Richard Mille Chronograph Rose Gold and Carbon (Reference 65-01)

Richard Mille RM 65-01: Rose Gold, Carbon TPT, Split-Seconds

The Richard Mille RM 65-01 is an automatic split-seconds chronograph in rose gold and Carbon TPT, and it is Richard Mille at full volume. The case is oversized, the dial is skeletonized down to the movement architecture, and there is color on almost every function. We got this one on the calipers, on the scale, and on the wrist, and worked every pusher on the case. Officially the case is 49.94mm long and 16.10mm thick. Our own measurements came back at 50.00mm and 16.0mm, and the scale read 154.5 grams on the rubber strap. Power reserve is 60 hours and water resistance is 50 metres. Here is what the RM 65-01 is actually like in the hand.

Watch the full unboxing

The RM 65-01 presented on the stand, showcasing the tonneau case and the red rapid-winding pusher

The reference card for the RM 65-01 split-seconds chronograph

The Case: Rose Gold and Carbon TPT

The case pairs rose gold with Carbon TPT, and the two materials do different jobs. The rose gold sits on top and around the bezel, and it brings the weight and the warmth. The Carbon TPT forms the case middle and gives the flanks a dark technical contrast while holding down the mass of a watch this large. Carbon TPT is built from layered carbon sheets, and because the layers are laid at shifting angles, the pattern that surfaces is irregular. The case middle has its own visible grain instead of a flat black band.

The Carbon TPT case middle sitting between the rose gold bezel and caseback, with the rapid-winding pusher marked in red

The tonneau shape and the curved case profile let the watch follow the arm, and the curved caseback and rubber strap do the rest. It is a large watch that has been shaped to sit down on the arm.

Side profile revealing the curvature built into the tonneau case, with the crown and chronograph pushers

Calipers and Scale

Richard Mille lists the case at 44.50mm wide, 49.94mm long and 16.10mm thick. Our calipers read 50.00mm across the length and 16.0mm at the thickest point, so the published figures hold up.

Our own caliper readings: 50.00mm long and 16.0mm thick

On the scale it came in at 154.5 grams on the rubber strap, just over a third of a pound. That is substantial, and it is also less than an all-gold case of these dimensions would carry. The Carbon TPT case middle is doing that work.

154.5 grams on the strap, with the skeletonized caseback and folding clasp visible

Reading a Skeletonized Dial

The dial puts nearly everything on display: movement architecture, the chronograph system, the date, small seconds, the counters, the function selector and the power reserve elements, all working across several layers. The first impression is busy. What organizes it is color, and Richard Mille assigns it by job. Yellow marks the time display, the applied numerals and the small seconds. Green boxes the date. Orange runs through the chronograph counters. Red marks the winding and function elements. Once you know the code, the dial reads quickly.

The dial macro revealing the color code: yellow for the time display, green for the date, orange across the chronograph counters

Dial detail highlighting how the counters sit over the exposed movement architecture

The Split-Seconds Chronograph

The headline complication is the automatic split-seconds chronograph. A standard chronograph times one event. A split-seconds system adds a second central chronograph hand, so you can time two events that start together and finish apart. You stop the split hand to record the first result while the main hand keeps running, then press the split control again and the stopped hand jumps straight back to catch the running one. There is a 30-minute counter at three and a 12-hour counter at nine. It is a serious mechanical build, and it is genuinely useful for timing laps, stages, or two events that overlap.

Function Selector and Rapid Winding

Our favorite detail on this watch is the function selector built into the crown. Instead of pulling the crown out to different positions, you press the button at its center to cycle through three settings: W for winding, D for date, and H for setting the hands. A small indicator near four o'clock shows which mode is live. It works like changing gears, it keeps the crown from being yanked around, and it adds another piece of mechanical interaction to a watch that already has plenty.

The crown detail revealing the central function selector button, flanked by the chronograph pushers

The red pusher near eight o'clock drives the rapid winding system. Press it repeatedly and it winds the mainspring considerably faster than turning the crown by hand. That matters on a watch with a 60-hour reserve where a running chronograph draws extra energy. It is a small feature that captures the whole Richard Mille approach: functional, theatrical, and fun to operate.

Caliber RMAC4

Inside is the automatic caliber RMAC4, which carries the split-seconds chronograph, the date, the function selector, the rapid winding system and a variable-geometry rotor. Through the open dial and the sapphire caseback you can watch the titanium bridges, wheels, levers and chronograph components working. This movement was built to be looked at from both sides.

The exhibition caseback revealing the titanium bridges of caliber RMAC4, engraved WATER RESISTANT 50M

How It Wears

On our 7-inch wrist it wears extremely large, which is the point of this reference. The tonneau case and the curved profile keep it planted, and the rubber strap keeps the whole thing balanced. This one suits a larger wrist, or anyone who wants the oversized Richard Mille presence on purpose. We think the RM 65-01 captures Richard Mille in its most recognizable form. The rose gold brings the presence, the carbon brings the racing-machine attitude, and the skeletonized dial keeps something happening everywhere you look.

The RM 65-01 on a 7-inch wrist, showing how much arm the tonneau case covers

The RM 65-01 presented in its Richard Mille box

Richard Mille Chronograph Rose Gold and Carbon (Reference 65-01) - $460,000

If you want to see the RM 65-01 in motion, the full unboxing is at the top of this page. Reach out to us at watchesoff5th.com or on social at watchesoff5th and we are happy to help.