Richard Mille RM 11-04

Despite sharing many of the features of the original Roberto Mancini watch, the RM 11-04 is an upgrade, built with more sophisticated casing material, a new crown, and an upgraded movement. It’s a classic RM 11 that incorporates the watchmaker’s latest style codes, keeping the series fresh, updated, and practically relevant.

Richard Mille RM 11-04 History

The RM 11-04 is the second watch born from Richard Mille’s partnership with Roberto Mancini. The watchmaker’s relationship with the legendary Italian soccer manager began in 2013 and was marked by the release of the RM 11-01 Roberto Mancini.

The titanium and gold-cased flyback chronograph was released as part of a pre-existing series. The RM 11 series has been a part of the watchmaker’s catalog since 2007, starting with the RM 011. Built for the car racing world, the RM 011 was created in partnership with Brazilian racing driver Felippe Massa and had features adapted for the racing world. It borrowed vital cues from the high-tech precision engineering used in building F1 racing cars and was designed to deliver exceptional performance on the track.

A few years later, Richard Mille began looking at a different sport for the second timepiece in the series. The RM 11-01, which hit the market in 2013, was also an automatic flyback chronograph but offered a direct countdown display configured for tracking two 45-minute halves of a soccer match. The watchmaker collaborated with legendary coach Roberto Mancini to create a fully adapted watch for the soccer world.

In 2019, Richard Mille reiterated its flyback chronograph expertise by rebooting the Roberto Mancini timepiece as the RM 11-04. Like its predecessor, it was designed to be the perfect accessory for the soccer trainer or coach who needed to make split-second pitch-side decisions.

Although the watchmaker retained the design of the original watch, the Richard Mille RM 11 04 considers the technological innovation that has taken place in the seven-year gap between both models. It builds on the foundations laid by the RM 11-01, featuring the same countdown timer functionality and an annual calendar but with updated aesthetics and an entirely different movement.

RM 11-04 Features

The Richard MIlle RM 11-04 is a luxurious sports watch that incorporates the brand’s latest codes in its design and mechanics. It is presented in an ultra-sporty Carbon TPT case and incorporates an automatic caliber that delivers its famous soccerl-focused flyback functionality. With this watch, Richard Mille has essentially kept all of RM 11-01’s assets while concentrating on the industry's latest technical and material innovations.

Durable and Lightweight Casing

The RM 11-04 comes in a substantial 44.5mm x 49.94mm x 16.5mm case. It has a slightly different case size than the RM 11-01 but was still on brand for a Richard Mille watch. This timepiece retains the watchmaker’s signature tonneau shape and was designed to be worn all day without overwhelming the wearer’s wrist.

The RM 11-04 case was crafted out of a singular Carbon TPT block, one of Richard Mille’s most innovative materials yet. This material was chosen over other impressive alternatives like titanium due to its durability, extreme lightness, and remarkable shock protection properties.

The Carbon TPT case consists of over 600 finely laminated layers with a thickness of 30 microns or less. These layers have been engineered to ensure maximum strength, protecting the case from cracking or splitting. Like many other Richard Mille models, the case has a tripartite design, all held together by 20 spline screws made from grade-5 titanium material.

Italian-themed Aesthetics

In addition to the technical advantages of using Carbon TPT for the case of this timepiece, this high-tech material also enhances its aesthetics. The process of creating the layers of this black carbon material creates mesmerizing visual patterns that elevate the RM 11-04’s overall appearance.  The pattern of each piece is unique, giving the watch a distinct and organic appearance.

The dark carbon case is further highlighted with bright blue accents. This is the same shade of blue as the color of the Italian flag and the official national team jersey, paying homage to Roberto Mancini’s home country. The blue color adorns the bezel, crown, and pusher caps. The RM 11-04’s rubber bracelet comes in this color as well. In addition to the prominent blue color, other accent colors visible on this timepiece include red, white, and green. These colors are present as subtle dial details and contribute to the distinctive appearance of this timepiece.

RMAC3 Movement

Richard Mille’s updates to the RM 11 don’t end with the case. Another notable upgrade to this timepiece’s design is its movement. The Richard Mille RM 11 04 comes fitted with the Caliber RMAC3 instead of the RMAC1 used in older models of the RM 11 series.

Although the most important feature of this movement is its flyback chronograph functionality, it packs a wide range of other impressive features. For instance, it has an annual calendar complication with a large semi-instantaneous date display. It also has a free-sprung, variable inertial balance. The new movement has two barrels that deliver a minimum power reserve of 45 hours but can be up to 55 hours if the chronograph isn’t running.

Another update to the movement is its variable geometry. This function is designed to adjust the winding speed of the movement based on the wearer’s activity level. This keeps the movement from getting overwound and promotes maximum winding efficiency.

Dial Design and function.

Arguably, the most interesting feature of this model is its soccer-related displays. In addition to showing standard hours, minutes, and seconds, this flyback chronograph timepiece has also been designed to track match times efficiently. The chronograph is configured to show the match time as 45-minute halves. It can also track up to 15 minutes of extra time and stoppage time.

The pusher at the 4 o’clock position of the Richard MIlle RM 11 04 triggers the flyback function when you press it once. It also repositions the hand at the starting point (12 o’clock), restarting the timing for the second half. In the case of extra time, the chronograph function can be activated to show up to 15 minutes of extra time and 5 minutes of stoppage time. The function can be started and stopped at any time using the pusher located between the 1 and 2 o’clock positions.

The annual calendar function is displayed in a white and blue aperture under the 12 o'clock hour maker. This is a semi-instantaneous date function, which means the date changes gradually over a brief period instead of jumping instantaneously at midnight. The date adjusts automatically for months with 30 or 31 days, but it needs to be reset once a year due to the shorter length of February. The month display is also semi-instantaneous, indicated in an aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock positions.

Richard Mille RM 11-04 Price

In 2019, when it was released, the Richard Mille 11-04 automatic flyback chronograph Roberto Mancini was sold at a retail price of $189,500 exclusively at Richard Mille boutiques. However, due to its popularity, buying one in retail was difficult.

The easiest way to find a Richard Mille RM 11-04 for sale is to buy in the secondary market. However, this comes at a price tag of over $612,000. The high price tag isn’t surprising considering the watchmaker’s reputation, the model’s rarity, and Roberto Mancini’s success at the Euros two years after the watch was released.

Conclusion

Richard Mille has dedicated several models to celebrities and legends across various sports, but the RM 11-04 is definitely one of the most remarkable so far. The watch was so good that Richard Mille had to do it twice, consolidating its partnership with the legendary partner and updating its flyback chronograph timepiece with the latest the horological industry has to offer.