September 15, 2015
Historically, there have been many “erotic timepieces” that depicted sexually suggestive scenes on their dials, often using mechanical automaton figures to simulate acts of libertine pleasure. Such timepieces, which were often banned and confiscated due to their non adherence with contemporary moral, religious, and political customs, have survived to this day as rare collectors’ pieces.
Today, some modern-day watch brands such as Perrelet and Graham have put out their own versions erotic watches but now Richard Mille presents a very different take on the classical erotic watch, the Richard Mille RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon.
The RM 69 Erotic Tourbillion
The suggestively named and ‘numbered’, the Richard Mille RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon does not use automatons or miniature-painted erotica scenes on its dial but instead opts for a rotating display of seductive “naughty talk,” with random but carefully chosen words and phrases. It features a trio of titanium rollers with text on each. A pusher at eight o’clock spins the rollers, which then stop randomly, creating a presumably titillating phrase. Richard Mille terms this complication the “oracle”.
To prevent the hands from blocking the rollers in action, both the hour and minute hand swivel away from the rollers. The movement of the RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon is made by Renaud & Papi, the subsidiary of Audemars Piguet that specialises in such things.
It is manually wound with a 69 hour power reserve, while the bridges and base plate are coated with a black PVD layer. The titanium case measures 50mm long and 42.7mm wide, with a thickness of 16.15mm and because the rollers take up all the space in the top of the case, the movement has been constructed with the barrel sitting directly below the tourbillon. The power reserve is located at four o’clock.
This masterpiece of the mechanical art of seduction will be a limited special edition of just 30 pieces. Nothing worth having comes cheap. No surprises, this wrist-bound erotica will be priced at around $1 million!