SIHH 2015: Introducing The Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur

Richard Mille declared 2014 the “Year Of The Woman,” but ever the gentleman, the French watchmaker is back this year with a bouquet of 30 hand-made magnolia flowers, packaged inside his latest creation.

There were no forbidden fruits at SIHH 2015. Only beautiful flowers to pick, and women had eyes for one particularly stunning purple magnolia. At first glance, the RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur seems quite simple, with hours and minutes displayed on an off-centered dial at 1 o’clock. But of course, this is a Richard Mille watch, and so it introduces some stunning mechanics.

Usually on full display through skeletonized dials and movements, the technical features of the new RM 19-02 are this time hidden by a magnolia flower at 7 o’clock. But every five minutes, the five delicate hand-decorated petals of the magnolia bloom to reveal a flying tourbillon with its gemstone-set bud. Made of gold, this modern automaton combines beauty and motion for a stunning effect.

As the petals open, a long pinion raises the flying tourbillon and stamen upwards by a millimeter revealing the exceptional mechanics that are the signature of the brand. Should the wearer want to show off this feature at any time, she can open or close the magnolia manually by pressing a push-button at 9 o’clock.

There is no practical reason behind the clever automaton, which is precisely what makes this watch so special. Instead, Richard Mille shows both its ability and desire to treat men and women on equal footing when it comes to micro-engineering; with a flower that is not only used for pure decorative purposes.

The RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur is limited to a production of 30 pieces worldwide, priced at $1.09 million.

Photo Credit: Haute Time. For more information, please visit the official Richard Mille website.