In March, Bulgari released the Octo Finissimo Ultra – the world’s thinnest watch at 1.8mm thickness. It enjoyed that title for all of three months, when Richard Mille and Ferrari collaborated on a timepiece a mere 1.75mm thick.
Unlike previous record holders, the RM UP-01 ultra-flat calibre has assembled the entire movement (itself just 1.18mm thick) into the caseback. The watch features hours, minutes, seconds and a function selector all built into what is essentially a broad, impossibly thin bezel.
The movement was developed between RM and Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi and involved a dramatic rethinking of the escapement. Created from incredibly light titanium, the RM UP-01 is limited to 150 pieces and will set potential buyers back a cool USD $1,888,000.
Given RM doesn’t usually produce a watch for under $500k, this is still pocket-change for the type of collector who could lose a mil down the back of the couch. Richard Mille has created tourbillons for Rafael Nadal (complete with dials made from tennis-strings) which ‘retailed’ at just over a million. Preloved RM + Nadal watches have fetched up to AUD$3.7 on Chrono24.
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