Latest news with #Watchmaking
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Zenith Updates The Original Triple Calendar With A Lapis Lazuli Dial
Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli Following its 2024 reintroduction, Zenith's Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar is now offered with a dial cut from natural lapis lazuli. It's a visually striking addition to the collection, combining deep blues and gold-toned pyrite speckles with the mechanical complexity of a full calendar chronograph. Striking blue dial The 38mm case remains true to the original A386 silhouette from 1969, with pump pushers, box-shaped sapphire crystal, and a well-balanced dial layout. Inside is the El Primero 3610, Zenith's latest high-frequency calibre, now with a 1/10th of a second chronograph. The chronograph hand makes a full sweep every 10 seconds, tracked on a silver-toned chapter ring, while the calendar functions are integrated across the dial with a moonphase display tucked inside the 60-minute totalizer at 6 o'clock. Sub-dial macro Each dial is unique due to the organic nature of the stone, but the overall layout remains consistent: silver-colored counters, day and month apertures at 11 and 2 o'clock, and a subtle date window at 4:30. The moonphase aperture adds to the celestial theme and rounds out the calendar complication. The watch comes mounted on a blue calfskin leather strap with a steel folding clasp, and also ships with a matching steel bracelet. At 14mm thick and 46mm lug-to-lug, the case proportions remain compact, with 5ATM of water resistance and a display back revealing the movement's star-shaped rotor and blue column wheel.
South China Morning Post
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Style Edit: Richard Mille's RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire is an ocean-inspired masterpiece, with a case carved from crystal and a skeletonised movement for maximum drama
The Richard Mille RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon Sapphire isn't just another high-concept watch – it's a deep dive into materials science, movement architecture and the beauty of transparent mechanics. Inspired by the ocean and shaped by architectural precision, this timepiece brings together the technical drama of gothic cathedrals and the fluidity of water in a case that is actually carved from crystal. The case of Richard Mille's RM 75-01 behaves like a lens. Photo: Handout Unsurprisingly, that's the first thing that hits you. Crafted from synthetic sapphire – one of the hardest materials after diamond – it offers complete transparency without compromising durability. To make a single case, Richard Mille starts with a massive block of sapphire and spends over 1,000 hours machining, grinding and polishing it. Advertisement The process includes 40 days of round-the-clock work, just to achieve the right curves and clarity. The result: a case that behaves like a lens, subtly tinting and highlighting the movement inside depending on the angle of the light. Richard Mille's RM 75-01 is crafted from synthetic sapphire. Photo: Handout The RM75-01 calibre is skeletonised to take full advantage. With no upper bridges holding the tourbillon or barrel in place, the components appear suspended in mid-air – a design choice that also makes the movement more resistant to shocks. The titanium baseplate acts like scaffolding: lightweight yet ultra-strong, and is given a micro-blasted satin finish to bring texture and contrast. 'We approached each element as a piece of architectural art,' says Cécile Guenat, Richard Mille's director of creation and development. 'The harmony of depths and the meticulous selection of materials create a dynamic and captivating view of the movement.' Richard Mille's RM 75-01 is seen by its creators as a piece of architectural art. Photo: Handout Each reference in the series plays with colour to evoke a particular landscape. The clear sapphire case is paired with a sea green strap – a quiet nod to tropical waters. One version features a lilac pink caseback, reminiscent of late-evening light over the ocean. Another comes in sapphire blue, suggesting deeper, darker waters. These are not just aesthetic choices – coloured sapphire is notoriously hard to produce, requiring extreme control over temperature and mineral content during growth to avoid uneven hues or visible flaws. This is a watch that doesn't hide how it works. Every bridge, gear and angle is out in the open – not for decoration, but because transparency is the point. The RM 75-01 has been inspired by water, an allusion to its true focus – clarity of structure, purpose and craft.
