In celebration of their fifth year of partnership, Richard Mille and McLaren have collaborated to create their most “advanced” timepiece yet, the RM 40-01 Automatic Tourbillon McLaren Speedtail.
A sportscar for your wrist. In his latest creation, Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille’s honours McLaren’s high-powered supercar, the Speedtail.
The Speed tail is one of McLarens most futuristic models. Engrained in the mission at McLaren is the pursuit of aerodynamic excellence and is the driving force behind the Speedtail’s streamlined water droplet form. The model contains a 1070 horsepower hybrid power train, and it is capable of reaching 250mph/402kph, accelerating from zero to 186mph in 12.5 seconds. The complementary timepiece RM 40-01 features functional and aesthetic elements that exemplify the signature qualities exclusive to the on-road supercar.
Historically, Richard Milles watches have used advanced design and technical innovation to honour the distinctive features of their supercar partner. The distinct parts of the RM 40-01 are directly associated with the exterior teardrop design of the Speedtail. At the same time, the aesthetic sense of its wheels inspires supple indentations on the pusher buttons. Further, the watch features an orange line streaming from the lower part of the clockwork into the strap, which imitates the upright stoplight built into the Speedtail’s rear screen.
According to Rob Melville, Automotive design director at McLaren, “Richard Mille watches are known as ‘racing machines on the wrist’… With the Speedtail, we set out to produce a car that had an artistic quality to it. That has certainly come through in the watch, which beautifully mirrors the many various details of the Speedtail”.
Perfecting the form and function took a reported 8,600 hours, with 2,800 spent perfecting the complex lines on the watch. Sources reveal designers spent numerous hours perfecting the architecture of the intricate watch face. The extensive involvement required to produce the multitude of components within the RM 40-01 attributes it to the highest level of swiss made watches.
Mille explains, “The watch has one of the highest levels of finishing…The attention to detail is extreme, with mirror polished, plain and satin finishes in different areas and the combined use of titanium and Carbon TPT. The case itself is made from 69 individual parts.”
The RM 40-01 timepiece is limited to the same number of examples as the supercar itself, 106. The exclusive product has been introduced to the market at US$1.022 million or AU$1.313. There is now a watch for every Speedtail owner.