Short on time? Richard Mille launched the RM 67-02 in 2017 for its athletics ambassadors, including Wayde van Niekerk, the South African who set the 400m world record in Rio in 2016. It weighs about 32 grams with the strap. Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT case, skeletonised calibre CRMA7, around 50 hours of power reserve.
Backstory
Most luxury watches are built to be admired. Richard Mille built the RM 67-02 to be worn while sprinting. That's a very different brief, and it explains everything about this watch.
It launched in 2017, just before the IAAF World Championships in London. Wayde van Niekerk, who ran 43.03 seconds in the 400m at the 2016 Rio Olympics to break the world record, got his own version in the colours of the South African flag.
Key Details
The whole watch weighs about 32 grams, strap included. Pick it up and it barely feels like anything.
The tonneau case is around 38.7mm wide, 47.52mm long and only about 7.8mm thick, built from layers of Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT. In this edition, the layers are green and yellow, so the flag colours run right through the case material. It sits on a buckle-free elastic strap that slides on and stays put. Water resistance is 30 metres.
The Movement
Inside is the calibre CRMA7, a skeletonised automatic and successor to the CRMA6 from the RM 67-01. It only shows hours and minutes, which keeps it slim and light, and gives around 50 hours of power reserve. Because it's skeletonised, there's no dial in the traditional sense. You're looking straight into the movement.
On the Wrist
This is where it makes sense. Because it's so light, you forget it's there, which is the whole point for an athlete. The colours are loud, no question, but in a fun way rather than a showy one.
The case materials are tough, but composites can show wear on edges, so it's a watch to wear and enjoy rather than baby.
Final Thoughts
The RM 67-02 is pure Richard Mille: technical, light and built for a real job. The Wayde van Niekerk edition adds one of the best stories in the range and some of its boldest colours.
Ours is a 2019 example, a full set. See it here.
