We’re used to big numbers in motorsport, especially when there are dollar signs attached. But $1.5 million for a watch? Blimey, as George Russell would say.
Richard Mille, the luxury watch brand partnered with Ferrari since 2021, has released a new collaboration with the Italian team, named the RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ferrari. As the name suggests, it utilises two systems created by the brand, a tourbillon and a split-seconds chronograph.
There are two versions of the limited edition watch available, but both offer the same manually-wound RM43-01 calibre within the design. Made from an incredible 514 parts, the inner mechanics of the watch can be seen from both the top and bottom of the watch. This includes the five radial blades and dual column wheels that make up the tourbillon movement, which has a 70-hour power reserve.
The baseplate is a grade 5 titanium material, used in aerospace for its highly durable and rigid properties. Bridges in the mechanics are made from the same material, and feature X-patterns, mirroring what you’d see in a Ferrari engine bay. They are skeletonised to reduce weight while maintaining an aggressive aesthetic. Both versions measure 42.9mm wide, 17.1mm thick, and 51.2mm between the horns, and come with rubber straps.
The RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ferrari.
Photo by: Richard Mille
The differences between the two models come in the form of the case, with the brand offering a micro-blasted and polished titanium case with a Carbon TPT caseband and a Carbon TPT case, commonly seen on other Richard Mille watches. These are supposed to signify the two types of petrol head: the “gentleman driver” and a “high-octane attitude” respectively, with the former costing $1.3 million and the latter a cool $1.535 million. The Prancing Horse of the Scuderia can be found on both watches, visible within their intricate mechanisms.
The luxury brand took design elements from Ferrari cars to design and develop these watches, with only 150 units being produced, split evenly between the two versions.
“A collaboration like this is as much predicated on similarities in values as it is on the visual similarities between a Ferrari engine or a component and the elements used in a watch,” Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer said. “The concept of functional beauty is something that we really love.”
Richard Mille has consistently proven its ability to create a “racing machine for your wrist,” this model is just the latest in what is likely to be a fruitful partnership with Maranello.
