Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Charles Leclerc spotted wearing Richard Mille

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari's lead Formula 1 driver and one of the most recognizable faces in motorsport, was recently spotted on the wrist wearing the Richard Mille RM 33-02 in Rose Gold and Carbon TPT — a limited production piece capped at just 140 examples globally. For a driver whose every second is measured in thousandths, the choice of timepiece communicates something deliberate.

The Richard Mille RM 33-02 is built around an automatic movement — the CRMA2 caliber — featuring a variable geometry rotor and free-sprung balance wheel with variable inertia. The tonneau-shaped case runs approximately 45.74mm in length and combines two materials that rarely share the same construction: 5N rose gold, a warm-toned alloy used extensively in high horology, and Carbon TPT, Richard Mille's proprietary carbon composite developed in partnership with North Thin Ply Technology. The latter involves stacking over 600 plies of carbon filament at alternating 45-degree angles and infusing them with resin under high pressure — each case emerges with a completely unique grain pattern, impossible to replicate. The skeletonized dial leaves the movement architecture visible, consistent with Richard Mille's philosophy of treating the watch as a display of engineering rather than decoration.

The RM 33-02 sits in a collector-significant segment of the Richard Mille catalog. Unlike the high-profile RM 11 or RM 27 tourbillon series, the RM 33-02 offers automatic convenience without sacrificing material exclusivity. The 140-piece limitation makes secondary market availability genuinely scarce, and the Rose Gold and Carbon TPT configuration is among the more desirable references within this line — a combination that balances warmth with technical aggression.

Leclerc has carried a formal ambassador relationship with Richard Mille for several years, placing him in consistent company with athletes like Rafael Nadal and Bubba Watson who have defined the brand's sporting identity. His choice to wear the RM 33-02 off the circuit rather than one of the more theatrical tourbillon pieces suggests a preference for daily wearability without stepping back from serious horology.

At a list price of approximately $145,000, the Richard Mille RM 33-02 Rose Gold and Carbon TPT already occupies rarefied territory. On the current grey market the reference trades closer to $160,000, reflecting both limited supply and sustained demand for rose gold and Carbon TPT pairings from collectors who track Richard Mille's production closely.