art,” says Richard Mille, who founded his
eponymous watch brand in 2001.
Adds Mike Flewitt, the Chief Execu-
tive Officer of McLaren Automotive: “And
that’s where the beauty lies. We take
advantage of science, engineering and the
latest research to go beyond what anyone
has done before. We use new materials
to improve function. Neither of us make
things just to own as pieces of art that sit
in a collection. We want them to be used.
“We don’t use new technology just to
say we are first. We use new technology
because it makes for better performance—
lighter weight, more strength, greater
durability,” he says.A Pursuit of Excellence
Richard Mille and McLaren’s partner-
ship has flourished because of a common
goal: the pursuit of perfection achieved
through attention to technical excellence.
This involves an unswerving attention to
detail and the use of exotic materials when
required. There is a focus on both form and
function, without comprising on either.
In particular, there is a shared obsession
with precision, regardless of the shocks,
vibrations or other physical stresses that
their timepieces or cars may encounter.
“There are so many similarities in the
way we approach a problem, such as
saving weight, reducing vibrational impact
and resistance. Whether in the world of
automobiles or that of watches, ergonomics
is a field of research where developments
are similar despite differing applications,”
says Flewitt.
However, Mille notes that the solutions
it garners from the automotive world must
be adapted to meet the constraints of the
domain of watches. “After all, a Formula
One car might run one hour to an hour and
a half a day, but a watch must keep ticking
24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” he says.A Shared Passion
The new RM 11-03 McLaren Automatic
Flyback Chronograph timepiece that
Richard Mille has created with McLaren
is the purest manifestation of this fruitfulPROMOTION