increasing performance.
- Provision of an excellent mainspring delta curve with an ideal power reserve/performance and regularity ratio.
BARREL PAWL WITH PROGRESSIVE RECOIL
This device permits a profitable winding gain (circa 20%), especially during the winding start. It is also helpful in evenly distributing the mainspring’s internal tension.
SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE BRIDGES AND CASE
This permits better control of the torque applied to screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.