The Richard Mille RM 30-01 with Declutchable Rotor is packed with smart mechanical tech

The Richard Mille RM 30-01 with Declutchable Rotor offers a quality of life improvement on the 12-year-old design that demonstrates the brand’s commitment to continual improvement.

With three hands and a big date, the RM 30-01 with Declutchable Rotor is fundamentally a fairly simple concept, albeit one cased in Richard Mille’s iconic tonneau case, and executed with the brand’s high-end (and sometimes hyperbolic) design language. There’s no denying the quality of every single element of this watch, but the stand out is the new RMAR2 calibre.

This complex mechanism offers an oversized date, a hallmark of Richard Mille, and is paired with the innovative declutchable rotor, which basically means that the rotor automatically disconnects from the barrel when it is fully wound. This optimizes barrel torque and ensures consistent performance. As the power reserve nears its 40-hour threshold, the rotor reengages to rewind the barrel spring, maintaining precision throughout.

You might notice the pusher at two. This is, in fact, a function selector, which lets you choose between winding, time-setting or date adjustment. Almost every single other brand on the planet would use the more traditional crown adjustment positions for this, but not Richard Mille — and that’s what makes them great.

The design of the RM 30-01 shows us a reinterpreted skeleton structure that offers balance and dynamism. Grade 5 titanium bridges and baseplate create a play of perspective and depth, marked by parallel segments that replace the previous curved lines. The result is a captivating display of information, accentuated by colored transfers for heightened visibility.