Since 2017, the partners of Richard Mille and British supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive today announced the results of their most ambitious collaborative project to date, the new RM 40-01 automatic tourbillon McLaren Speedtail.
The new watch commemorates McLaren’s fastest and most advanced road car in history, the Speedtail, a three-seater wagon whose lines are based on the form of teardrops and are the most aerodynamically efficient shape in nature.
The aerodynamic design of this super sports car provided inspiration for the development of the RM 40-01.
Both brands use similar methods when designing their products, focusing on reducing weight, reducing vibration and shock and minimizing drag.
The development of RM 40-01 requires a huge effort. Imagine that Richard Mille’s casing department spent an unprecedented 2,800 hours in 18 months to perfect the production line. The attention to detail is extremely high, using mirror polishing in different areas, normal and satin effects, and the combined use of titanium and carbon TPT.
The 41.80 x 48.25 x 14.15 mm case is made of 69 individual parts, and its width at 12 o’clock is significantly larger than at 6 o’clock. The taper can also be seen between the titanium bezel and the case back. The taper is separated by a strap made of carbon TPT and titanium pillars of unequal length. Thanks to 2 nitrile O-ring seals, the triple housing ensures a water resistance of 50 meters/165 feet.
In order to protect the movement of the RM 40-01, Richard Mille developed a unique upper crystal glass with a “triple profile” on the glass surface to reduce the taper and thickness of the bezel.
The CRMT4 movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has 50 hours of autonomy. It is the first time that a power reserve display device has been developed in-house, and the complexity of the date and function selector has been increased. All of these are the first of replica Richard Mille‘s internal tourbillon.
The button at 4 o’clock allows you to select simple neutral, winding and manual setting functions, similar to a car gearbox, while the aperture at 3 o’clock shows the selected function: N (neutral)-W ( Winding)-H (pointer setting).
Finishing is not only suitable for visible parts, but also for hidden parts, such as the surface of lower parts.
Although technically complex, the date corrector is located at 8 o’clock to achieve a more beautiful solution.
The platinum and red gold winding rotors are inspired by the Speedtail’s hood, while the watch case is inspired by its roof line. The orange wire extending from the lower part of the movement to the strap mimics the vertical brake lights installed on the screen at the rear of the Speedtail.
The asymmetric rubber strap is made with a special process that allows the colored rubber to be overmolded-so the iconic McLaren orange accent colored stripes seen at the 6 o’clock position of the movement can extend to the wrist. luxury replica watches