Richard Mille RM 53-02 Tourbillon Sapphire: How A Dash Of Transparency Makes Even A Great Watch Better

Richard Mille is not a brand that lacks impressive watches in its line-up. In fact, it is hard to pick a highlight out of such an imposing collection. However, when pressed, the RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough comes to mind, with its unique movement, suspended by tiny metal cables. It was introduced in 2018 and one of the highlights of that year’s edition of the SIHH. But as a brand that likes to push the envelope just a little bit further, Mille now introduces an even more incredible version of this watch, the RM 53-02 Tourbillon Sapphire.

As the name already indicates, is this watch nearly the same as the RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough yet now fitted with a sapphire case. This case makes the watch considerably more challenging to make, as Mille crafts the bezel, caseband, and caseback, all from a single piece of sapphire crystal. As there are no polymers used, even the slightest error can ruin all the work. The case of the RM 53-02 is also curved, even further increasing the challenges of milling it. Knowing all this, it isn’t surprising that Mille needs a staggering 1,000 hours to craft one of these cases, on top of the four weeks required for the sapphire crystal to grow. However, the rewards make it all worthwhile, as the transparent case, secured with titanium screws, now allows you to admire the incredible movement from literally every angle.

The fact that it is completely suspended and held together by steel cables measuring 0.27mm in diameter remains breathtaking. Ten different pulleys guide the tiny steel cable and guarantee that the tension distribution is even, making this watch extremely shock-resistant. For increased precision is the RM 53-02 Tourbillon Sapphire fitted with a tourbillon and has a generous power reserve of 70-hours. While this watch is limited to only ten pieces, it is still an imposing amount given how challenging it is to make even a single one of them. However, Mille succeeded with the RM 53-02 Tourbillon Sapphire in something that was hard to imagine, and that is to make a great watch even better.