The playful watch celebrates Franklin Loufrani’s beloved Smiley illustration
The new Richard Mille timepiece reminds you to smile instead of frown.
In a tripartite case with a micro-blasted, yellow gold smiley figure, the playful RM 88 Automatic Winding Tourbillion Smiley is set among a prickly cactus, cocktail glass, and pink flamingo in addition to other whimsical sculptures. It took three years to make the watch, which honors and promotes the values associated with the original Smiley, which was drawn 50 years ago by French journalist Franklin Loufrani.
The bezel and case back of the watch are crafted from ATZ white ceramic. The material is made from tubes of aluminum oxide powder injected at a pressure of nearly 2,000 bars. ATZ is considered one of the hardest materials in the world, next to diamonds, and has excellent scratch resistance. A variety of diamond tools were used to manufacture the RM 88’s curved bezel and satin finish. For a unique contrast, the watch’s caseband is 18-karat 5N red gold.
Oliver Kuhn handcrafted all of the colorful micro-sculptures on the watch. They surround the central Smiley motif with a blossoming flower, a rainbow, a golden pineapple, and rays of sunshine, all of which are placed around the central motif. On the motion-work bridge, with polished angles and drawn edges, the Smiley sits above the others.
Powered by Richard Mille’s new CRMT7 caliber, a skeletonized automatic tourbillion movement with a frequency of 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 50 hours, the timepiece stands out from the crowd.
A double PBD coating in black and gold is applied to the movement’s bridges, which are made of grade-five titanium. The watch’s openwork case back provides a glimpse of this finish on the back of the baseplate. In addition to the vibrant yellow strap, the watch’s signature smiley ties it all together.
You can learn more about the RM 88 Automatic Tourbillion on Richard Mille’s website.
