RICHARD MILLE RM 50-03 TOURBILLON SPLIT SECONDS CHRONOGRAPH ULTRALIGHT MCLAREN F1
tronger than diamond, more conductive than copper and more flexible than rubber,” wrote the BBC in 2013, waxing lyrical about graphene, the “wonder material” that’s extracted from graphite (the lead on your pencil) and consists of a single layer of carbon that’s only one atom thick. It was discovered in 2004, but its usage has thus far been limited, due to its high cost of production. Thanks to its advantageous properties, graphene is being explored in a multitude of industries, from medicine to electronics, but we’re sure that the scientists who discovered this material didn’t anticipate its latest avatar—that of a watch case material. Trust the idea to come from Richard Mille, the rebellious watchmaker who’s constantly pushing the limits of material construction. The material debuted in the brand’s newest timepiece in collaboration with Mclaren-honda, the RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight Mclaren F1, in the form of Graph TPT. Essentially, this combo features layers of graphene with TPT Carbon, a material that the brand has been experimenting with extensively. TPT Carbon is made of carbon fibre interwoven with resin, and Graph TPT makes for an ultra-light alternative to conventional cases: it’s six times lighter than stainless steel, and 200 times stronger. In fact, when we were introduced to the watch at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, it was hurled to the centre of the room to reinforce its strength and resilience. The development of the timepiece began in 2016 with the partnership between Richard Mille and Mclaren-honda. The eponymous founder of Richard Mille fell in love with life in the fast lane when he attended his first Grand Prix in Monaco in 1966 with his father, and his brand’s tagline, “A racing machine for the wrist” alludes to the influence the world of automotive has had on the watchmaker. The racing industry has inspired the usage of carbon in his watches, its signature case shape from the form of a supercar and determined its brand partners, which include Romain Grosjean and now, Mclaren. It was during Richard Mille’s visits to the Mclaren Technology Centre that he was impressed with the work done there, and discussions between both partners resulted in the development of Graph TPT. The Mclaren Applied Technologies research and development team produced the material, while the team at the Richard Mille manufacture worked on techniques to programme, tool and machine this material. Elements harkening to Mclaren abound on the timepiece: the hollow pushers recall the air vents of its Formula One cars, while accents of red, green and yellow on the hands, power reserve and torque indicators are the team’s official colours. The RM 50-03 weighs a mere 40g, and the movement, a scant 7g. But it’s no featherweight as it can also withstand shocks up to 5,000g. This, despite being equipped with a tourbillon as well as a split-seconds chronograph—a technically stellar movement that was developed by APR&P (Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi). This was made possible by materials like titanium and TPT Carbon, which were used in the baseplate, bridges and other skeletonised components. Priced at CHF980,000, the watch’s lucky owner will be pleased to know that he (or she) will be one in 75 to own this piece of horological history.