Capturing racing fever this spring is Swiss watch designer Richard Mille. The esteemed company’s newest special edition, the RM 72-01 Le Mans Classic, is a piece of functional homage to the 100th birthday of legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Like all Mille timepieces, it’s tough; materials used include grade 5 titanium, Quartz TPT, platinum, and rubber; a grey electroplasma treatment provides rigorous protection in use.

Catalog number notwithstanding, the full name of the new model is the Automatic Winding Flyback Chronograph Le Mans Classic. It’s a shining example of Mille’s house style of technically ornate, hand-made luxury pragmatism. It also beautifully conveys the experience of race day with evocative, colorful visuals and tons of kinetic energy.

The RM 72-01 is skeletonized front and back. Up top, it shows off a full suite of timekeeping operations, including the flyback chronograph alluded to, as well as stop seconds and a function indicator. Mille is careful to point out that the chronograph and timekeeping functions do not compete for available energy, and that the watch has a power reserve of about 50 hours. The design is patented.

The baroque mechanics of the face are given thematic cohesion by suggesting analog dash instrumentation, and in the top right corner are the words LE MANS over a checkered flag; the hour counter features the number 16 in red, emphasizing the starting time of the race. In back, Mille’s CRMC1 calibre and the chronograph mechanics are in full view.

Richard Mille will build 150 examples of the RM 72-01.