The Richard Mille watch boasts an astonishing thickness of just 1.75mm, making it even thinner than a 2-euro coin.
Anyone familiar with Richard Mille knows that the brand’s design language is characterized by oversized dimensions, bold shapes, and vibrant colors. However, the Richard Mille UP-01 Ferrari, with its minimalist design, has set a record for the world’s thinnest watch at 1.75mm thick.
A Watch That Breaks Boundaries
One of the highest principles in watchmaking is to create a complex mechanism with a thickness of just a few millimeters. The flatter the case, the more complex the movement’s structure must be, as it needs to adapt to the thinness.
For many years, watch manufacturers have strived to push their products to be as thin as possible. This technical achievement enhances wrist comfort while making them ideal for high-performance environments, such as fast-paced racing.
The unique appeal of ultra-thin watches lies not only in their elegant appearance but also in their unmatched lightness. With ambition in mind, brands like Bulgari and Piaget have been competing for decades to claim the title of the flattest watch in the world.
The Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari pushes the limits of watch design and production. (Photo: Handout).
Previously, Bulgari held the record for the thinnest watch with the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which measures 1.80mm thick. The mere difference of 0.05mm (almost the thickness of a human hair) has elevated the UP-01 Ferrari to champion status.
With the UP-01, the creativity from a leading innovator in the world of luxury Swiss watches has reached new heights. Thanks to countless innovative production processes and enhancements, this watch is akin to a race into space. The magazine Swisswatches Magazine even stated that Richard Mille is the SpaceX of the watch industry.
The thickness of 1.75mm makes the watch feel almost like a second skin for the wearer. To achieve such a slim design, the movement must be a marvel of miniature engineering.
The movement, with a thickness of just 1.18mm and a weight of 2.82g, still generates impressive power, including hours, minutes, and a function selector with a power reserve of 45 hours. This watch can withstand accelerations of over 5,000G.
The watch took over 6,000 hours to develop and test in the lab. (Photo: Handout).
Even the case of the watch is a technical marvel. Made from titanium—a material that offers the perfect combination of extreme lightness and the durability of adamantine—this design can withstand water depths of up to 10 meters.
The UP-01 is equipped with two sapphire crystal faces, each just 2mm thick. One displays the time while the other is positioned over the adjuster.
The rounded rectangular case measures 51mm x 39mm x 1.75mm, evoking the tonneau-shaped cases (rectangular with rounded long sides) characteristic of the brand. The case is secured by 13 titanium screws and bridges.
Thinner Than a Coin
Clearly, such a thin case does not provide enough space for a conventional winding crown. The solution lies in two hollow crowns on the left side of the dial. The first is positioned at 10-11 o’clock for winding (W) or setting the hands (H), while the second is located around 7-8 o’clock for setting the time.
Both crowns are framed with black ceramic pieces to protect the bezel from friction while ensuring water resistance at a depth of 10 meters.
The two crowns are positioned on the watch dial. (Photo: Swisswatches Magazine).
The time indicator is placed in the center of the dial/bezel with red hour and minute hands, protected by a sapphire crystal, similar to the balance wheel on the right side. Below the time and balance function is the engraved emblem of Ferrari’s prancing horse.
Julien Boillat—the technical director of Richard Mille—stated: “For a project like this, it is necessary to discard all the knowledge we have accumulated over many years of practice and every conceivable standard of watchmaking.
This is precisely what we did throughout the collaboration with the laboratories of Audemars Piguet Le Locle. The process of shaving off that final 1% of a millimeter was extremely rigorous and prolonged.”
The collaboration with Audemars Piguet for additional expertise certainly benefited achieving ultra-thinness.
The brand also partnered with top experts in high performance, symbolized by the legendary automotive manufacturer—Ferrari. This watch is the first to emerge from the collaboration between these two big names: a leading innovative luxury watchmaker from Switzerland and an iconic high-end automobile brand.
Through its partnership with Ferrari, Richard Mille feels that the UP-01 is the “winner” in the race for the world’s thinnest watch, with the powerful engine of the Italian brand helping to achieve this goal.
Comparison of the thickness of the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari watch (left) and a 2 euro coin. (Photo: Swisswatches Magazine).
This creation breaks the established style norms of the brand while opening new frontiers by tackling the challenge of ultra-thinness.
To visualize its flatness, a writer from Swisswatches Magazine placed the watch next to a 2-euro coin, resulting in an accessory that is thinner than the coin itself.
It’s no surprise for such a pioneering watch. The development of the UP-01 was a challenging process, taking over 6,000 hours of work and testing. Produced in a limited edition of 150 pieces, this wrist accessory is currently valued at 1.88 million USD (equivalent to 45.6 billion VND).
