The Watches & Wonders watch show, this week in Geneva, unveils new treasures of watchmaking finesse. What minimum thickness can a watch reach without losing the attributes that characterize it (hands, dial, bezel, lugs, etc.)? The debate raged in July 2022, when Richard Mille created a surprise by unveiling its RM-UP01 Ferrari.
With its 30 grams and 200 components for 1.75 mm thickness, it set a record for thinness (and price, at 2 million euros each!). But it also sparked controversy with its style: on this extreme piece, crowns and hands were directly integrated into the workings. The quest for ultra-finesse is part of the history of the Roman house, as early as the 1960s, its extra-thin mechanical movements with manual winding made the difference, measuring only 2.3 mm thick. In 2022, the Côte-aux-Fées factory pushed the needle even further by unveiling their incredible AUC, only 2 mm thick, the back of which served as a platinum.