Description

The present watch is the Richard Mille RM 43-01 Manual Winding Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ferrari, a formidable grand complication created at the intersection of extreme horology and Ferrari’s high-performance design culture. Produced in two limited editions of 75 pieces each, the RM 43-01 is among Richard Mille’s most technically ambitious contemporary creations, uniting a hand-wound tourbillon, a split-seconds chronograph, and an uncompromising lightweight composite case construction.

This version is distinguished by its predominantly Carbon TPT® case, with matching carbon-composite bezel and caseback. Measuring 42.9 mm wide, 17.1 mm thick, and 51.2 mm from lug to lug, its tonneau-shaped case has the substantial dimensions expected of a Richard Mille grand complication, yet is designed to sit securely and comfortably on the wrist through its integrated strap architecture. Water-resistant to 50 metres, it combines an advanced technical construction with the durable, performance-led character associated with the brand.

Ferrari’s contribution is deliberately restrained but thoughtfully integrated. The Prancing Horse appears in subtle form on a wing-shaped element at the lower-left of the openworked dial, while Ferrari Centro Stile influenced several exterior details, including the form of the crown, chronograph pushers, strap indentations, and extended bezel geometry. The result is not an overtly branded collaboration, but rather a Richard Mille interpreted through the visual and engineering sensibilities of Maranello.

At its heart lies the RM43-01 calibre, a manual-winding movement developed in collaboration with Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi. Built around an extensively skeletonised architecture, it incorporates a tourbillon and an advanced split-seconds chronograph, allowing the wearer to measure simultaneous or intermediate intervals through a dedicated pusher. The movement also features a power-reserve display, a torque indicator, and a crown-function indicator that identifies the selected mode: winding, neutral, or time-setting.

The movement operates at 3 Hz and delivers approximately 70 hours of power reserve. Its bridges are primarily crafted from titanium, complemented by machined Carbon TPT® elements, producing a distinctive contemporary visual language that is both highly technical and exceptionally detailed. The tourbillon cage itself becomes a defining feature of the display, incorporating numeral indications directly into its architecture rather than functioning merely as a rotating mechanism beneath the dial.

Accented in black and orange, the carbon version delivers a particularly assertive and motorsport-inspired expression of the model. The openworked dial reveals the complex mechanics in full, from the chronograph system to the torque and power-reserve indications, creating the layered, architectural visual identity for which Richard Mille is renowned.

Rare, mechanically complex, and unmistakably modern, the RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ferrari is a collector-grade statement piece. It combines one of watchmaking’s most demanding chronograph complications with cutting-edge materials and the discreet prestige of Ferrari—an exceptional creation for collectors who appreciate high-technology horology at its most uncompromising.

Richard Mille – Bio

Richard Mille (born 13 February 1951, in France) started work at Finhor, a local watchmaking company in 1974. The company was bought by Matra in 1981 and Richard Mille rose to manage Matra’s watchmaking business, which then included the brands Yema and Cupillard Rième. Matra’s watchmaking activities were sold to Seiko, who Mille left in 1992 to start a watchmaking business for jewellery firm Mauboussin. In 1999 he founded the company Richard Mille SA in collaboration with Audemars Piguet. Its first product, the RM001 went on sale in 2001