The demands of the most grueling race in motorsports are best faced head-on, and with the right watch. So it’s only natural that the Richard Mille RM 30-O1 is an horological tribute to the legendary Le Mans Classic, a biennial vintage sports car event held on the grounds of France’s 24 Hours of Le Mans
The high-end watchmaker carries on a partnership with Le Mans dating back to 2008, delivering yet another timepiece worthy of the most famous 24 hours in racing. Hot on the heels of an impressive Richard Mille x Ferrari chronograph, an ultra-luxury watch honoring racer Charles Leclerc and a new high-performance motorcycle collab with Brough Superior, Richard Mille just revved things up in impossibly intricate fashion, making stunning use of Le Mans Classic colors in the process.
Just 150 editions of the Richard Mille RM 30-O1 are hitting the market, and RM suitably toasts the occasion with a vibrant green-and-orange stunner that “proudly wears its racing spirit inside and out,” the company said. Richard Mille watches hold particular appeal for bold dial designs showcasing the mechanics within, and the company’s skeletonized, 38-jewel RMAR2 movement boasts a host of features designed to capture every second in a race where each one counts.
Its function selector mechanism is complemented by clutch engagement at 11-o’clock and a power reserve indicator (the RM 30-01 features a power reserve of about 55 hours, for the record, and can be read via its racetrack-inspired design).
The clutch indicator is particularly impressive, Richard Mille notes, as it prevents overwinding of the rotor via a patented system that disengages the rotor from its winding barrel when fully wound (when the power reserve reaches its upper limit, in other words). The result, which might strike a chord with fans of the many intricacies of racing, allows the watch to achieve “optimal chronometric performance.” It’s but one feature that makes this timepiece worthy of the “Price Upon Request” tag, one might say.
An oversize date window adorns the dial, which also marks the passage of hours, minutes and seconds in more traditional fashion alongside its extremely nuanced inner workings. The watch clocks in at an agreeable 42mm in terms of case diameter, resting on a green, grooved rubber racing strap for a dash of sporty appeal.
Hits of orange spring to life on the dial, not unlike the dashboard of a speedy ride zipping through the famed Le Mans course. Meanwhile, the Le Mans Classic logo adorns the sapphire crystal caseback, while the date window is framed by an oversized checkered flag. The 24-hour counter even features a green contrast marker at 16, otherwise known as Le Mans’ 4 p.m. CET start time.
As with other horological masterpieces from Richard Mille, the watchmaker raised the bar on its own accord. With the Richard Mille RM 30-O1. “everything has been constructed according to extremely rigorous specifications, in the manner of the analytical engineering methods used in the design of Formula 1 racing cars.” For a race as iconic as Le Mans, the timepiece is a more-than-fitting homage.