• A unique format to celebrate 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
  
• Presentation of the latest timepiece dedicated to the 2023 edition, the RM 72-01 Le Mans Classic

Live your passion and go beyond your limits to then cross the finish line after an unrivalled technical and sporting performance! These are just a few of the similarities shared by Richard Mille and the legendary biennial Le Mans Classic since they first joined forces in 2002. Richard Mille embodies many motor sport values in the quest for ultimate performance. In fact, the brand’s commitment to the sport will be demonstrated once again with a significant presence at this year’s 11^th edition of Le Mans Classic, which will also be a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the world’s most prestigious races.

From June 29 to July 2, a huge gathering of vintage cars will return to the legendary Le Mans circuit. Some 800 racing cars will be on the track, with a further 8,500 club cars on display in the general enclosure, along with 150 exhibitors and 1,000 drivers representing 30 different countries and more than 200,000 expected visitors, an unprecedented number since the event was created in 2002! Many cars that have either won the famous endurance race or made their mark on its history will be present. An entire century of history makes it an unmissable event.

As in previous editions, competition vehicles will be divided into six grids, one for each of the six flagship eras from 1923 to 1981. Competitors will take to the track in a vintage format start - for the oldest cars - or a rolling start.

In addition to the main event, there will also be four support races: one for Group C cars, two races dedicated to Bentley and Porsche, the Endurance Racing Legends, featuring cars that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans until 2010, such as the Audi R8, Bentley Speed 8, 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo and McLaren F1.

Among the attractions not to be missed are the traditional Little Big Mans race for children and a special exhibition in the museum of the greatest cars from the 24 Hours. Brought from private collections and museums around the world, a total of 90 cars that were either victorious in the race or emblematic of its history will also be on display.

Furthermore, the Fédération française des véhicules d’époque (the French Federation of Vintage Cars) has assembled 24 cars that competed in the very first edition of the endurance race, offering visitors a journey back in time with such famous manufacturers as Amilcar, Bentley, Delage, Lorraine-Dietrich and Salmson, to name but a few.

Richard Mille’s involvement in the automotive world is well-established. With a strong commitment to racing circuits, supporting teams and drivers and particularly women in the sport, it was only natural for the brand to be involved with Le Mans Classic at every level from the very beginning. Watches have been specifically developed for every edition since 2008, each one in the event’s colours. This edition is no exception in joining all the previous editions that have all become collectables.

Limited to 150 pieces, the RM 72-01 LMC is suited for the occasion with a combination of green and white Quartz TPT®.

Echoing the performance of the cars that will compete during a double lap of the dial on the 13.626 kilometres of the Le Mans circuit, the hands of the flyback chronograph are coordinated. The 16 on the hour counter is underlined in red, a nod to the traditional start time of the endurance race. Performance achieved, victory celebrated: jubilation overcomes every competitor as they cross the chequered flag, the pattern of which is featured on the titanium dial.

A celebration of technology and elegance, the RM 72-01 LMC boasts the company’s first flyback chronograph, featuring a patented double oscillating pinion clutch mechanism for optimum performance. The redesigned self-winding movement with hours, minutes, small seconds, date, and a function indicator has a 50-hour power reserve, whether or not the chronograph is in use.

An ideal watch developed for everyday wear, built with pure mechanical precision, an ambassador of a legendary event that has become internationally renowned.

Limited edition to 150 pieces

In-house calibre CRMC1: skeletonised movement with automatic bidirectional winding and hours, minutes, small seconds, date, flyback chronograph, function indicator and stop seconds.

Case dimensions: 38.40 x 47.34 x 11.68 mm



Power reserve: circa 50 hours (±10%)

Baseplate and bridges in grade 5 titanium
The baseplate and the bridges are crafted in grade 5 titanium, a biocompatible, highly corrosion-resistant and remarkably rigid alloy, ensuring the gear train functions smoothly. The alloy is 90% titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium. The use of micro-blasted grade 5 titanium in combination with a grey electroplasma treatment confers great rigidity on the entire assembly and gives rigorously even surfaces. This combination enhances the alloy’s mechanical properties, which explains its frequent use in the aerospace, aeronautics and automotive industries.

The skeletonised baseplate and the bridges were subjected to long and exacting validation tests to ensure they meet the most rigorous standards applied to resistance and ageing.

Date
Semi-instantaneous and displayed in a vertical aperture at 7 o’clock.

Flyback chronograph with oscillating pinions (patented mechanism)
This new type of flyback chronograph, patented by Richard Mille, splitting the torque generated across the chronograph’s various counters. The display and the connection to the minutes and hours are disengaged from the chronograph’s seconds wheel.

The performance of this chronograph is superlative. Drawing power directly from the barrel to supply the chronograph’s three counters, this heightened energy is transmitted to the chronograph train by a coupling system consisting of two oscillating pinions mounted on rockers. Controlling the start, stop, flyback and reset functions, the rockers are activated by a 6-column wheel whose construction optimises the simultanity of actions and the proper latching of functions, whilst ensuring the longevity of the settings.

This invention constitutes a major advancement in the calculation of times. Less sensitive to disturbance and less voluminous than standard mechanisms, the disassociation of the chronograph function from the daily time measurement means that the rate of the base movement is entirely unaffected when the chronograph is activated.

Using the pusher located at 4 o’clock, the running chronograph hand can be reset without first having to stop the mechanism. This system was originally developed for driver to avoid losing time (and accuracy) due to stopping, resetting and restarting their chronographs when passing through waypoints.

When the chronograph function is active, the hours (24-hour counter) and minutes (60-minute counter) are visible via the two counters located at 5 o’clock and 2 o’clock, the elapsed seconds being indicated by the central seconds.

Function indicator
In a manner similar to a car’s gearbox, the function indicator makes it possible to identify the winding, neutral and handsetting positions as the crown is pulled out. The active position is indicated via a hand at 3 o’clock pointing to the following functions: W (Winding) – D (Date Adjusting) – H (Hand Setting).

Free-sprung balance with variable inertia
This type of balance wheel guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shocks and also during movement assembly and disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.
The regulator index is eliminated and a more accurate and repeatable adjustment is possible, thanks to 4 small, adjustable weights located directly on the balance.

Platinum rotor
By using a rotor in platinum with ceramic ball bearings in combination with a One Way® reverser system, the barrel can be optimally wound whilst keeping its size compact.

Fast rotating barrel (5 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours)
This type of barrel provides the following advantages:

• The phenomenon of periodic internal mainspring adhesion is significantly diminished, thereby enhancing performance.
  
• Excellent delta of the mainspring curve with a power reserve that offers the ideal balance of performance and regularity.

Gear teeth profile
The entire going train of the watch, the primary transmitter of power throughout the movement, utilises a special profile for the teeth of the wheels, ensuring a 20° pressure angle. This system equalises any discrepancies that might arise among the centres of the wheels, for instance due to thermal changes and normal use, and promotes the smooth transmission of torque to the balance wheel, thus supporting excellent chronometric results.

Spline screws in grade 5 titanium for the bridges and case
These screws enable better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. They are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly, and age well.

• Mouvement dimensions: 29.10 x 31.25 mm
  
• Thickness: 6.05 mm
  
• Number of jewels: 39
  
• Balance wheel: CuBe, à 4 arms, 4 setting weights, moment of inertia 7.5 mg•cm², angle of lift 50°
  
• Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
  
• Balance spring: AK 3
  
• Shock protection: INCABLOC 908.22.211.100 (transparent)
  
• Three-position stem: manual winding, date adjusting, time setting

Case
The design and manufacture of the watch embody a global approach to the case, dial and every part of the movement. Thus the timepiece is created as a harmonious whole according to extremely rigorous specifications. The casing ring is eliminated, and the movement is fixed to the chassis with four titanium screws and silent blocks (ISO SW).
This shows the emphasis placed on uncompromising high quality.

This model is available in full grade 5 titanium, full 5N red gold, black TZP ceramic and white ATZ ceramic with the case band in 5N red gold. For each version, the pushers are in black TZP ceramic and 5N red gold.

The case is made of Quartz TPT®. It is composed of over 600 layers of parallel filaments obtained from separating silica threads. These layers, no thicker than 45 microns, are saturated in a white or green resin developed specially for Richard Mille and woven on a special machine that modifies the direction of the weft by 45° between layers. It is then heated to 120°C and subjected to a pressure of 6 bars in an autoclave similar to those used to make aeronautical components, before the material is ready for machining on a CNC machine at Richard Mille’s case factory.

Machining unveils the various Quartz TPT® layers at random, ensuring that each machined component is unique. Quartz fibres are generally used for very high performance applications due to their resistance to high temperatures, their strength, and their transparency to electromagnetic waves.

Crown
In grade 5 titanium and black TZP ceramic with a collar in rubber.

Upper flange
In carbon fibre; hour-markers filled with an approved luminous material.

Dial
In grade 5 titanium
Thickness: 1.17 mm

Crystal

• Bezel side: in sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare coating (both sides)
  Thickness: 1.00 mm
  
• Case back: in sapphire with anti-glare coating (on both sides)
  Thickness: 1.00 mm at the centre and 1,75 mm at the outer edges

Movement

• Microblasted and hand-polished chamfering for the bridges
  
• Microblasted milled sections
  
• Microblasted and hand-polished sinks for the bridges
  
• Electroplasma treatment for the baseplate and the bridges

Steel parts

• Satin brushed surfaces
  
• Hand-polished chamfered edges
  
• Hand-polished sinks
  
• Drawn edges

Profile-turning

• Polished tips
  
• Burnished pivots
  
• Polished post faces

Wheels

• iamond-polished sinks
  
• Diamond-polished angles
  
• Circular finished faces
  
• Rhodium plating (before cutting the teeth)