In pushing the boundaries of mechanical possibility, the RM UP-01 Ferrari is driving a recalibration of horological design and aesthetics.
The evocative form of an elegantly proportioned watch or the stunning, purposeful lines of a supercar may bear the hallmarks of an artist’s hand. Yet, more often than not, their fundamental forms are dictated by functional necessity. The architecture of the engine, the ergonomics and particularly the performance envelope all contribute to the final form.
Both Ferrari and Richard Mille have a track record of developing mechanisms that are not only elegant but also highly functional. Renowned for their pursuit of performance, both brands are notorious for refusing to compromise and are unapologetic about rejecting trends. Their willingness to forge their own course is precisely what enables progress and innovation in their design and aesthetics.
Each Richard Mille timepiece is designed for a specific environment and niche—be it motorsport, lifestyle, athletics or art. Whether tonneau-shaped, round or ultra-flat, the form must logically follow the function, in perfect harmony with the brand’s core principles. These principles encompass a strong architectural dimension, uncompromising attention to detail, impeccable ergonomics and, above all, the elimination of the superfluous.
Without unwavering dedication to this philosophy, the conception of the RM UP-01 Ferrari would have been inconceivable.
Designing Beyond Limits
In creating the RM UP-01 Ferrari, the biggest challenge, according to Julien Boillat, Technical Director for Cases at Richard Mille, was not whether a 1.75mm-thick watch could be created but whether it would be up to the rigors of daily use.
For the designers and engineers on the project, this was a journey deep into unchartered territory. “In terms of casing, watchmaking standards stipulate a minimum section thickness of 0.35mm in certain places. However, we are sometimes at 0.18mm,” says Boillat. “Extensive laboratory testing was necessary to ensure the components offered the needed strength despite the reduction in material. The rigidity despite ultraminimal thickness is one of the essential features of this model.”
To complicate matters, the designers were not given the free reign of a clean slate but had to operate under strict design parameters. “We felt it was important to stick with a traditional watch construction of a movement assembled in a case. We did not want to use the caseback as the baseplate,” says Boillat. For this reason, the RM UP-01 Ferrari began life by adopting the long tonneau shape of the legendary RM 67-01.
The latter, however, had a case thickness of 3mm. To reduce the thickness, engineers calculated they had to increase the surface area correspondingly by widening the watch. A task much easier said than done.
“Just to find the ideal geometry required about 10 3D prints,” says Boillat. Then came materials testing of approximately 20 prototypes before Grade 5 titanium was selected due to its performance in aging and torsional tests. “We’ve worked with this material for years and have expertise in its machinability and its limits,” he adds.
Eliminating The Superfluous
With a mechanical movement measuring 1.18mm and a targeted case thickness of 1.75mm, engineers were left with 0.57mm to accommodate the bezel and the caseback. There was clearly not going to be room for non-essentials.
The RM UP-01 Ferrari, however, takes the task of eliminating the superfluous to the extreme. Anything that was not needed was discarded. Everything that remained had to be redesigned smaller, flatter, and as improbable as it sounds, made stronger.
For example, apart from having dispensed with a traditional crown, the slender proportions also ruled out skeletonizing due to the negative impact it would have on case rigidity. Two sapphire crystals measuring 0.2mm each (down from 0.8mm) are positioned over the time indicators and the regulator (balance wheel-spring assembly) to showcase the movement’s operation. The redesigned crowns, rather than protruding from the side, are sandwiched between the bezel and the monobloc caseback, and interact directly with the movement’s gear trains.
Unleashing Style And Functionality
As the first running prototypes were being assembled, Technical Director Boillat braced himself for the moment of truth. A critical test awaited the RM UP-01 Ferrari—one where a 12kg weight would be mounted on its strap. To put in perspective, a typical brick weighs approximately 2kg. This test served a dual purpose: to assess if the movement could retain its functionality and water resistance when subjected to excessive tensile forces. Remarkably, the RM UP-01 Ferrari exceeded expectations on both fronts.
Ferrari designers, meanwhile, had also been called in to provide input on the design of the hands, counters, laser engravings and the strap. A notable difference between the RM UP-01 Ferrari and all other RM models, is that there are no “hands” in the traditional watchmaking sense of the term. The hour and minute hands visible on the face of the RM UP-01 Ferrari are extensions of the hours wheel and the minutes gear train rather than distinct, separate linkages.
One thing that the RM UP-01 Ferrari shares with other models in the Richard Mille lineup is the attention to detail and level of finish. The watch features significant beveling as well as satin-finished, polished and micro-blasted components. The 13 spline screws securing the case components and strap are quintessential Richard Mille elements. And, of course, there is the emblematic tonneau shape—a form that, even in newly defined proportions, signals to all that this is undisputedly a Richard Mille masterpiece.
For more information about the RM UP-01 Ferrari, visit www.richardmille.com.
