The combination of Richard Mille, Scuderia Ferrari and the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix can only guarantee a day to remember. The Perpetual Passion team was hosted on Saturday 11 September in the Ferrari hospitality thanks to Richard Mille's team for taking part in the FP2 and Sprint Qualification of the 14th round of the Formula 1 world championship. we will propose the exclusive shots of some watches together with the discussions with the customers of the brand present at the racetrack.

THE DAY

Strong passion, adrenaline and fun, these were the main characteristics that distinguished the time spent on the circuit. Following both free practice and the sprint qualification right above the Ferrari garage and with the possibility of listening to the radio communication channel between the wall and the drivers (Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc) through headphones is exciting. Especially during hectic moments, such as Carlos Sainz's wall exit during FP2 at the Ascari variant or the start of the Sprint Qualify, the atmosphere was extremely engaging and engages you in a world in which enormous efforts and obsession with details are converted into a few tenths per lap earned, just as happens for some characteristics of the Richard Mille.

At the end of the day it was then possible to make a lap at low speed which allowed us to see closely how rubberized the asphalt was and to make a comparison with the travel speeds of a Formula 1 car. The technical level reached from these cars is really impressive.

THE WATCHES
Thanks to the presence of some customers, we had the opportunity to try some very interesting watches at poslo.
The first we would like to talk about is theRM 35-02 Rafael Nadal, that is the latest version of the “RM 035” collection dedicated to the Macino di Manacor. It features a case made entirely of Carbon TPT® (or Quartz TPT® red and white) and equipped with the automatic caliber RMAL1, the automatic version of the RMUL3 caliber mounted on the RM 35-01.

It is one of the most successful watches for the brand since it maintains the same stylistic and design line of the "RM 027" collection, that is the maximum technical expression of the time-only calibers with tourbillon, while presenting a degree of complication, and therefore of price. , decidedly inferior having a traditional escapement. Its main features are lightness, good shock resistance and sensational comfort. Its last list price stood at just under € 150.000 and is now out of production.

Subsequently, we got to see a real rarity that we didn't know existed. It is a RM 010 made exclusively for the Middle East market with white gold case. As you can see, on the dial, obtained through a thin sapphire crystal plate, there are Arabic indexes made with a particular graphic. As for the self-winding RMAS7 caliber, there are no changes and the date position at 7 o'clock remains unchanged. Only 10 pieces should have been made for this version.

OPINIONS SHARED WITH THE RM COMMUNITY

Opportunities for open discussion have now become a rarity due to the pandemic that has hit us for almost two years now. Having been able to meet enthusiasts and exoponents of the brand again was therefore a great opportunity to exchange some opinions both with customers and with the exponents of the brand.

Among them, the common opinion prevails that Richard Mille is a real milestone in the world of watchmaking. Indeed, like it or not, this is now a fact. By objectively analyzing the watch market starting from the early 2000s in commercial, technical and stylistic terms, it emerged how this brand has made school and how many competitors have tried to follow the same path that Richard had taken. The examples that testify to this fact are numerous, such as the materials (sapphire cases), the profitable and structured use of sports ambassadors (dedicated watches are actually used during sports performances), the wide use of limited editions, the shapes used (tonneau), the extremeization of technicalities and the creation of a new and very high market segment.

There was clearly a pre- and post-MRI and we can say that Richard Mille has pushed modern watchmaking towards horizons considered historically unapproachable, such as using a tourbillon watch in conditions of strong pulses and intense shocks. Not only that, it has essentially created a new market segment characterized by astronomical prices, but based on technical contents and not only on the use of precious stones or materials.

With Richard Mille, more than with any other brand, stopping at the aesthetics of the watch leads to not enjoying the real added values ​​that it possesses. You have to go beyond your own aesthetic taste and try to understand what lies behind it, what are the hidden technicalities and, above all, try them on the wrist. Despite the size of some references, the ergonomics of the RMs are perhaps the best in the entire watch industry and is capable of offering great comfort even to slender wrists.

To conclude, we have dealt with the discourse relating to the future moves of the brand. During these two years of forced changes, Richard Mille has been very active and is ready to further expand the services reserved for customers, including that for the second wrist, with the Milan boutique at the center of his strategy. Stay tuned for future news.


I would like to thank all the customers, the Richard Mille EMEA team and the staff of the Milan boutique for their great courtesy and reserved availability towards Perpetual Passion.