Quill & Pad
  • Home
  • Articles
  • About
  • Glossary
  • Contact
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: Home1 / Watch Brands & Horology2 / Richard Mille3 / G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Lo...

G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

by Elizabeth Doerr

Richard Mille is one of those brands where it is all too easy to be simply enamored of the incredible visuals and lifestyle hype. However, although most people don’t really realize it, Richard Mille is one of the most technical of watch brands.

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

Case in point is the RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor. This is a watch that flies a little under the radar because it has a round case rather than the signature tonneau shape that has helped build the stellar career of this young brand.

The rotating bezel of the RM 36-01 is crafted in ultra-modern TZP-Z brown ceramic and it actually provides the key to understanding the technology embedded within the innovative tourbillon movement. Under the button in center of sapphire crystal is a g-force sensor that can be manually rotated via the bezel to align it to the required direction.

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

The “g” in g-force of course refers to “gravitation.” G-force is a measurement of acceleration equivalent of the gravity we feel on earth: one “g” equals 9.80665 meters per second squared, which is equivalent to 9.80665 newtons of force per kilogram of mass.

Why would this very mathematic sounding element be important to the sporty brand ambassador for whom it is named? Sébastien Loeb is one of the world’s best rally drivers.

As we know, Richard Mille has a very soft spot for automobile racing, and many of his brand’s inventions have been based on the outcome of a long friendship with Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, who inspired Mille’s original endeavor to make exceedingly light timepieces that include not only a blazingly hot cool look, but also functions that make practical sense for the race driver.

So when Loeb wears this watch during World Rally Championship (WRC) competition and other motor sport events, he is able to literally see right on the dial of his watch the lateral acceleration/deceleration and longitudinal g-forces he experiences when racing around corners, as well as acceleration and braking g-forces on the straights.

G-Sensor indicator on the Richard Mille RM 36-01 Sébastien Loeb

G-Sensor indicator on the Richard Mille RM 36-01 Sébastien Loeb

Rotary G-Sensor

The g-force sensor built into the movement comprises an impressive 50 components while measuring just 17 x 10.25 mm. Its function is to display the number of Gs accumulated by the driver during various phases of a race or training session. The direction of the g-forces to be measured is set by turning the bezel; the sensor operates on the principle of mass displacement.

The g-force sensor, which displays forces all the way up to 6 Gs, is directly connected to both the bezel and the sapphire crystal. If the scale embedded within the bezel is in green (signaling “mild”), it is displaying that the acceleration/deceleration is safe. Red indicates the g-forces are at a critical threshold for the driver.

The wearer can easily reset the scale by simply pressing the big titanium button positioned right in the middle of the sapphire crystal.

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

Richard Mille RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb

Complicated movement

Despite its extreme user-friendliness, the movement of the RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor is a complicated one requiring complex assembly and regulating procedures. A portion of the movement is located directly on the Grade 5 titanium, PVD-plated, skeletonized base plate, while other components are attached to the moving bezel and anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

The free-sprung balance with variable inertia and large 10 mm diameter balance wheel are a proven combination in offering both excellent precision and shock resistance. These are set within a one-minute tourbillon boasting something no other tourbillon has ever dared: a ceramic endstone, perfectly fitting with the overall “latest technology” feel of the timepiece and its ultra-modern, technical movement.

And despite all the high-tech, one element never gets short-changed on any watch by Richard Mille: the polishing, beveling and finishing of each and every component by hand.

Richard Mille RM 38-01 Bubba Watson

Richard Mille RM 38-01 Bubba Watson

For those looking to get this extreme functionality in the Richard Mille signature tonneau-shaped case, the brand has just released a “Bubba Watson” version of the G-sensor, named after the brand’s golf ambassador. This is a limited edition of 50 pieces measuring 42.7 x 49.94 x 16.15 mm.

www.richardmille.com

Quick Facts
Case: carbon nanotube and titanium, 47.7 x 17.37 mm
Movement: manually wound Caliber RM36-01 with one-minute tourbillon
Functions: hours, minutes; rotary g-force sensor, power reserve indicator, function selector
Limitation: 30 pieces
Price: $625,000

5 replies
  1. David Barreto
    David Barreto says:
    April 16, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    I will never understand their price points… just compare it to the Yohan Blake tourby. I would love some insights.

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Richard Mille At Harrods: Springtime In Summer | Quill & Pad says:
    June 2, 2016 at 4:07 pm

    […] French ambassador and rally cross champion Sébastien Loeb’s RM 36-01 G Sensor Tourbillon (see G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastian Loeb); the Yohan Blake RM 59-01; and various editions of the famous […]

    Reply
  2. Richard Mille And Formula E: Clean Energy For Cars And Watches Of E.Dams … | NHAT NET says:
    September 13, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    […] For information on a very interesting racing watch released by Richard Mille in 2014 that mechanically measures G-forces within the race car, read G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb. […]

    Reply
  3. Richard Mille And Formula E: Clean Energy For Cars And Watches Of E.Dams-RENAULT Team | zipicon says:
    September 13, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    […] For information on a very interesting racing watch released by Richard Mille in 2014 that mechanically measures G-forces within the race car, read G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb. […]

    Reply
  4. Richard Mille And Formula E: Clean Energy For Cars And Watches Of E.Dams-RENAULT Team | Richard Mille And Formula E: Clean Energy For Cars And Watches Of E.Dams-RENAULT Team | Social Dashboard says:
    September 13, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    […] For information on a very interesting racing watch released by Richard Mille in 2014 that mechanically measures G-forces within the race car, read G-Forces At Work: Richard Mille’s RM 36-01 Competition G-Sensor Sébastien Loeb. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Watch Brands & Horology
    • New for 2025
    • New for 2024
    • New for 2023
    • Affordable Luxury
      • Swatch
      • Ball Watch
      • Louis Erard
      • Gorilla Fastback
      • Ikepod
      • Oris
      • Reservoir
    • Auctions
    • Behind the Lens
    • Boutiques
    • Collectors and Collecting
    • Events, Fairs & Exhibitions
    • Give Me Five!
    • History
    • Quill & Pad
    • Round Table
    • The Naked Watchmaker
    • Thoughts & Opinion
    • Video
    • WatchCharts
    • Wrist Watching
    • A. Lange & Söhne
    • AHCI
    • Akrivia
    • Andersen Genève
    • Alexandre Meerson
    • Andreas Strehler
    • Angelus
    • Antoine Martin
    • Antoine Preziuso
    • Armin Strom
    • Arnold & Son
    • Audemars Piguet
      • Royal Oak Offshore
    • Bélier
    • Bell & Ross
    • Blancpain
    • Bovet
    • Breguet
    • Bremont
    • Breitling
    • Bulgari
    • Carl F. Bucherer
    • Cartier
    • Chanel
    • Chopard
    • Christiaan Van Der Klaauw
    • Christophe Claret
    • Chronoswiss
    • Clocks
    • Corum
    • Cyrus
    • Czapek & Cie
    • De Bethune
    • de Grisogono
    • Derek Pratt
    • Dior
    • Divers' Watches
    • Eberhard
    • Emmanuel Bouchet
    • Fabergé
    • Ferdinand Berthoud
    • Fiona Krüger
    • F.P. Journe
    • Franck Muller
    • Garrick
    • Gérald Genta
    • Girard-Perregaux
    • Glashütte Original
    • GoS
    • Graff
    • Graham
    • Greubel Forsey
    • Grieb & Benzinger
    • Grönefeld
    • H. Moser & Cie
    • Habring2
    • Hajime Asaoka
    • Harry Winston
    • Hautlence
    • Hermès
    • Hublot
    • HYT
    • Independents
    • IWC
    • Jaeger-LeCoultre
    • Jaquet Droz
    • Jean Daniel Nicolas
    • Jean Dunand
    • Kari Voutilainen
    • Kees Engelbarts
    • Kobold
    • Konstantin Chaykin
    • Kudoke
    • Ladies watches
    • Lang & Heyne
    • Laurent Ferrier
    • Linde Werdelin
    • Louis Moinet
    • Louis Vuitton
    • Ludovic Ballouard
    • Manufacture Royale
    • Maurice Lacroix
    • MB&F
    • McGonigle
    • Ming Watches
    • Montblanc
    • Moritz Grossmann
    • Nomos Glashütte
    • Ochs und Junior
    • Officine Panerai
    • Omega
    • Parmigiani
    • Patek Philippe
    • Paul Gerber
    • Philippe Dufour
    • Piaget
    • Pocket watches
    • Rebellion
    • Ressence
    • RGM
    • Richard Mille
    • Roger Dubuis
    • Roger W Smith
    • Roland Iten
    • Rolex
    • Romain Gauthier
    • Romain Jerome
    • Sarpaneva
    • Schwarz-Etienne
    • Seiko
    • Silberstein
    • Singer Reimagined
    • Soviet / Eastern Europe watches
    • Speake-Marin
    • Struthers
    • Tag Heuer
    • Tudor
    • Tutima
    • Ulysse Nardin
    • Urban Jürgensen
    • Urwerk
    • Vacheron Constantin
    • Van Cleef & Arpels
    • Vianney Halter
    • Vintage
    • Wempe Glashütte
    • Zenith
  • Luxury, Experiences, Science & Nature
    • Arts
    • Book reviews
    • Cars
      • Porsche
    • Fashion & Grooming
    • Jewelry
    • Nature
    • Photo Captions
    • Photography
    • Science
    • Shoes
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Wining, Dining and Cigars
    • Writing instruments
      • Caran d’Ache
      • Grayson Tighe
      • Montblanc
      • Montegrappa
  • General
    • Featured
    • Highlights
© Copyright - Quill & Pad - Enfold Theme by Kriesi
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT