Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Felipe Massa spotted wearing Richard Mille

Felipe Massa, the Brazilian Formula 1 driver who came within a single point of the 2008 World Championship, was spotted wearing a Richard Mille RM011 10th Anniversary — a limited edition of just 100 pieces that marks a defining chapter in the Swiss independent manufacture's relationship with motorsport.

The Richard Mille RM011 is arguably the reference that cemented the brand's credibility in serious horological circles. Launched in 2007, it houses a flyback chronograph movement — calibre RMAC1 — built around an in-house developed baseplate machined from grade 5 titanium. The skeletonised architecture offers annual calendar, flyback chronograph, and GMT functions, all packed into a tonneau-shaped case that measures 50mm × 40mm. The 10th Anniversary edition retains the core technical DNA while presenting refined execution and exclusive finishing details that distinguish it from the standard production run. Case materials on anniversary variants have included Carbon TPT and titanium, keeping weight dramatically low — a design philosophy Richard Mille has pursued relentlessly since the brand's founding in 2001.

The RM011 holds particular significance in the Richard Mille catalogue because it was one of the earliest references to demonstrate that an ultra-lightweight, skeletonised wristwatch could function reliably under the punishing G-forces and vibration of a Formula 1 cockpit. Massa himself wore the RM011 on his wrist during races — a fact the brand leveraged heavily in its early marketing. That authenticity is rare in watch sponsorship and it gave the RM011 genuine racing provenance rather than borrowed glamour.

For Massa, wearing the 10th Anniversary edition is clearly more than brand loyalty. It represents a specific era of his career — his peak Ferrari seasons — and a timepiece that was engineered alongside him. Few athletes can claim that kind of material connection to a watch they wear publicly.

On the market, the Richard Mille RM011 10th Anniversary commands serious premiums. With a UK list price of approximately £121,000, grey market values for this 100-piece limited edition consistently trade above retail, reflecting both the scarcity of the reference and enduring demand for early Richard Mille anniversary pieces among collectors.