The intersection of elite motorsport and high-end watchmaking is a space defined by a mutual obsession with performance, precision, and material innovation. Within this demanding arena, the partnership between Richard Mille and the Le Mans Classic stands as a benchmark of authentic collaboration. This relationship is not one of mere sponsorship but a deeply ingrained connection built on a shared reverence for mechanical beauty and competitive spirit. The biennial Le Mans Classic event resurrects the golden eras of endurance racing, and for each edition since 2008, Richard Mille has created a dedicated timepiece, a mechanical tribute to the roaring engines and heroic drivers of the past. For the upcoming 12th edition in 2025, this tradition continues with the introduction of the RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic.
Scheduled to take place from July 3rd to 6th, 2025, the Le Mans Classic is a spectacular celebration of automotive history. The event transforms the legendary 13.6 km Circuit de la Sarthe into a moving museum, featuring around 750 historic race cars that once vied for victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. These vehicles, dating from 1923 through the early 2000s, are grouped into six distinct grids, each representing a specific era of endurance racing. The competition itself is a grueling 24-hour affair, a nod to the iconic race that inspires the event. The passion extends beyond the track, with over 9,000 classic cars from various clubs and private collectors showcased, attracting a massive audience that grew from 30,000 in its first year to over 235,000 in 2023.
Courtesy of Richard Mille
Richard Mille's role as a principal partner since the event's inception in 2002 underscores a profound commitment that goes beyond branding. The brand’s ethos is deeply rooted in the principles of racing engineering, where weight reduction, shock resistance, and reliability are paramount. This passion is not just philosophical; members of the Richard Mille family, including Maxime Guenat, son of co-founder Dominique Guenat, actively compete in high-level historic car racing. This direct involvement ensures that the automotive inspiration behind the watches is not just a marketing concept but a lived experience, translating the visceral feel of the track into tangible, wearable technology.
The RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is the eleventh special edition created for the event, a machine for the wrist that channels the spirit of the race. Limited to 150 pieces, the timepiece immediately distinguishes itself with the signature Le Mans Classic colorway. The case construction features bezels made from Grade 5 titanium, which provides a stark, metallic contrast to the vibrant Green Quartz TPT® caseband. This green, a core color of the event, is carried through to the vented rubber strap, creating a cohesive and purposeful look. Accents of orange and white on the dial further enhance the racing livery aesthetic, while a subtle checkered flag motif framing the oversized date window at 4 o'clock serves as a direct homage to the finish line.
Visually, the watch presents an intricate and layered dial that draws the eye deep into the mechanics. The skeletonized design is not arbitrary; its architectural bridges and plates are crafted to evoke the flowing lines of a racetrack. The tonneau-shaped case, a hallmark of the brand, measures 42.00 mm wide, 49.94 mm long, and 14.15 mm thick, creating a substantial yet ergonomically considered presence on the wrist. On the reverse, the sapphire crystal caseback is adorned with the official Le Mans Classic logo, providing an unobstructed view of the sophisticated Calibre RMAR2 movement within and solidifying the watch's identity as a commemorative edition.
Courtesy of Richard Mille
The case of the RM 30-01 is a product of a holistic design philosophy that mirrors the construction of a Formula 1 car. In this approach, the case and movement are developed in complete harmony, functioning as a single, integrated unit. The tripartite case is meticulously assembled with 20 spline screws in Grade 5 titanium, ensuring a robust structure and water resistance to 50 meters, secured by three Nitrile O-ring seals. A key feature of this construction is the absence of a traditional casing ring. Instead, the movement is mounted on chassis mounting rubbers (ISO SW) and fixed directly to the chassis, a technique that enhances shock protection and rigidity.
The materials chosen for the case are central to its performance characteristics. Grade 5 titanium, an alloy of 90% titanium, 6% aluminum, and 4% vanadium, is used for the front and back bezels. This material is favored in the aerospace and automotive industries for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and high corrosion resistance. The caseband is crafted from Green Quartz TPT®, a proprietary material made by impregnating fine layers of silica with a green resin. The layers are stacked and then heated under pressure, resulting in a material that is incredibly light, strong, and features a unique, striated pattern, making each case visually distinct.
At the core of the RM 30-01 LMC lies the skeletonized automatic Calibre RMAR2. This movement is a showcase of Richard Mille's technical prowess, with its baseplate and bridges also milled from Grade 5 titanium. Subjecting these components to extensive validation tests ensures they meet rigorous strength requirements while maintaining an exceptionally low weight. The movement’s dimensions are 31.25 x 29.45 mm with a thickness of just 5.41 mm, a testament to the brand's skill in complex miniaturization. The finishing is immaculate, with hand-ground, wet sandblasted, and grey electroplasma treated surfaces creating a modern, technical aesthetic.
One of the most notable features on the dial is the function selector. Operated by a pusher at 2 o’clock, this mechanism works like a car’s gearbox, allowing the wearer to cycle between a neutral position (N), a winding position (W), and a hand-setting position (H). An indicator hand at the 3 o’clock position clearly displays the selected function, preventing any accidental adjustments and simplifying the operation of the crown. This intuitive system is a hallmark of Richard Mille’s focus on user-friendly functionality amidst mechanical complexity.
Courtesy of Richard Mille
Adjacent to the function selector is a new complication developed specifically for this edition: a 24-hour counter located at 2 o'clock. This display, driven directly by the hour wheel, pays tribute to the endurance nature of the Le Mans race. In a thoughtful detail, the numeral "16" on this counter is shaded in green, a specific reference to 4 PM, the traditional start time of the legendary race. This small but significant detail deeply embeds the watch within the lore of the event it celebrates.
The dial also features a prominent oversized date display housed in a horizontal aperture at 4 o’clock. The semi-instantaneous date change is framed by a checkered flag design, another visual link to motorsport. Above this, the skeletonized hands sweep across a complex landscape of gears and bridges. The power reserve indicator, located in the upper-left quadrant of the dial near 10 o'clock, clearly communicates the remaining energy of the mainspring, which offers a total of approximately 55 hours of running time.
Perhaps the most ingenious technical feature of the Calibre RMAR2 is its patented declutchable, variable-geometry rotor. This system addresses a common issue in automatic watches: the potential for overwinding when the mainspring is fully tensioned. In a conventional system, a sliding flange prevents this but can cause the buildup of harmful debris over time. Richard Mille’s solution is far more sophisticated. The rotor automatically disengages from the winding barrel once the power reserve reaches its 55-hour maximum.
This declutching mechanism is controlled by a specially developed gear system linked to the power reserve. When the power falls to 40 hours, the rotor automatically re-engages to begin the winding process again. This cycle ensures the mainspring operates within its optimal torque range, which is crucial for maintaining chronometric performance. A clutch engagement indicator at 11 o’clock informs the wearer whether the rotor is actively winding ("on") or disengaged ("off"). This innovative system not only protects the movement but also enhances its precision.
Courtesy of Richard Mille
The rotor itself is a piece of high-tech engineering. It features a central flange in Grade 5 titanium, a heavy metal weight segment for efficient winding, and 18K white gold wings. These wings can be adjusted to five different positions, allowing a watchmaker to modify the rotor’s inertia to match the owner's activity level—more active individuals require slower winding, while less active individuals need a more responsive setting. This personalization ensures the winding is always optimized for the wearer's lifestyle.
The regulating organ of the movement is a free-sprung balance with variable inertia. This design eschews a traditional regulator index in favor of four small, adjustable weights located directly on the balance wheel. This allows for a more precise and stable calibration, and it significantly improves the watch's reliability when subjected to shocks—a critical consideration for a watch with such a strong connection to the world of high-impact motorsport. The balance oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), ensuring reliable accuracy.
Further enhancing the movement's performance is a double-barrel system. This setup improves the stability of the torque delivered to the gear train over a longer period. By distributing the energy across two barrels, pressure and friction on the gears, bearings, and pivots are reduced, which contributes to the movement's long-term performance and durability. The entire gear train is optimized for efficiency, with wheels featuring special profiles to ensure excellent power transmission.
The finishing of the Calibre RMAR2 is executed to the highest standards, with every component meticulously decorated by hand. The titanium components feature micro-blasted and PVD-treated surfaces, while steel parts are sapphire-blasted and hand-drawn. The anglage (the beveling and polishing of edges) and polished screw slots demonstrate an uncompromising attention to detail that is visible from both the dial side and through the sapphire caseback.
Courtesy of Richard Mille
Complementing the intricate case and movement is a green rubber strap designed for both comfort and style. The strap features a vented design, which not only aids in breathability but also echoes the cooling vents found on high-performance race cars. The vibrant green color perfectly matches the Green Quartz TPT® caseband, creating a unified and sporty appearance that completes the Le Mans Classic theme.
The Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is a highly exclusive creation, reflecting its sophisticated engineering and its status as a tribute to a prestigious event. Production is strictly limited to 150 pieces worldwide, a number that ensures its rarity among collectors. As is customary for timepieces of this caliber and complexity, the price is available only upon request, a practice that underscores its position in the upper echelon of modern watchmaking.
Case: Grade 5 titanium front and back bezels with a Green Quartz TPT® caseband. Dimensions: 42.00 mm x 49.94 mm x 14.15 mm. Sapphire crystal front and back with anti-glare treatment. Water resistant to 50 metres.
Movement: Calibre RMAR2, skeletonised automatic-winding movement. Power reserve of approximately 55 hours. Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz). 38 jewels. Features a patented declutchable variable-geometry rotor, function selector, and double-barrel system.
Dial: Sapphire dial (0.40 mm thick) with anti-glare treatment. Features hours, minutes, seconds, oversize date at 4 o'clock, function selector indicator at 3 o'clock, power-reserve indicator, clutch engagement indicator, and a 24-hour display at 2 o'clock.
Strap: Vented green rubber strap.
Price: Price on request.
Reference Number: RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic
Notes: Limited edition of 150 pieces created for the 12th edition of the Le Mans Classic. The 24-hour counter at 2 o'clock features a green-shaded "16" to reference the race's start time. The oversize date window is framed with a checkered flag motif.