The Richard Mille RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago: unexpected combo

Richard Mille has unveiled the new RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago, a limited-edition watch born of a partnership with the historic Italian racing bicycle manufacturer Colnago.

Produced in only 50 pieces, this is not a Colnago-branded Richard Mille, and it would never have been: the movement, bridges, case, and details were all designed to mimic the trellis frame and technical layout of a high-end racing bicycle in high-end watchmaking.

The outcome is a hand-wound skeletonised tourbillon that incorporates principles shared by both brands: weight-to-sturdiness ratio, precision, and attention to the function of every component.

The Richard Mille RM 64-01’s key innovation is its integration of Colnago lines into the watch’s architecture, and that idea drives the project throughout.

A calibre built like a racing frame

The heart of the watch is the new RM64-01 calibre, a manual-winding tourbillon movement developed with lightness and transparency in mind.

The tubular architecture recalls the spirit of the previous RM 012 Tourbillon but builds on the legendary frames built by Colnago in their HQ in Cambiago, Italy.

The skeletonised baseplate and bridges are made from grade 5 titanium, selected for its combination of rigidity, lightness, and corrosion resistance.

The surfaces are micro-blasted, the edges are bevelled and hand-polished, and a black-and-grey PVD treatment is applied on top. All 274 components of the calibre mimic the structural elements of a racing bike.

Rather than hiding the movement behind any ordinary dial, Richard Mille makes it the model’s main aesthetic feature, keeping the focus on structure and function. The parts arrangement replicates tubes, hubs, and the drivetrain, creating a recognisable link to Colnago without any name on it.

Recalling the Gilco tubes of Colnago Master frames.

One of the RM 64-01’s most distinctive features is the star-shaped design of the upper titanium bridges. The design draws on the cross-sections of the Gilco tubes used on Colnago Master frames, developed in the 1980s to increase torsional rigidity without adding weight.

The bridges are lacquered white and then hand-painted in sky blue and 5N red gold. The micro-blasted titanium hub covers also undergo a blue lacquered finish, reinforcing the appearance of a miniature cycling structure.

The colour palette comes directly from the Colnago C68, one of the most representative models in the Italian company’s current production. White, blue, and gold are not random choices; they define the product’s identity.

Colnago is represented not only by the logo but also by recognisable elements of its design history: the Master, the Gilco tubes, the “C Series,” and production tied to its Cambiago headquarters.

Tourbillon and barrel mimicking a bicycle’s drivetrain.

A variable inertia tourbillon is positioned at seven o’clock, while the fast-rotating barrel is at one o’clock. Their symmetry visually recalls the relationship between the crankset, chain, and rear wheel of a bicycle.

A free-sprung balance utilises four adjustment screws, allowing for more precise adjustments and improving stability over time, especially under unwanted shocks.

The RM64-01 calibre offers a 65-hour power reserve, with a ± 10% tolerance, and operates at 3 Hz. Base functions include hours and minutes, with the tourbillon and skeletonised construction standing out.

Richard Mille also opted for a fast-rotating barrel and a progressive recoil ratchet. According to the brand, this solution yields about a 20% gain during the initial winding process and promotes a more uniform distribution of mainspring tension.

A new combination of Quartz TPT and 5N red gold

The three-part case measures 43.21 × 49.94 mm and has a thickness of 14.23 mm. It comes in white Quartz TPT and a new Azure Blue variant, developed exclusively for this reference.

The case body utilises 20 grade 5 titanium spline screws and 316L stainless steel abrasion-resistant washers, and the watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters, thanks to two nitrile O-ring seals.

For the first time, 5N red gold plays a pivotal role in building the identity of a Richard Mille sports watch. The material is found on the rehaut and the top of the crown, creating a warmer contrast with the white and blue Quartz TPT.

The crown features the lacquered Ace of Clubs, Colnago’s historic insignia. The hands have also been specifically designed for the model and echo the shapes of crank arms.

A 50-piece limited edition watch

The Richard Mille RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago will come in only 50 units. Very low quantities are familiar at Richard Mille, and so are here, considering the movement’s complexity, the case’s machining, and the multiple hand-applied finishes.

However, behind rarity often stands strategy. Such an RM is aimed equally at Richard Mille collectors and racing cyclists—two audiences sharing a common interest for advanced materials, performance, and limited runs.

Richard Mille has not yet disclosed the retail price. According to specialised sources, the listed price is around 800,000 Swiss francs excluding taxes. Again, please note that this is not the official price list.

With that said, it places the RM 64-01 well beyond the concept of a traditional sports watch. It is not meant to reach a wide audience, but to reinforce both brands’ experimental approach.

Tadej Pogačar connects Richard Mille, Colnago, and competition.

The collaboration fits into an already established relationship between Richard Mille and professional cycling. The brand has worked with athletes like Mark Cavendish, Mathieu van der Poel, and Alain Prost, to whom the RM 70-01 Tourbillon with a mechanical kilometre counter was dedicated in 2017.

Richard Mille also partners with UAE Team Emirates, which races on Colnago bikes and includes Tadej Pogačar as its most representative athlete. The Slovenian cyclist has been part of the brand’s ambassador team since 2021 and has often been seen racing with the ultra-light RM 67-02 on his wrist.

Pogačar thus incorporates the best-fitting link between Richard Mille and Colnago, but the RM 64-01 was not meant as a replacement for the lighter, more ergonomic RM 67-02.

The new reference is mainly a celebratory and collectable piece. The champion’s endorsement will indeed increase the project’s visibility, but the collaboration carries greater meaning. Colnago and Richard Mille share a similar strategy: turning the pursuit of performance into a recognisable and shared design language.

More than a collaboration

The RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago proves how to merge two partners’ identities into a single product. From the bridges to the colour choices, up to the crown, hands, and movement layout, they all link horology to the history and technique of the legendary Italian manufacturer.

What is often at risk in such cases is the creation of a logo-on-logo product. Not here, at least. Case in point: Colnago shaped the design, and Richard Mille engineered it with new materials, architectures, and finishes.

Limited numbers and high price make the RM 64-01 accessible only to a select few. Its meaning goes far beyond sales: the timepiece is a blueprint for new collaborative projects with the most authentic, sports-rooted brands.

From this perspective, the piece of news is not the Colnago moniker applied to a Richard Mille watch. It is how they fuse to create a design that is as functional as it is architectural, building together the watch’s visual identity.

(Photo credit: Richard Mille)