The Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic emerges as a limited edition of 150 pieces, created to mark the 12th edition of the Le Mans Classic, an event that has, since 2002, drawn together the most significant racing cars and their passionate custodians. The Le Mans Classic, staged on the legendary 13.6-kilometre Sarthe circuit, is a biennial celebration where vehicles spanning from 1923 to the 2000s compete across six grids, each representing a distinct era of endurance racing. The spectacle is amplified by the presence of more than 1,000 drivers and over 9,000 classic cars exhibited by a multitude of clubs and collectors, with attendance figures soaring past 235,000 in recent years. Richard Mille’s partnership with the event is not a superficial association but a reflection of a genuine affinity for mechanical excellence and the living history of motorsport, a connection further deepened by the personal involvement of the brand’s founders and their families, who themselves participate in the races.
About Le Mans Classic and Richard Mille Connection
The Le Mans Classic, established in 2002, brings together historic racing cars and enthusiasts on the legendary 13.6 km Sarthe circuit. The event features 750 race cars spanning from 1923 through the 2000s, with over 9,000 classic cars on display and a growing audience that exceeded 235,000 in 20231. Richard Mille has been a principal partner since the event’s inception, with deep personal involvement from the brand’s founders and their families. This partnership is not symbolic; it is rooted in a shared passion for mechanical excellence, competition, and the celebration of automotive history. Since 2008, Richard Mille has created dedicated Le Mans Classic editions, each incorporating the event’s green and white livery.
Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic
The RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is conceived with a clear homage to this heritage, its design and technical execution echoing the spirit of competition. The dial, constructed from 0.40 mm sapphire with anti-glare treatment and reinforced by silicon braces, is a reinterpretation of the skeletonised aesthetic for which Richard Mille is renowned. The visual narrative of the dial evokes the dynamic contours of a racing circuit, with titanium bridges and a skeletonised baseplate forming an architectural backdrop.
Racing Inspiration
The oversized date aperture, framed by a checkered flag motif and positioned at four o’clock, is executed as a semi-instantaneous display, while the 24-hour counter introduces a distinctive note by shading the “16” numeral in green—a direct reference to the traditional 16:00 start of the Le Mans race. The upper-left quadrant of the dial hosts the power reserve indicator, which tracks the impressive 55-hour reserve, and the clutch engagement indicator at eleven o’clock offers a visual cue as to whether the rotor is actively winding or disengaged.
The function selector, operated via a pusher at two o’clock and displayed at three o’clock, allows seamless transition between winding, date-setting, and hand-setting modes. Interior flanges, crafted from DLC-treated grade 5 titanium and adorned with luminous index points, further reinforce the technical and aesthetic coherence of the piece2.
Calibre RMAR2
Driving the RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is the calibre RMAR2, an automatic skeletonised movement measuring 31.25 by 29.45 mm with a thickness of 5.41 mm. This movement incorporates a declutchable variable-geometry rotor, a sophisticated mechanism that automatically disconnects from the winding barrel once the spring is fully wound, thereby optimising winding control and maintaining constant torque for superior chronometric performance. The double-barrel system enhances torque stability and diminishes friction, while the free-sprung balance with variable inertia, realised in Glucydur® with four setting weights, ensures robust reliability and precise timekeeping even under shock.
The movement is further distinguished by its use of 38 jewels, Incabloc shock protection, and Rubifix escapement wheel jewels. The finishing is executed to the highest standards: the grade 5 titanium baseplate and bridges are hand-ground, wet sandblasted, and treated with grey electroplasma; the barrel bridges receive a PVD coating; pivots are burnished; pinions undercut; and wheels are sandblasted, rhodium-plated, and bevelled prior to tooth cutting. Steel components are sapphire-blasted and hand-drawn, with polished screw slots and tips, and all anglage and polishing are performed by hand. The movement is mounted directly to the chassis with four titanium screws and silent blocks, eliminating the need for a casing ring and resulting in a structure of exceptional rigidity2.
Grade 5 Titanium and Green Quartz TPT®
The case of the Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is a tripartite construction, with front and back bezels in grade 5 titanium sandwiching a Green Quartz TPT® caseband, a material chosen for its visual dynamism and mechanical resilience. The dimensions of 42.00 by 49.94 by 14.15 mm confer a substantial yet ergonomic presence on the wrist. Water resistance to 50 metres is achieved through the use of three Nitrile O-ring seals, with assembly secured by twenty grade 5 titanium spline screws and abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.
The sapphire crystal, with a hardness of 1,800 Vickers and anti-glare treatment, is 1.50 mm thick on the bezel side, while the caseback sapphire measures 1.20 mm at the centre and 2.04 mm at the edges. The Le Mans Classic logo is etched into the sapphire caseback, providing a subtle but unmistakable reference to the event. The watch is completed by a racing-vented green rubber strap, which not only complements the green and white livery but also ensures comfort and durability in keeping with the demands of motorsport.
Architectural Openness and Technical Sophistication
In sum, the Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is a comprehensive exercise in horological engineering, where every detail—be it the dial’s architectural openness, the movement’s technical sophistication, or the case’s integrated construction—serves to reinforce the enduring connection between Richard Mille and the world of historic endurance racing. The watch stands as a precise and highly engineered tribute to the Le Mans Classic, embodying both the event’s spirit and the brand’s commitment to uncompromising quality.
Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic Technical Specifications
Ref. RM 30-10 LMC – Limited Edition of 150 pieces
Movement
- Calibre RMAR2 – Skeletonised automatic winding movement with declutchable variable-geometry rotor
- Displays: hours, minutes, seconds, oversize date, function selector, clutch engagement and power reserve indicators
- Movement Dimensions: 31.25 x 29.45 mm
- Thickness: 5.41 mm
- Number of Jewels: 38
- Barrel Arbor: AP 20 steel
- Balance: Glucydur®, four arms, four setting weights, moment of inertia 4.8 mg·cm², angle of lift 53°
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Balance Spring: Elinvar
- Shock Protection: Incabloc 908.22.211.100 (transparent)
- Escapement Wheel Jewels: Rubifix (transparent)
- Power Reserve: Approximately 55 hours (±10%), with indicator in the upper-left quadrant of the dial
- Baseplate and Bridges: Grade 5 titanium with grey electroplasma treatment, skeletonised and subjected to extensive validation tests for optimal strength and rigidity
- Oversize Date Display: Semi-instantaneous, horizontal aperture at 4 o’clock
- Function Selector: Push-button at 2 o’clock for hand-setting, date-setting and winding functions; display at 3 o’clock
- Free-Sprung Balance with Variable Inertia: Four adjustable weights for enhanced reliability and chronometric precision
- Declutchable Variable-Geometry Rotor: Automatically disconnects from the winding barrel when fully wound; central flange in grade 5 titanium, heavy metal weight segment, five-position weight segment adjusted by screws in grade 5 titanium, ceramic ball bearings, unidirectional anti-clockwise winding
- Double-Barrel System: Improves torque stability and reduces friction
- Spline Screws: Grade 5 titanium for bridges and case, ensuring longevity and controlled assembly torque
- Finishing: Movement: hand-ground grade 5 titanium, wet sandblasted, grey electroplasma treated; PVD-coated barrel bridges, burnished pivots, undercut pinions
Steel parts: sapphire-blasted and hand-drawn, polished screw slots and tips, hand-made anglage and polishing
Wheels: sandblasted, rhodium-plated, bevelled before tooth cutting
Case
- Tripartite construction: grade 5 titanium front and back bezels, Green Quartz TPT® caseband
- Movement fixed to the chassis with four titanium screws and silent blocks
- Water resistance: 50 metres (three Nitrile O-ring seals)
- Assembly: 20 grade 5 titanium spline screws, abrasion-resistant washers in 316L stainless steel
- Dimensions: 42.00 x 49.94 x 14.15 mm
- Interior Flanges: DLC-treated grade 5 titanium with luminous index points
- Bezel side: sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment, thickness 1.50 mm
- Caseback: sapphire (1,800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment, thickness 1.20 mm at centre and 2.04 mm at edges
Dial
- Sapphire (0.40 mm thick) with anti-glare treatment, protected by silicon braces
Strap
- Racing-vented green rubber
