TheodoreD
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The RM 004 up close: Giulio Papi unveils some construction details (LONG)
-THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 22.07.04 ON THIS FORUM; I HAVE 'REVIVED' IT SINCE SOME RECENT FORUM MEMBERS ARE ASKING FOR MORE INFO ON THE RM 004-
In a discussion with Giulio Papi of APR&P and Richard Mille, a number of details regarding the philosophy of the developments made for RM 004 are examined here in detail. Hope you will enjoy them!
The RM 004 up-close
Giulio Papi: ?One of Richard?s main requests was that the problems of inertia, i.e. the jumping of the rattrapante when starting and stopping due to the mass of the hand and gears, be eliminated as much as possible. We created a ?pincer? made of titanium in which both arms are work simultaneously, engaged from one point, in order to ?grab? the split seconds gear in a swift movement just like the claws of a crab. In a standard rattrapante, this is done by two separately activated levers, with the corresponding problem of adjustment in order to have both reach the gear at the same moment.? It sounds and looks simple enough as can be viewed in the picture below. But the secret of its perfect functioning lies hidden in the unseen, complicated profiles of just three screws: two large ones, one for each pincer arm and one in the center (located directly between the two). This little one has an eccentrically placed head, which allows fine and exact adjustment of the two arms? arrival on the split seconds gear.
RM 004 rattrapante ?pincers? in opened position. The split second gear (removed in this view) would be located in the jewel-lined bearing centrally located between them.
GP:?All of the screws used in this system must of course, allow movement, but at the same time be so stable so as not to displace the slightest bit vertically under the stressful, high speed environment under which they function. These microscopic screws and the copper-alloy sleeves they are held in, are tapered in different directions and areas, and must seat perfectly at the very tip as well as the under the head of the screw, otherwise it will not function. And only our machines can produce them? he said with an impish, but matter of fact smile.
Another noteworthy aspect of the RM philosophy, again taken over from the world of Formula 1, is what this writer would describe as ?sectional modularity?. In high end racing cars, many of the parts are deliberately designed to be taken out and replaced within seconds, other quite large items such as the gearbox certainly within only fractions of an hour. This requires that each particular section such as the motor, brakes, transmission, frame- be independently isolated. An analog case, is found in watchmaking. Many watches today containing any kind of complication are often built with a separate module containing the additional functions screwed atop the basic movement, a time saving, two-piece construction as two coins on top of each other. In all the RM watches however, every function- including the basic functions such as the escapement, winding mechanism, winding barrel- is in principle an independent unit.
View of the escapement with specially designed balance wheel shock absorption system and unique double bridges, with cut-outs to lower mass.
Chronograph section showing column wheel, push levers, springs and engagement levers. One scratch on the black baseplate, and you have to start all over again- the visual treatment allows no retouching!
These are set, in neighborly fashion next to one another as interconnected units communicating with one another not unlike a computer network operates. This allows any future repairs to be efficiently dealt with and at the same time allows total and complete customization of parts as desired- since virtually nothing has to function from within the standard Swiss watchmaking supply chain. It is even conceivable in this system?s philosophy that ?upgrades? such as a new escapement, could be set in place with little trouble if desired. This offers tremendous freedom for creation and development, almost unheard of in the industry. In more traditional approaches, once you take a standard part of any kind into the watch?s system, you start a chain reaction that requires other standard parts to go with it. Before you know it, you?re using standard gear ratios, standard tooth profiles, springs and other parts. The only ?downside? of this philosophy of freedom is that it requires the highest tolerances, finish and customization available in all of Switzerland. In the world for that matter. And of course, AP-R&P can happily provide this. But the result of all this customization down to the last screwthread, means that you will have dig deep into your pockets for any RM wristwatch. Which in real terms means that the RM 004 chronograph rattrapante is the most expensive chronograph for sale on the market today, coming in at a hefty 104,482.00 euros including VAT.
?You know,? says Richard, ?I?ve been in this business for a very long time. Don?t get me wrong; I have tremendous respect for the traditions for classical watchmaking, based upon centuries worth of knowledge and skills. But the majority of wristwatches manufactured today do absolutely nothing for me, emotionally, visually or intellectually. It is really like looking at a bunch of antiques; paintings of half-naked Victorian ladies in petticoats or copies of Greek statues. Beautifully made, yes. But the majority of mechanical movements on the market today, left the drawing boards more than 50 years ago in many cases! Visually, many styles on today?s wristwatches are more than a 100 years old! My idea is that time is really exactly like racing. It?s all about now, today, or the upcoming lap- certainly not what I did one hour ago or even yesterday. Timekeeping is by its very nature the seconds of the present and the future. I used to be in total awe of the conventional Swiss watch industry and everything they did. But now, I?m older, maybe wiser, and only the purest essentials and technical tightrope walking excite me now; make me sit up and take notice. That?s why I?m so passionate about exactly how things should be, to the point that I make people crazy sometimes with my ideas. But the fact that other people are excited about what we are making here, just makes me want to go further and further. There?s a lot more in my head still to come!?
TheodoreD
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