Tourbillon RM 59-01 Yohan Blake

The 23-year-old Jamaican Yohan Blake, multiple medallist at the London Olympics in 2012, is a member of the very exclusive circle of the world’s fastest sprinters. Last August in Lausanne, he won the 100 metres in just 9.69 seconds, running at a speed of 37.15 km/h, confirming his huge talent and record-breaking abilities.

The RM 59-01 impresses at first sight thanks to its extremely dynamic bridges that span the movement and evoke the claws of the «The Beast», Yohan Blake’s nickname. Machined from anticorodal aluminium Pb109, an alloy of aluminium, magnesium, silicon and lead, they support the tourbillon carriage and center-wheel pinion while consolidating the grade 5 titanium baseplate assembly with the case. They are also eloxed (through anodic oxidation) and hand-painted in green and yellow, two colours that also appear on the aluminium flange in tribute to the Jamaican flag – and in honor of Yohan Blake!

The RM 59-01 is equipped with a skeletonised, manually wound tourbillon movement, with an oscillating rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour and a power reserve of circa 48 hours. It offers an optimal performance / regularity / power reserve ratio, provided by the combination of grade 5 titanium with anticorodal aluminium Pb109, optimised going train and a variable inertia balance.

The highly innovative case of the RM 59-01 Yohan Blake is a new interpretation of the tonneau shaped design favoured by Richard Mille. It features a surprising thickness and tapering extension between 2 and 5 o’clock, which prevents any rubbing of the torque-limiting crown against Yohan Blake’s wrist, making it extremely comfortable to wear. It is made from a translucent composite injected with carbon nanotubes. Thanks to its translucent character, the full complexity of the caliber can be admired through the case.

The RM 59-01 possesses a powerful identity that compels its recognition as a remarkable piece in the collection. Its design and architecture reflect the personality of the sprinter Yohan Blake, while its performance and unexpected innovations highlight the ambition of Richard Mille to propose ever-more technical and spectacular products.