Richard Mille RM11-03 'Mclaren' Flyback Chronograph

The RM011 has been around for ages, and in that time it has become the most instantly recognizable Richard Mille – it’s their Porsche 911, the only difference is that it costs more than most 911s. In all these years, the RM011 has seen many different variations, most notably the ones that have advanced in their details and have marked this evolution by taking on the brand’s naming scheme reserved for marking this progression. As such, the RM 11-03, although it’s been out for some time, is the most advanced 11-series Richard Mille thus far.

Before we talk looks, let’s get a glimpse under the hood: the RMAC3 caliber has a fly-back chronograph, a 60-minute countdown timer at 9 o’clock (that is actually a reversed 60-minute chronograph totalizer, but you won’t see that pointed out by anyone, really), a 12-hour totalizer, as well as an “oversize date” and month. The RM011 used to be an annual calendar, but there is no mention of that feature here – I guess it may still be in there somewhere.

 Beyond the fact that it's the first in the partnership, the watch itself is mad. When two performance focused organisations come together, it's only right the outcome is extreme. From a design perspective, the RM 11-03 takes inspiration from McLaren’s cars of yesteryear. For example, the titanium pushers have been made to look like the headlights of the McLaren 720S. The titanium inserts are similar in shape to the McLaren F1’s air-intake snorkel. The complex grade 5 titanium crown is shaped like a McLaren wheel (with the McLaren logo applied to the bezel at 6 0’clock). 

The case is made of Carbon TPT interwoven with Orange Quartz TPT; TPT stands for Thin Ply Technology, The darker layers are carbon fiber, while the magma orange layers are silica fiber (the orange color, of course, is iconic for McLaren).