RM 47 Tourbillon

One glance at the RM 47 is all it takes to be transported back to eighteenth-century Japan, home of the 47 rōnin: legends in a country that continues to celebrate its heroic samurai and their code of values. The tourbillon calibre is deliberately compact to leave space for the métiers d’art that have crafted a samurai suit of armour, visible from both the front and back of the case in black ceramic with a gold middle section. This suit comprises eleven handcrafted elements in sculpted, engraved and partly painted gold that fit around the discreet tourbillon. Connoisseurs will recognise the crest of the Asano clan, to which these legendary warriors belonged. Its two crossed falcon feathers symbolise strength in battle. The kabuto helmet with grimacing mask conveys the samurai’s fearlessness. An attentive eye will see that the two crossed swords are shown with the blades’ cutting edge uppermost, ready for battle. Lastly, the Japanese maple leaf on the crown represents grace, beauty, but also the brevity of our time on earth.