Richard Mille RM 11-04 Automatic Flyback Chronograph Roberto Mancini:
- Roberto Mancini, a Richard Mille partner since 2013
- Manager of the Italian national football team
- New style codes for an iconic model
Manager of the Squadra Azzurra, Italy’s national football team, Roberto Mancini is back on home turf after coaching the Saint Petersburg Zenit club for two years, and taking up a new challenge: making Italy the number one football nation in Europe and the world. It is wearing the new RM 11-04 Mancini that Roberto will be shouldering his task and attempting to make the dream of so many ‘tifosis’ come true.
Released in 2013, the RM 11-01 Roberto Mancini was born of discussions between the Italian manager and Richard Mille over how to address an issue coaches confront on the field, namely, how much playing time is left in a match? Time… it is a strategic resource and a quantitative reality that can be a source of tremendous stress in this sport. Once time ceases to be displayed on the scoreboard, during extra time, for instance, it keys up anxiety, causing players to lose their bearings and inevitably affecting tactics during play.
The idea of creating a mechanical watch with a dedicated dial for tracking half-time, extra time and overtime might seem an obvious one, however, the ingenious display, combined with the availability of a flyback chronograph, gives Roberto complete mastery of time on the playing field: ‘As coaches, it is up to us to guide our players perfectly. That’s why time must be tracked and managed. It is one of the parameters that can mean victory or defeat. Every last minute, every second is precious and carries the potential to overturn the outcome of a match.’
While conceding nothing of the ingenuity that characterised the RM 11-01, the RM 11-04 incorporates the brand’s latest style codes, as seen in the new lines of the crown, its variable-geometry rotor and its ultra-sporty case in Carbon TPT® with raised crenulations. The colours of the Italian flag, Il Tricolore, as well as the official blue shade that gives the Squadra Azzura its nickname are all nods to Roberto’s background, incorporated all around the automatic calibre, which powers a flyback chronograph and annual calendar. They adorn the bezel, crown, pusher-caps and the rubber bracelet, this last with a titanium folding buckle. The new casing presents the grade 5 titanium calibre RMAC3 in an unprecedented new light.
Richard Mille RM 11-04 Automatic Flyback Chronograph Roberto Mancini Technical Specifications
CALIBRE RMAC3: Skeletonised automatic winding movement with hours, minutes, seconds, oversize date, month, flyback chronograph with central minutes counter and variable-geometry rotor.
Case dimensions: 49.94 x 44.50 x 16.15 mm
MAIN FEATURES
POWER RESERVE
- Circa 55 hours (±10%)
- Actual power-reserve results will depend on the period of time the chronograph is utilised
BASEPLATE AND BRIDGES MADE OF GRADE 5 TITANIUM
The RM11-04’s skeletonised baseplate and the bridges are crafted of grade 5 titanium, a biocompatible, highly corrosion-resistant and remarkably rigid alloy, which enables the gear train to function effortlessly.
The alloy is 90% grade 5 titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium. This combination further increases the material’s mechanical properties, which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aeronautics and automobile industries.
The baseplate of the calibre RMAC3 has been optimised for an extremely low weight/resistance ratio.
They were all subjected to intensive and complete validation tests to optimise their resistance capacities.
FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH
This RM 11-04 flyback chronograph equipping was designed for a football match. The dial displays match time on the basis of two 45-minute halves, and up to 15 minutes of stoppage time. Pressing the pusher at 4 o’clock once actuates the flyback function and repositions the hand at 12 o’clock, ready to start the second half. If extra time is awarded, the flyback function can be reactivated so that the watch shows the 15 minutes of extra match time and up to 5 minutes of stoppage time.
Running operation: the user can start or stop the chronograph function via the pusher located between 1 and 2 o’clock.
By using the pusher between 4 and 5 o’clock, the running chronograph can be reset without having to stop the mechanism first.
OVERSIZE DATE DISPLAY AND ANNUAL CALENDAR
Semi-instantaneous, placed in a white and blue aperture under 12 o’clock with automatic adjustment for months of 30 or 31 days.
MONTH DISPLAY
Semi-instantaneous, indicate with Arabic numerals placed between 4 and 5 o’clock.
FREE SPRUNG BALANCE WITH VARIABLE INERTIA
This type of balance wheel represents the ultimate in innovation. It guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shocks and also during movement assembly and disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.
The regulator index is eliminated and a more accurate and repeatable adjustment is possible, thanks to 4 small, adjustable weights located directly on the balance.
ROTOR WITH VARIABLE GEOMETRY
This rotor uses variable geometry to optimise its winding motion.
Rotor specifications
- Central flange in grade 5 titanium
- 18K white gold weight segment
- Weight segment with 6 possible positions adjusted by screws in grade 5 titanium
- 18K white gold wings
- Ceramic ball bearings
- Unidirectional anti-clockwise winding
This exclusive Richard Mille design permits rewinding of the mainspring to be adapted most effectively to the user’s activity level.
By adjusting the setting of the rib’s placement, the rotor’s inertia is modified to either speed up the winding process in the case of leisurely arm movements, or slow it down when sporting activities are pursued.
DOUBLE BARREL SYSTEM
RM 11-04’s double-barrel system helps to improve torque stability over a longer period.
This is achieved by dividing the stored energy within two winding barrels instead of one, thereby reducing pressure and friction on the teeth, the bearings and the pivots, resulting in improved long-term performance.
SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE BRIDGES AND THE CASE
This permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.
OTHER FEATURES
- Dimensions of movement: 38.45 x 30.25 mm
- Thickness: 9.00 mm
- Number of jewels: 68
- Barrel arbor : in AP 20 steel
- Balance: Glucydur®, 4 arms, inertia moment 4.8 mg.cm2, angle of lift 53º
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Balance spring: elinvar by Nivarox®
- Shock protection: INCABLOC 908.22.211.100 (transparent)
- Escapement wheel jewels: Rubifix (transparent)
- Stem with three positions: manual winding, date, hand setting
CASE
Carbon TPT® is almost indestructible and possesses exceptional physical properties that make possible a lighter case offering ideal shock protection.
Carbon TPT® consists of over 600 layers of parallel filaments obtained by separating carbon threads. With a maximum thickness of 30 microns, the Carbon TPT® layers are saturated with matrix, then compiled on a special machine that modifies the orientation of the fibres between each layer by 45°. Once it has been heated to 120°C and subjected to a pressure of 6 bars, the Carbon TPT® is machined at Richard Mille’s factory. It is renowned for its excellent resistance to micro-cracks and splits.
The complete RM 11-04 case construction is water-resistant to 50 metres thanks to two Nitrile O-ring seals and is assembled using 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and 316L stainless steel washers.
CROWN
- In microblasted grade 5 titanium with double seal O-ring and rubber collar.
DIAL
- In sapphire (thickness: 0.40 mm) with anti-glare treatment (both sides), protected by 8 silicon braces inserted in the upper and lower grooves.
INTERIOR FLANGES
- In carbon fiber; index points filled with approved luminous material.
CRYSTAL
Bezel side
- In sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment (both sides)
- Thickness: 1.50 mm minimum.
Caseback
- In sapphire with anti-glare treatment (both sides)
- Thickness: 1.20 mm at the centre; outer edges 2.04 mm.
FINISHING
MOVEMENT
- Baseplate and bridges in titanium, wet sandblasted and PVD treated
- Anglage and polishing by hand
- Hand-polished locking sections
- Burnished pivots
- Diamond-polished sinks
- Pinions with undercuts
STEEL PARTS
- Sapphire-blasted surfaces
- Anglage and polishing by hand
- Screw slot and screws beveled and polished with rounded and polished tip.
WHEELS
- Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
- Circular-decorated faces
- Rhodium plating (before cutting the teeth)
- Minimal corrections applied to the wheels in order to preserve geometry and performance
