LeBron James Teams Up with Richard Mille for a Wild RM65-01 Split-Seconds Chronograph

Unless you’re one of the few people on Earth who can drop €380,000+ on a watch like it’s a new pair of sneakers, the latest Richard Mille x LeBron James RM65-01 isn’t exactly something you’re about to daily drive. But if you’re into bold watches, fascinating mechanics, and collaborations that actually feel personal? This one’s worth talking about.

Source: Hodinkee

The King’s Watch

So here’s the headline: LeBron James, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time (or at least on your Top 3 list), just dropped his first-ever official collab with Richard Mille, a brand already known for making absurdly technical, space-age watches that weigh less than a Tic Tac and cost more than a Porsche.

The model is a customised version of the RM65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph, and like everything else LeBron touches, it’s done in a big way - Carbon TPT, wild colour choices, and a whole lot of Lakers pride baked right into the design.

It’s limited to just 150 pieces, which are probably already gone.

Source: Hodinkee

Purple & Gold with a Twist of Green

The colourway is the first thing that smacks you in the face. There’s yellow on the pushers, the crown, the chronograph hands, and even the Quartz TPT midcase. Purple accents line the tachymeter and pop up again in LeBron’s signature on the caseback. That's full-on Lakers mode, which makes sense, since this guy basically is the Lakers at this point.

But here’s the curveball: green. It shows up on the date window, the hour markers, parts of the pushers, and even around the LeBron James logo at 12 o’clock. It’s not just there for fun - well, maybe it is - but I think it's a nod to his high school, St. Vincent–St. Mary, whose colours were green and gold. That’s where the LeBron legend really started. It’s cool to see that small, nostalgic touch among all the flash.

The caseback even features LeBron’s actual signature, printed in purple, which overlays the RMAC4 movement - a beast of a calibre with a split-seconds chronograph, date, function selector, rapid winding system, and a variable-geometry rotor. In short, it’s a mechanical marvel that just happens to look like a cyberpunk spaceship on your wrist.

The Watch Itself

Let’s talk size. The RM65-01 isn’t shy about its wrist presence. At 44.5mm wide, 49.94mm lug-to-lug, and 16.1mm thick, this thing is large, unapologetically so. But if you’re wearing a LeBron Richard Mille, subtlety probably isn’t your endgame.

The materials are peak Richard Mille: Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT. These aren’t your average composites - they’re ultra-light, super tough, and give the watch that unique layered pattern RM fans obsess over. You also get a sporty rubber textile strap that keeps things functional and relatively comfortable despite the size.

The dial is skeletonised, which lets you peek into the movement and see the gears doing their thing. RM does this better than almost anyone, and even with all the colour, the layout doesn’t feel messy. There’s clarity amid chaos. Source: Hodinkee

The Movement: RMAC4

This is where things get wild.

The RMAC4 is automatic, high-frequency (5 Hz), and built to handle serious action. The split-seconds chronograph lets you time two events at once - say, two racers on a track - while the function selector lets you switch between winding, setting, and neutral with a push of a button (because pulling out a crown is apparently too pedestrian for RM owners).

There’s also a variable-geometry rotor, which can be adjusted depending on how active the wearer is. Basically, if you’re more of a Netflix-and-snack guy than a pickup basketball type, the watch can still wind efficiently.

And despite all that tech, the power reserve sits at a healthy 60 hours, even without the chronograph running.

A Personal Flex, Not Just Hype

Here’s what I genuinely like about this collab: it feels like LeBron actually had input. This isn’t just a generic RM with a new strap and a celebrity logo slapped on. The Lakers colours, the high school tribute, the signature - this watch tells his story.

And yeah, it’s loud. But so is LeBron’s resume. This watch doesn’t pretend to be understated. It’s a maximalist, ultra-modern time bomb that says, “You know exactly who I am.”

Also worth noting: LeBron isn’t new to watches. His collection includes some heavy hitters - Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and of course, plenty of other Richard Milles. So when he decides to collaborate on one, he probably knows what works and what doesn’t.

This isn’t his first rodeo either. Over a decade ago, he teamed up with Audemars Piguet for a special edition Royal Oak Offshore, and it sold out fast. But RM is a whole other level of exclusivity, which makes this release even more special - and probably even more expensive on the secondary market in the months to come.

Is It Worth the Price?

If you’re asking this, it probably isn’t for you.

At around €380,000, the RM65-01 LeBron James is priced in the stratosphere. But for collectors, athletes, celebrities, and the ultra-rich who want a technical flex with a personal backstory? It’s a no-brainer.

There are only 150 of these. For context, there are over 450 active NBA players, and probably 10x that number of RM collectors worldwide. If you’re lucky enough to get one, congratulations - you’ve secured both a rare piece of horology and a slice of sports history.