Watch Paparazzi

Athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim spotted wearing Richard Mille

Mutaz Essa Barshim, the Qatari track and field superstar widely regarded as the greatest high-jumper of his generation, was recently spotted on the wrist sporting the Richard Mille RM 11-03 McLaren Automatic Flyback Chronograph with a black strap — one of just 500 examples produced as part of the brand's high-profile partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team.

At the heart of the RM 11-03 McLaren sits the calibre RMAC3, an in-house automatic flyback chronograph movement beating at 28,800 vph. The movement features a column wheel, a variable-geometry rotor, and a date display at 4 o'clock alongside a GMT function — a remarkable complication count for a watch that also manages to remain legible. The tonneau-shaped case is crafted in NTPT Carbon, a proprietary material developed in partnership with North Thin Ply Technology, producing those distinctive layered striations across the case surface. Case dimensions run to approximately 50mm x 40mm — unmistakably Richard Mille in presence.

The RM 11-03 series is a direct evolution of the RM 011 flyback chronograph, one of Richard Mille's most historically significant references and a perennial favourite among the brand's collector base. The McLaren edition adds aerodynamic orange accents echoing the team's livery, with the black rubber strap providing sporting contrast. The 500-piece limitation gives it genuine scarcity without the near-impossibility of acquisition that plagues some Richard Mille references.

Barshim's association with elite timepieces is consistent with his standing in global sport. A gold medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics — memorably sharing the title with Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi in a moment that transcended athletics — Barshim is among the most recognised faces in track and field worldwide. Richard Mille has long cultivated relationships with elite athletes, and this sighting reinforces how naturally the brand's performance-oriented aesthetic aligns with sporting excellence at the highest level.

On the market, the RM 11-03 McLaren carries a UK list price of approximately £136,000. In grey-market conditions, strong demand for limited McLaren-edition Richard Mille references typically pushes transaction prices above retail, with examples regularly trading hands at a meaningful premium depending on condition and documentation.