Style Edit: Richard Mille rolls out the limited edition RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic to mark the race for vintage cars it's named after

South China Morning Post

10-07-2025

Few watchmakers have a motorsport connection as deep as Richard Mille's . This isn't just about sponsorships or branding, it's about being part of the racing themselves. Since 2002, the brand has been a principal partner of Le Mans Classic, with its founders – Richard Mille himself and Dominique Guenat – getting behind the wheel in the past. That tradition continues with the next generation, as Maxime Guenat, Dominique's son, now competes in top-tier historic racing. Their involvement perpetuates a long-standing tradition of celebrating mechanical mastery – on the wrist and on the track.
Richard Mille RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic. Photo: Handout
To mark the 12th edition of Le Mans Classic, which ran from July 3-6, 2025, Richard Mille dropped the RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic, a 150-piece limited edition that leans into the brand's motorsport DNA with precision and flair. Every edition of the race since 2008 has inspired its own Richard Mille timepiece, and this year's race is no exception. Designed in the event's signature green and white, the latest watch features titanium bezels wrapped around a Green Quartz TPT caseband, topped off with a race-ready green rubber strap that is vented like a classic car's grille.
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The RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic is styled to evoke the layout of a race circuit. Photo: Handout
Flip it over and the sapphire crystal caseback displays the Le Mans Classic logo – a detail that cements the timepiece's connection to the iconic event. The dial side is just as striking, packed with features and clever visual cues. The skeletonised layout evokes the geometry of a race circuit, while the updated calibre RMAR2 movement introduces a new 24-hour counter. At '16', a green background marks the start time of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – a subtle tribute to the moment the green flag waves the cars off on their epic endurance drive.
The sapphire crystal caseback displays the Le Mans Classic logo. Photo: Handout
Under the hood, the movement's clutch engagement indicator (at 11 o'clock) tells the wearer if the rotor is active or disengaged, while the function selector (at 3 o'clock) allows for switching between winding, setting and neutral modes. A 55-hour power reserve is displayed through the skeletonised baseplate and titanium bridges, keeping the engine going long after the crowds have cleared the grandstands.
The RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic has a function selector at 3 o'clock to switch between winding, setting and neutral modes. Photo: Handout
With around 750 vintage racing cars competing across six historic categories – or grids – on the 13.6km Sarthe circuit at Le Mans, the RM 30-01 doesn't just commemorate a moment, it keeps pace with a century of speed. More than a watch, this is a mechanical tribute to endurance, elegance and the thrill of the race.