Richard Mille’s first wristwatch, launched in 2001, was the RM 001.
The RM 001 Tourbillon was developed with the Swiss movement manufacturer Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi, commonly known as APRP. It introduced the brand’s characteristic tonneau-shaped case and a highly technical, three-dimensional approach to mechanical watch construction.
Richard Mille founded the company in 1999, and the first watch appeared two years later. The brand emphasized advanced materials, visible mechanics and engineering concepts drawn partly from motorsport and aerospace.
The RM 001 is sometimes confused with later Richard Mille models, especially the RM 011 chronograph and RM 055 sports watch. Those became widely recognized later; RM 001 is the historically correct first model.