It’s truly a race car on the wrist.
Today, Richard Mille and Ferrari unveiled their latest collaboration, the Richard Mille RM 43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph. At an exclusive media presentation at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the brand highlighted its unique Formula 1 DNA and strong ties to the automotive world.
As is only natural for such a significant launch, Richard Mille’s second-generation brand directors and Ferrari key personnel were in attendance to share personal insights into the vision and development process of the watch. They were joined by Felipe Massa, the first in Richard Mille’s vast family of brand ambassadors. This partnership with Ferrari will last for at least the next five years, with more high-energy collaborations already in the works.
Richard Mille x Ferrari
Five years is not a long time in watchmaking. But in that short time, Richard Mille’s partnership with Italian supercar maker Ferrari has gone beyond what many could have imagined. Just two years after signing the agreement in 2020, the two companies were ready to unveil the first fruits of their partnership.
That was in 2022, with the launch of the ultra-thin RM UP-01 Ferrari. At just 1.75mm thick, the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari is no ordinary watch.
It broke the boundaries of ultra-thin watchmaking like the Kool Aid man breaking through a brick wall, sending a message loud and clear. This collaboration with Ferrari is unlike any Ferrari collaboration that has come before it. No brands could be more perfectly paired together than Richard Mille’s DNA is rooted in Formula 1, and Ferrari is the most legendary car brand of all time.
So, after a fantastic opening performance, the journey continues this year with the next collaboration watch, the Richard Mille RM 43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph.
RM 43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph
At first glance, the RM 43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph looks just like any other Richard Mille watch. In fact, we won’t lie, people expected the second Richard Mille x Ferrari to come up with another stunning, ultra-avant-garde concept. Compared to the RM UP-01, the RM 43-01 looks almost bland. But at the end of the day, this is a watch Richard Mille created for Ferrari, which means you should definitely take a closer look to understand its true nature.
Thankfully, this watch doesn’t hide any secrets. All the components of the Caliber 43-01 movement are clearly visible from both the front and back. To understand the synergy between Richard Mille and Ferrari through this watch, you need to dig into the details.
As a tourbillon watch with a split-seconds chronograph, the Richard Mille RM 43-01 Ferrari is not the brand’s first watch of this kind. That honor belongs to the RM 008, which was first released in 2003. Other Richard Mille split-seconds chronograph tourbillon watches include the RM 050 Felipe Massa, the RM 50-02 ACJ (Airbus Corporate Jet), the RM 50-03 McLaren F1 and the RM 50-04 Kimi Raikkonen.
Updated Movement
But like all new creations from Richard Mille, this watch also features a series of new technological upgrades that enhance the robustness of the movement. The RM43-01 is equipped with the latest generation split-seconds movement developed by Richard Mille and APLL (Audemars Piguet Le Locle).
Two 6-column wheels operate the different levers of the split-seconds function, optimizing the running of the chronograph. It ensures optimized synchronized movement, maximum function locking and greater durability of regulation. In-depth research on the clamp function also led to a specific clamp design.
The blades on the split-seconds wheel replace the traditional spiral spring, a technical decision that reduces the torque variation when the split-seconds function is activated. All these developments significantly improve the chronometric performance and halve the energy consumption of the chronograph by reducing the friction of the arbors.
Then you have the skeletonized grade 5 titanium baseplate and the grade 5 titanium or Carbon TPT bridges. The bridges have been skeletonized to the maximum extent with the aim of reducing weight as much as possible.
These technical solutions make this complex movement with an extremely high weight-to-resistance ratio impressively resistant, and it is tested at the Richard Mille Manufacture to shocks of more than 5,000g – a strength for a wholesale watch that combines a tourbillon escapement with a complex split-seconds chronograph mechanism.
All in all, the new components have been developed to optimize power consumption while providing more consistent torque levels throughout the power reserve.
“As movement manufacturers, our work has become increasingly scientific, which helps us create more durable and high-performance components,” explains Salvador Arbona, Richard Mille’s Technical Director of Movements.
