The Richard Mille RM 60-01 Is A Ridiculous Watch

‘Ridiculous’ isn’t a word I use lightly these days.

There’s just too much at stake, and people always think I’m being dismissive. The word is derived from the Latin word rīdiculus, which means “funny and amusing”, but whenever I use it to describe something, the reaction I get is anything but. It’s these negative reactions that deter me from applying it to the things I write about. But there are some brands, some watches, that deserve to be described with this word more than others. Perhaps it’s time to bring it back, to prove to you that ridiculousness is what makes life interesting and that we don’t have to take ourselves or our watches too seriously.

Of course the word is up for interpretation, ridiculous can mean many things, but in my opinion, more of us should be embracing what it represents. Taking things we love too far and pushing ourselves to the edge of our comfort zones. Because, as I always say (to my wife’s disapproval), if we’re not living on the edge, we’re talking up too much space.

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In the spirit of ridiculousness, and for this edition of Wrist Worthy, I have the absolutely outrageous RM 60-01. A watch not just big in size, but in complication and philosophy too. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it absolutely gets my blood pumping. Let’s dive in to the ridiculous Richard Mille RM 60-01

Richard Mille Is A Ridiculous Brand.

If you read my recent post on the RM 67-01, you’ll know I’m no stranger to appreciating the more avant-guard horological toys in this hobby. The RM 60-01, however, pushes the boundaries of my enthusiasm all the way to the limit. Seeing it lying on the tray in the Rexer offices, I thought to myself “This watch is too big for me”- The usual thought I have when I see an RM if I’m honest. “Am I man enough to pull this off?” — My true identity comes into question. I always enjoy being around MR Mille’s creations, however. The style isn’t where I feel comfortable, but I think that’s why they are so exciting. They poke and prod at my identity, and nudge me towards the fringes of a hobby that is usually all too pretentious and traditional.

There’s a lot to discuss here, we better get started.

A Masterclass In More

Alright, so we don’t get overwhelmed, let’s break this thing down.
At the centre, we have the hour and minute hands, the seconds hand for the flyback chronograph and a UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) hand in red. At 3, the running seconds are indicated, the 60-minute countdown timer lives at 9 and at 6, is a 24-hour totaliser for the chronograph. Still with me?

An oversized date just above the centre is part of the annual calendar, along with the digital month display hiding down at 4.
But wait…there’s more.

Surrounding the dial and complimenting the complexity of the rest of the watch is a bezel that wouldn’t look improper on a fighter jet instrument panel. It’s adorned with engravings for the four cardinal directions in red (North, South, East, and West), the directional minutes in yellow and a 24-hour indication in green and white. It’s a lot. And if I’m honest, I struggled to understand what I was seeing at first, but when it all sinks in, the novelty and practicality are fascinating.

As a predominantly maritime themed watch, the proposed use for the complications are obviously nautical. The 60-minute countdown timer can be used to coordinate the starting grid of a regatta, and the UTC hand with the bezel can be used as a navigation aid. Add it all together, and it gives you true north and your bearings down to the minutes.

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Here’s how you use the RM 60-01 for navigation.
1. Pray that it isn’t cloudy, then line up the UTC hand with the Sun using the dedicated pusher on the left side of the case.
2. Turn the bezel until the UTC hand points to the local time on the green or white engravings. Green if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, white if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.
3. You now have an accurate representation not only of cardinal direction, the north engraving on the bezel pointing true north etc, but you also know the exact directional minutes you need to pinpoint your location. This information, along with knowing the time, is all you need to locate yourself on a map. It’s remarkable stuff!

This is all pretty impressive, even if the chances of anyone using the RM 60-01 for navigation are basically zero. Although you might need it to navigate your way back to your yacht in Monaco after a few too many mojitos at Le Bar Americain, I guess… Just in case you plan to encounter any vigorous activity on your way back from the night out, or even back on the yacht. The watch also has a variable geometry rotor, which can be changed (by a watchmaker) to make sure the kinetic force applied doesn’t damage the mechanism. Very cool.

The RM 60-01 Is Built Like A Tank

Some of you might be thinking, ‘but Mitch, all of this complication is great, but this watch is too big for me!’. And to that I say, a watch doesn’t fit based on the size of your wrist, but instead, the size of your attitude.

When I put RM 60-01 on, I was expecting to be weighed down by its planet-like gravitational pull, but you know what, it’s very comfortable. Like its more famous ‘tonneau’ shaped cousins, the case back is curved to follow the contour of the wrist. The lugs are as sharply angled as a concords nose during takeoff. Both of these elements lend themselves to a fit that is almost shockingly good. At 50 mm, you would think it would be unwieldy, but it’s geometry and material choice, lightweight grade five titanium, make it a watch that those of us who don’t pump iron all day could appreciate.

Adding to the almost militaristic practicality and looks, the crown sits proud of the case and serves two functions. One to set the time, date, and month and the other to lock the chronograph pushers. Sitting just below the crown is a collar that acts as a rotational selector for the pusher locking mechanism. Turning it has a tactile click and ensures the chronograph doesn’t accidentally get activated mid-regatta. We’ve all been there.

I’ve been thinking about this watch a fair bit over the last week or so and asking myself the questions any respectable journalist should. Could I actually wear it? Does it make sense? Should it even exist? What is masculinity? I don’t know the answers to any of those. What I do know, however, is that watches like this are where the passion for horology is most potent. Positively or negatively, everyone feels something about them. I think that’s a good thing for the community. It’s right on the edge of my taste, so close to being too much, but this is what makes it exciting. It forces me to grow and pushes me out of my comfort zone. Try one on if you can!

What a ridiculous watch…. I love it.

Cya in the next one. X

Reach out to the guys at Rexer HERE