Richard Mille Tourbillon Sapphire case
Blue sapphire crystal case · sculpted dial · skeletonised tourbillon
A case grown from sapphire rather than cut from metal. Each one takes months on the machine before a movement goes near it.
- Case
- Sapphire crystal
- Movement
- Skeletonised tourbillon
- Series
- Typically single figures
- Reference
- Not identified
What a sapphire case actually costs to make, and why we cannot name this one.
Richard Mille's sapphire cases are the most expensive things in the catalogue for a reason that has nothing to do with decoration. Sapphire is grown as a boule and then machined — slowly, with diamond tooling, because it is close to diamond in hardness. A three-part tonneau case runs to something like a thousand hours on the machine before it is polished, and the reject rate is high. That is why these exist in single figures rather than dozens.
The watch in the photograph is a blue sapphire case over a skeletonised tourbillon with a sculpted element across the movement. We are not able to match it to a catalogued Richard Mille reference, and we would rather say so on the page than attach a number to it that turns out to be wrong.
If this is the kind of watch you are after, the useful conversation is about what you actually want — the sapphire case, the colour, the tourbillon, a sculpted movement — and we will come back with the references that exist and what is realistically findable.
- Sapphire cases are machined from grown boules with diamond tooling
- Roughly a thousand machine hours per case before polishing
- Made in single-figure series, and held rather than traded
- We confirm the exact reference with you before anything is sourced
As it leaves the manufacture
- Case
- Case
- Tonneau, sapphire crystal, three-part construction
- Machining
- Diamond tooling; case production measured in hundreds of hours
- Crystal
- Sapphire, front and back
- Water resistance
- Confirmed for the individual watch
- Movement
- Type
- Skeletonised tourbillon
- Decoration
- Sculpted element across the movement
- Power reserve
- Confirmed for the individual watch
- Functions
- Hours and minutes
- Series and identification
- Series
- Typically single figures
- Reference
- Not identified from the photograph; confirmed before sourcing
- Note
- Sapphire chips rather than scratches; case condition is reported in detail
Other Richard Mille watches requested
Each page is a guide to the reference and how we source it, not a listing. If yours is not here, ask anyway.
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Richard Mille RM 47 Tourbillon, The Sword of the Samurai Read more -
Richard Mille RM 52-01 Tourbillon Skull Read more -
Richard Mille RM 57-01 Tourbillon Phoenix and Dragon, Jackie Chan Read more -
Richard Mille RM 68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo Read more -
Richard Mille RM 72-01 Lifestyle In-House Chronograph Read more
Sourced to your brief, itemised before you decide
Nothing on this page is stock, and unusually, the reference is not settled either. That is the first thing we do.
The brief
What you actually want from the watch: the sapphire case, a particular colour, the tourbillon, a sculpted movement. Send a photograph of anything you have seen and liked.
Availability and timing
Confirmed once the reference is agreed. Sapphire-cased Richard Milles exist in single figures and can take a long time to surface; we will tell you plainly if a brief is not realistic.
What accompanies the watch
Richard Mille box, warranty card, booklets, spare straps and any service records are itemised for the individual watch we propose.
Condition and documents
Condition of the sapphire case is reported in detail, because sapphire chips rather than marks. Provenance, service history and verification arrangements are set out before you decide.
Four steps, no pressure
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Brief
Send the reference by WhatsApp or the form, with the dial, set and timing that matter to you. A collection or a style is enough to begin.
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Source
We go to our network rather than a boutique list, and come back with what is realistic on availability and timing before you commit to anything.
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Verify
Condition, documents and what accompanies the watch are set out in writing for the individual piece we propose. You decide with the details in front of you.
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Settle and deliver
Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto. Collection in London or fully insured delivery, agreed for the watch and the destination.
Looking for a different watch?
Any brand, any reference, whether or not it appears on this site. Tell us what you have in mind and we take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this page not name a reference?
Because we could not match the photograph to a catalogued Richard Mille model, and naming one we are not sure of would be worse than leaving it open. The reference is established with you before anything is sourced.
Why are sapphire cases so expensive?
Sapphire is nearly as hard as diamond, so it has to be machined with diamond tooling, slowly. A single case runs to hundreds of hours on the machine and many are rejected along the way.
Can a sapphire case be repaired?
Not readily. It will not scratch in normal wear, but a hard knock chips it and the component has to be replaced, which on a case made in single figures is a long process. We report case condition in detail for that reason.
How long does it take to source one?
It depends on the configuration and how specific the brief is. We tell you what is realistic at the start rather than quote a number we cannot keep.
Can I pay in crypto?
Yes. Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto; Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum, USDT and other major coins and stablecoins are accepted. The coin, network and amount are confirmed with you before any transfer.
Tell us the watch you have in mind
An exact reference or an idea is enough to start the conversation. We will take care of the search and discuss the options with you.