Richard Mille is well known for other things, but ultra-thin watches are not one of them. As a result, it should surprise some people that the Swiss luxury sports watch company has just created the thinnest watch ever.
The RM UP-01 Ferrari is 0.05mm, or slightly less than three percent, thinner than the previous record-holder, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra, measuring just 1.75mm from dial to caseback.
Instead of integrating its mechanism into the caseback like the Bulgari and its predecessor, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, the Richard Mille uses a separate movement. The 4Hz manually wound RMUP-01 movement weighs 2.82gm and measures just 1.18mm thick, making it the thinnest mechanical movement ever made.
Despite having world-beating dimensions, the RMUP-01’s single barrel and fine-gauge mainspring enable it to maintain a respectable 45-hour power reserve. The movement’s baseplate and skeletonized bridges are made of grade 5 titanium.
Two integrated crowns in the shape of cassette tapes, one for function selection and two thinner-than-sapphire sapphire crystals covering the time display and the regulating mechanism, ensure the watch’s water resistance to ten meters.
The watch is also the first timepiece to result from the five-year Richard Mille and Ferrari partnership, which was announced last year. The movement, which features an entirely new ultra-flat escapement, was developed with Audemars Piguet Le Locle, formerly known as Renaud et Papi. There is more information about the watch on its website.
The RM UP-01 Ferrari will cost $1.888M USD when it debuts and is limited to 150 pieces.
