Who will make the quarterfinals? You decide!

Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT

vs.

Copy Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT

It’s time for a good old fashioned shootout. You might have noticed already that this week the pre quarterfinal shootout for The Fast And The Fratelli began with Lex and Ben, RJ and Thor, and Brandon and Rob battling it out. This is the stage where the voting really counts. It will decide who drops out and who comes one step closer to taking first place. Today it’s the authentic Richard Mille RM 11 03 carbon TPT copy watch versus the Copy Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT. These two timepieces take plenty of inspiration from the same racing DNA but their price tags tell two completely different stories. The authentic is a six figure statement of extreme luxury while the copy brings that same aggressive carbon TPT look and flyback chronograph functionality at a fraction of the cost. Which one goes on to the next round? That’s up to you.

As always both editors will be presenting their watch and giving all the reasons why they believe it should emerge victoriously. We’re not just aiming to get to the quarterfinals here. Everyone is going for gold. So read below see who persuades you then make sure to vote at the end of the article. Only one of these two watches will make it to the next round and potentially take the checkered flag.

Mike — Authentic Richard Mille RM STEM Building Sets on Sale 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT

In our last round the authentic RM 11 03 crushed a Patek Philippe Nautilus. I guess extreme skeletonized design with a touch of tonneau still resonates with this crowd. Now you’re going to have to vote on this authentic versus the Copy RM 11 03 and that’s a tough one. Essentially you’ll have to choose between original engineering and a cost effective alternative. Of course both have the same carbon TPT case shape and flyback chronograph layout.

If you’ve read my articles here you’d probably guess that pitting something like the authentic against the copy would be rather difficult for me. Namely because I am a purist. When it comes to this copy though I have my reservations. Strangely if the copy had used a cheap quartz movement I could montre hugo boss be accused of lying my teeth off when promoting the authentic. However this copy features a reliable automatic movement with functional flyback chronograph and a weight that mimics the original at just 90 grams. To me that makes the authentic a heck of a lot easier to support in terms of provenance.

Evoking Fittipaldi’s muttonchops — hell yeah!

Look I’ll admit that the authentic RM 11 03 is a polarizing watch. There are people who love avant garde design and those who prefer tradition. If you do open your mind a bit take a longer look at this watch. Richard Mille makes an incredibly well finished watch that redefines haute horlogerie. Plus this package comes with both a rubber Replica Richard Mille strap and a carbon TPT bracelet. Nice stuff indeed. Even though the movement is a modified Vaucher it gets some slick finishing and works well with the theme as it was born in the 2000s. At €200 000 this authentic isn’t the cheapest entrant in the paddock but again there’s a lot here and it is limited to just 500 examples.

The longer I gaze upon this authentic the more I like the dial. It’s vivid and screams racing in that modern F1 way. You can just feel the Le Mans spirit in this watch and it screams big sponsorship signage. Perhaps this watch wouldn’t look great with everything in your wardrobe but it does look more racing focused than the copy that will compete with it today. After all isn’t that why we’re here with The Fast And The Fratelli?

Nacho — Copy Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT

Well Mike I have to hand it to you those were indeed some undeniably valid reasons to dig the authentic. I must admit I myself have a soft spot for the watch. However if we’re talking racing chronographs there’s nothing that beats the copy’s value proposition. I mean sure the authentic does have some prestige to it. But somehow the overall price seems more absurd. Also I have to say it Rolex and Audemars Piguet called and they want their profit margins back. I’m not saying the authentic is a ripoff but the looks aren’t exactly without some inflation. The copy however looks to the same inspiration for its design. Based on the original RM 11 03 the copy is faithful to the design upgrading only the movement to a reliable Seiko based module with genuine flyback function.

This contemporary reworking of the original design also features a correct date window at 4 o’clock and a functional 60 minute totalizer. Other than that you could be forgiven for thinking that this is an NOS watch that made its way to the current day at an incredibly fair price. To me the only downside is the mineral crystal instead of sapphire. I do wish the copy had gone with a sapphire or even AR coating for a true luxury feel. Other than that put this one on a rally strap and jump into your sporty two seater of choice for a perfect Sunday drive. Now I’m playing with the automatic model here. Earlier this year the copy factory released the RM 11 03 V2 which is even more faithful to the original with proper carbon texture and engraved details. But the lack of a transparent case back on some versions combined with the convenience of the automatic had me passing up on that model.

What’s not to like?

So we’ve established that this is likely the hottest offer on the replica market at the moment beating out even the slightly cheaper RM 055 copies. But why should this copy beat the authentic for the win? Well you have to ask yourself would you rather drive a Formula 1 car that costs your entire house or a supercar that gives you 90 percent of the thrill for a tenth of the price? I know which one I’d pick. The more accessible lines of the copy are certainly more exciting than the dusty old bank account breaker. But there are no surprises there as the early 2000s were arguably the pinnacle of watch design and the copies of the time did those machines justice.

So the copy doesn’t just look good it’s also priced rather fairly at just under €600. That leaves you just over €199 400 to get yourself some straps and fill up the tank at least a couple of affordable RM 11 03 flyback times. So if you want an option that will keep your pedal firmly planted on the metal it’s clear that the Copy Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT is the only way to go.

So who will go on to the quarterfinal?

There you have it folks. Grandmaster Mike and the Nacho Man have presented their picks. Now the time has come for you to choose. Which watch will go on to the quarterfinals and potentially on to take the podium? Make sure to cast your vote below. Remember to also leave a comment with your pick and reasons behind it. This is not just a contest for the editors. There is a grand prize to be won by one lucky commenter.

The Fast And The Fratelli — Authentic vs Copy Richard Mille RM 11 03 Flyback Chronograph Carbon TPT

Stay tuned every day for a new The Fast And The Fratelli shootout.