MECHANICAL ATTRACTION

To celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the FIA President Jean Todt’s amazing career, his friend Richard Mille has devoted three limited series to him.

Fine watchmaking and motor racing have a lot in common. The materials that appear in racing cars explore a new means of expression in a movement or case. The three Jean Todt 50^th Anniversary watches embody the close bonds that tie the two worlds just like the friendship between Jean Todt and Richard Mille. All three are in the FIA President’s favourite colours. The sporty-souled RM 11-03 Flyback Chronograph is inspired by motor racing with a self-winding calibre in grade 5 titanium and a case in Quartz TPTTM. This super-strong yet light composite with unique properties is made by interlaying 600 layers of 45 micron silica filled with a blue resin exclusive to Richard Mille. The whole thing is then heated to 120°C before being worked on to achieve the end result.

This amazing movement appears again in the RM 056 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary which stands out for the build and curviness of its sapphire case. It takes over 1000 hours of processing including 430 hours of grinding and 350 hours of polishing to make. There are 150, 5 and 3 of the RM 11-03, RM 050 and RM 056 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary respectively.

Price: 153,500 EUR (RM11-03) – 1,097,000 EUR (RM 050) – 2,121,000 EUR (RM 056) richardmille.com

By Dan Diaconu

Charles Leclerc stands out in Formula 2, FIA’s gateway to Formula 1, during the rst leg of the championship. The current GP3 Championship titleholder and Richard Mille partner prompted a performance of Monaco’s national anthem in his first two races on the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain.

Saturday 15 April set the tone, when Charles took to the grid in pole position for his rst race with the Prema Racing team. Waging an all-out battle, he struggled against Artem Markelov and Norman Nato, both seasoned drivers in this discipline. The skill and discipline of this young prodigy allowed him to secure a third-place on the podium, but this blazing start only whet his appetite.

On Sunday 16 April, the rookie would settle for nothing less than victory.
While leading the sprint race, Charles undertook a tyre change just 9 laps before the nish. This daring move forced him to give the race his all. He proceeded to gain on the leading drivers at a rate of three to four seconds per lap, ying by his rivals to a podium position two laps before the end of the race. One lap later, and Leclerc had caught up to Rowland and Ghiotto to claim his rst triumph in Formula 2 by a 1.569-second margin. The shrewd strategist had pulled off a feat worthy of the greatest drivers
of Formula 1.

‘To be honest, before the last four laps, I didn’t believe it was possible for us to catch up the lost time, but Luca and Oliver fought each other for a while, and we managed to win. I have my engineer to thank for the excellent car, and my team for the brilliant strategy!’

The 19-year-old driver is off to a roaring start with a pole position and two podium nishes, one of these a victory, and now tops the Provisional Overall Ranking for the F2 Championship, with a total of 36 points.

‘I am so astonished by this performance that I’m still in shock. Charles demonstrated both tremendous daring and great skill. His feat will without a doubt remain in everyone’s mind as the exploit of this Championship. Charles is proving himself worthy of F1, and has every chance of becoming a great driver,’ shared Richard Mille.

Winning this race with brio, Charles has once again demonstrated he has all the qualities a Formula 1 driver: discipline, determination, and verve. Next up, the Barcelona-Calatunya circuit in Barcelona, Spain to support Charles on 12-14 May.

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FEATHERWEIGHT AND EXTRAORDINARILY RESISTANT

7 , 5,000, 40, 1,0980,000, 10, 200 … This torrent of jumbled-up figures does not correspond to figures of a Swiss bank account but reveals a few clues as to the key features of Richard Mille’s RM 50-03 McLaren F1. Created in partnership with McLaren the English Formula 1 constructor, the new RM 50-03 incorporates the latest high-tech-material state-of-the-art innovations that feature in the world’s most powerful racecar chassis. Conclusion ? The French brand enhances its catalogue with the lightest mechanical chronograph the world has ever seen.

The 75 numbered pieces will be delivered with a 1:5 scale model of the 2017 McLaren F1. “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication” declared Leonardo da Vinci. The watch has a price tag of course… 1,098,000 euros…

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By Dan Diaconu

The RM 011 is gone: Long live the RM 11-03!

After ten years of loyal service, one of the stars of the Richard Mille watch collection has been replaced by the seriously sporty RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph inspired by the world of motor racing.

Any product, even the best, has more or less the same existence as us: birth, life and death. There’s no need to get all dramatic: it’s totally normal especially when it comes to this watch by Richard Mille which isn’t dead and buried. It’s been replaced by a reworked version with a more vibrant silhouette true to classic “marketing product” style. The makeover doesn’t just mean it suits modern standards and injects new life into the collections but it also stands out from so-called “lifestyle” sport models. Unsurprisingly, the RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph isn’t exactly lacking in sporty character!

The movement fuelling the 55-hour power reserve is snug inside the barrel-shape rose gold case. The case is 49.94mm long, 44.5mm wide and 16.5mm thick and divided into three parts held in place by 20 titanium spline screws.

Price: 166,500 CHF / richardmille.com

By Sharmila Bertin

Introducing the Richard Mille Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal was born in Majorca in 1986 and tennis experts see him as one of the best professional players on clay. His accolade of awards is as impressive as his steely focus and willpower. His encounter with Richard Mille in 2008 gave rise to an eponymous collection whose timepieces stand out for their innovative technical features, light weight and high shock resistance just like the new RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal.

A trio of openwork and luminescent hands burst from the heart of the mechanical piece to track the hours, minutes and seconds around a red hour rim on a black carbon fibre bezel.

Price upon request richardmille.com

By Sharmila Bertin

Richard Mille is delighted to announce a new long-term partnership with the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 team.

It is a perfectly balanced partnership: both brands share a passion for modern technology, cutting-edge design and precision engineering.

The Swiss brand, a relative newcomer to the watchmaking world, started making watches in 2001 but quickly established itself as one of the pre-eminent players within the industry, developing a unique, immediately recognisable architectural aesthetic. Founder and CEO Richard Mille continues obsessively to push the limits of haute horlogerie, his engineers creating increasingly intricate, innovative and elaborate designs.

In comparison, McLaren has established itself as one of grand prix racing’s most successful and enduring names, having won 20 world championships and 182 grands prix. This year, the team will celebrate its 50^th anniversary on the Formula 1 grid (founder Bruce McLaren first raced a car bearing his own name in a Grand Prix at Monaco in 1966), while pushing hard to return to the front with works engine partner Honda.

The partnership will see Richard Mille timepieces grace the wrists of the team’s world champion drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, distinctive branding appear on the new MP4-31 car, and a commitment to develop a unique and exclusive series of exceptional calibres inspired by the tremendous heritage of the McLaren brand.

Richard Mille, CHAIRMAN & CEO Richard Mille Horometrie SA, said:

“As both a passionate aficionado and long-time advocate of international motorsport, I’m incredibly pleased and proud to be able to announce our new partnership with McLaren-Honda.

“The McLaren brand has existed at the very pinnacle of Formula 1 racing for 50 years, and its reputation for continual technical innovation, painstaking attention to detail and race-winning success perfectly matches the philosophy of the Richard Mille brand.

“The chance to partner with McLaren is particularly timely: we’ve been evaluating Formula 1 on a restricted basis for several years, but this opportunity has enabled us to engage in a deeper, more meaningful way, with proper focus and effort directed on a major team.

“For me, the association with McLaren is so striking, because I still vividly remember, back in 1981, when McLaren was the first constructor to introduce an all-carbonfibre monocoque to Formula 1. It was a technology that would revolutionise the sport – and still does to this day. Years later, I was able to adopt the same technical solution – a carbonfibre structure – for the baseplates of our watch movements and cases.

“I feel strongly that the Maison Richard Mille embodies the very essence of motorsport: we’re dedicated to the ultimate mechanical challenge, and we’re inspired by the concepts and materials used in Formula 1. For everyone at Richard Mille, this will be a thrilling partnership.”

Ron Dennis, chairman and CEO, McLaren Technology Group, added:

“I’ve watched with quiet admiration as Richard and his team have built up the Richard Mille brand over the past 15 years. To have established himself at the vanguard of the watchmaking world in such a short space of time is an incredible achievement, and a testament to his vision and determination.

“For him to commit Richard Mille to a 10-year partnership with McLaren underlines our shared belief in the value of long-term agreements, and the benefits that can be derived from growing and developing together.

“The two brands share a distinct common DNA: a passion for design, technology and aesthetics, and I’m excited about the great work we can achieve together over the next 10 years.”

Notes for editors:

New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren founded the McLaren team in 1963. Since 1966, when it entered its first Formula 1 race, McLaren has won over 180 grands prix, eight constructors’ titles and 12 world championship titles with some of the sport’s greatest drivers – Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton.

The McLaren-Honda team campaigns the 2016 FIA Formula 1 World Championship with the best driver pairing in the sport: world champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. They drive the McLaren-Honda MP4-31.

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This is no ordinary partnership. The collaboration between Richard Mille and Airbus Corporate Jets has been sealed by a timepiece designed together. The RM 50-02 ACJ was unveiled at the SIHH in Geneva and takes us on a first class flight to the land of luxury watches. Welcome on board the manual wind movement with a tourbillon and split seconds chronograph to measure intermediary time housed in a high-tech case made of a titanium and aluminium alloy to make it sturdy yet lightweight. The porthole design is topped by a ceramic bezel so we can see into the cockpit of an exceptional calibre with titanium components. A twin indicator enables you to wind and use the chronograph. It reviews pressure on the spring to avoid it being too slack or tight. Sit back and enjoy the 70-hour power reserve displayed on a digital scale at 11 o’ clock. Price: 1,079,500 CHF (limited edition – 30 available). Dan Diaconu
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A Pink Lady is more than just a girly cocktail: it’s first and foremost a symbol of female emancipation. This gin-based concoction was invented in 1932 and owes its name to the pink hue created by one of its ingredients: grenadine. It enabled ladies to enter worlds that had previously been just for men. Richard Mille took inspiration from the famous girl’s drink to design a completely feminine piece: RM 07-02 Pink Lady Saphir. Its three-part barrel case in pink sapphire crystal unveils part of the self-winding CRMA5 calibre, its openwork rose gold plate adorned with rows of diamond when you gaze at the dial and its diamond covered rose gold rotor that you can see through the back. The graduated chapter ring features twelve luminescent teardrop indices. The case’s barrel figure is depicted in the centre of the dial by an onyx rectangle bearing the hour and minute hands. Price upon request. Sharmila Bertin
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What gives a timepiece personality is when you can easily recognise its design, even from afar. A Richard Mille watch is instantly recognisable and the RM 67-01 is no different. The unisex watch is all in proportion with a super-slim barrel-shape case in three parts and a self-winding core: that’s a brief look at its lovely features. The extra-thin skeleton CRMA6 calibre brings the time to life on the openwork dial surrounded by a screwdown bezel: hours and minutes in the centre, semi-instant date display in a vertical luminescent display at 5 o’ clock and a function indicator at 2 o’ clock. The latter acts like a gearstick and enables you to wind the watch (W), set the date (D) or time (H). The metal time indices are coated in Super LumiNova® and set on two titanium rails fitted straight onto the movement which elevates the 3D effect of the model’s dial. Price on request. Sharmila Bertin
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Just landed in Los Angeles? Position the name of the city at 12 o’ clock on the dial of your RM 63-02 using the rotating bezel mounted on ball bearings. The watch then automatically displays local time and its chapter ring features the local time in 23 other cities linked to the world’s time zones. There’s no need for fussy fiddling. The self-winding skeleton Richard Mille CRMA3 calibre (50-hour power reserve) in the 47mm titanium case handles everything itself. A two-tone blue and white disc on the rim of the dial lets you know if night has fallen in these cities or if you can still contact a friend without waking them up. A semi-instant date display completes the timekeeping features. As for the understated pusher at 4 o’ clock, one touch decides the crown’s function. Depending on the mode you select, the letter W (winding), N (neutral) or H (hand setting) appears in a display at 4 o’ clock. Price: 140,500 CHF. Dan Diaconu
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