PINNACLE OF INNOVATION

The new RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph McLaren W1 is Richard Mille’s most complex automatic chronograph to date. — Photos: Richard Mille

Marrying automotive legacy with Richard Mille’s drive for technicity, the newly launched RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph McLaren W1 is a masterpiece in automotive-inspired horology.

Two brands synonymous with innovations and performance, Richard Mille and McLaren, recently unveiled the cutting-edge timepiece which combines intricate watchmaking craftsmanship with automotive technology design.

Limited to 500 pieces, this is the fourth creation to emerge from this collaboration with the celebrated British supercar maker, which has been ongoing since 2016.

The new McLaren W1 supercar that inspired the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 is the groundbreaking successor to two of the greatest supercars ever – the McLaren F1 (1992) and McLaren P1 TM (2013) – and elevates the McLaren “1” car lineage to new heights in every aspect of performance.

The McLaren W1 is engineered to be the brand’s most focused and advanced supercar to date.

For the RM 65-01 McLaren W1, the design of the watch reflects the cutting edge, high-performance features of the car in terms of its shape, materials and functionality as well as the “engine” that powers it. Masterpiece of automotive-inspired horologyRichard Mille’s partnership with McLaren consistently strives to achieve the pinnacle of innovation and excellence in both brands’ respective fields, where relentless performance seamlessly merges with aesthetic beauty.

Almost a decade into the partnership, this synergy continues to push the boundaries of possibility and performance, with the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 exemplifying this spirit of inventiveness, transforming traditional watchmaking into a unique art form.

Since forming their long-term partnership, Richard Mille and McLaren have created three previous watch models: RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 in 2017, RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph McLaren in 2018 and RM 40-01 Automatic Tourbillon McLaren Speedtail in 2021.

The RM 65-01 McLaren W1 is perfect for daily use thanks to both the built-inrobustness of the 480-part movement and its variable geometry winding rotor thatcan be adjusted to the wearer’s lifestyle.

While the partnership was officially forged in 2016, Richard Mille, the man, was already bewitched by Bruce McLaren as far back as 1966 after seeing the New Zealand-born driver competing at the Monaco Grand Prix in the original McLaren Formula One car, the M2B.

Mille continues to be fascinated with the McLaren marque’s engineering genius, and the obsessive attention to detail that led to Bruce McLaren becoming a motorsport legend – despite his death in 1970 at the age of 32.

His team survived him and has gone on to win (so far) a dozen Driver’s World Championships and eight Constructor’s Championships.

Bespoke bodywork

The McLaren W1 is engineered to be the brand’s most focused and advanced supercar to date, so it is only fitting that the watch that complements it is among the most technically complex of all Richard Mille’s “Racing Machines on the Wrist”.

Wrapping around the automatic split-seconds chronograph movement of the watch just as the W1’s swooping bodywork cocoons its engine and occupants, the watch’s 43.84mm x 49.94mm x 16.19mm Carbon TPT case was inspired by the car’s design features.

In 2022, Richard Mille creative and development director Cecile Guenat, along with the creative team, were given exclusive access to the first clay mock-ups of the W1 in order to take inspiration from its shape – and determined that a view of the car from above would be the starting point.

The W1’s striking design which is built around the unique McLaren “aero-cell” architecture gave rise to the RM 65-01 McLaren W1’s indented “double” bezel which posed one of the greatest technical challenges in the development of the watch.

Drawing from the W1’s compact and muscular shape, high waist line and anhedral door, the Carbon TPT bezel sits upon a satin-finished and polished grade 5 titanium second bezel, its curves revealing the Carbon TPT caseband which adds depth and emphasises the watch’s contours.

The crown, specifically designed for this watch and based on the splines seen on the W1’s drive shafts, is made from grade 5 titanium with a partial, easy-to-grip rubber coating in McLaren papaya orange and a tip adorned with the McLaren ‘Speedmark’.

It required nine months of work, during which eight prototype designs were experimented with – the upper bezel part is a mere five tenths of a millimetre thick at its thinnest point (the equivalent of five Post-It notes).

“Ultimately, we discovered that the only way to achieve the desired result was by machining it from underneath. This design incorporates the brand’s thinnest titanium bezel to date, measuring just 0.50mm at its thinnest point,” said Richard Mille casing technical director Julien Boillat.

The brand also developed a new skeletonised titanium dial design based on the McLaren’s wheel rim patterns and subtly highlighting details with colours that are synonymous with the brand, evoking the feel of a supercar dashboard and more importantly, enhance the practicality of the watch in use.

A true driver’s watch, it features the celebrated “function selector” crown, which operates along the lines of a transmission selector by giving the option to choose between three different positions W for “Winding”, D for “Date” or H for “Hand-Setting”.

The new McLaren W1 supercar that inspired the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 is the groundbreaking successor to two of the greatest supercars ever – the McLaren F1 (1992) and McLaren P1 TM (2013).

The crown, specifically designed for this particular watch and based on the splines seen on the W1’s drive shafts, is made from grade 5 titanium with a partial, easy-to-grip rubber coating in McLaren papaya orange and a tip adorned with the McLaren “Speedmark”.

Wheel rim details also inspired the shape of the chronograph pushers and rapid winding pusher, all of which are mounted on titanium frames based on the cut-outs seen in the lightweight seats typically used in McLaren supercars.

The aerodynamic angles of the foils and ducts found on the W1’s engine cover and ground-effect spoilers are reflected in patterns seen on the papaya orange rubber strap, while turning the watch over and looking through the sapphire crystal case back reveals the superbly-finished movement.

Unmatched complexity

At the heart of the watch beats the extraordinary RMAC4 movement, an intricate mechanism which offers a symphony of precision and functionality.

Richard Mille’s ultimate automatic chronograph equipped with a split-seconds chronograph beats at an appropriately high speed of 5Hz or 36,000 vibrations per hour.

The watch’s superbly-finished movement can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback.

This high rate of oscillation enables the RMAC4 chronograph to record elapsed times down to just one tenth of a second, while the movement’s vertical clutch and the two six-column wheels ensure precise and ultra-smooth activation of the chronograph functions.

In true automotive style, the RM 65-01 McLaren W1’s movement sits on chassis mounting rubbers secured by grade 5 titanium spline screws (instead of being held in place by a conventional casing ring) and features a “rapid winding” function which enables the 60-hour power reserve to be fully recharged by multiple pressures on a special Orange Quartz TPT pusher.

Exceeding expectations

To the carmaker, cars bestowed as “1” cars have to be the ultimate expression of McLaren’s supercar first principles: the same principles that forged the F1 and the P1.

“The W1 was designed to give the driver everything they need and nothing they don’t. It’s about a combination of epic power delivery, incredible performance and a high level of theatre both on the racetrack and the road. It is a daunting task to reflect these attributes in a watch, but Richard Mille has exceeded expectations with the RM65-01 McLaren W1,” said McLaren Automotive global marketing director Andrea Bermudez.

With 1275PS available from its high-performance hybrid powertrain (comprising an all-new twin-turbocharged V8 engine and E-module), the W1 provides epic power delivery and is officially the fastest road car ever produced by McLaren Automotive.

To keep it on the road (or track), the W1 features the most advanced aero package ever used by the marque – part of which is a truly astounding rear wing, the McLaren Active Long Tail.

A Carbon TPT bezel sits on satin-finished and polished grade 5 titanium, showcasing advanced engineering.

The Active Long Tail is deployed in high performance situations, unfurling from behind the engine canopy in an almost balletic movement that sees it rise-up and extend backwards by 300mm.

Combined with the many other elements of the W1’s aero package, the wing helps to produce a remarkable 1,000 kg of downforce that enables the car to literally stick to the surface of road or track.

Seen from above, the car’s cockpit area has an almost fighter-jet appearance, while the spectacular anhedral doors not only enhance that important sense of theatre but also contribute to the car’s incredible aerodynamic performance.With bodywork made entirely from carbon fibre around an all-new carbon fibre McLaren Aerocell, the W1 can be ordered in an incredible choice of exterior and interior finishes – allowing buyers to make their car completely bespoke.

The McLaren W1 also marks the world’s first application of their patented McLaren InnoKnit material, an infinitely flexible, seamlessly integrated, super light material.

Through InnoKnit McLaren are able to integrate lighting and sound components under one surface, reducing weight without impacting performance.

In keeping with McLaren’s “performance everywhere” principle ensuring that the W1 is the ultimate supercar, the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 is also perfect for daily use thanks to both the built-in robustness of the 480-part movement and its variable geometry winding rotor that can be adjusted to the wearer’s lifestyle.