Richard Mille Men's RM 027 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal Watch

Richard Mille Men's RM 027 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal Watch

The King of Clay, Nadal, and His 027 Collection

Before his first encounter with Richard Mille in 2008, Rafael Nadal had always refused to wear a watch. Indeed, watches were rarely seen in tennis, let alone other sports. Nadal has a unique on-court routine, and any additional accessory seemed to disrupt his routine. Initially hesitant to wear a watch, Richard Mille's work ultimately convinced him. The result was the RM 027, a watch that epitomizes Richard Mille's technological prowess and has become the King of Clay's constant companion on the court.

RM 027 – A "Second Skin" Watch

As the undisputed King of Clay, Nadal is widely considered the most formidable and fearless tennis player of all time. As early as 2010, he had won three of the four major championships. 2017 was his best season yet, with two Grand Slams and atop the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings. Nadal currently holds the record for the most French Open titles in tennis history.

Nadal recalled their initial collaboration: "Richard came to me personally with a watch and said, 'This is a watch we made just for you.' It was platinum, so it was very heavy. I was confused and didn't realize he was joking. But when I tried the real watch on, I fell in love with it; there was an unspoken connection between us. This timepiece is now like a second skin."

A watch designed for tennis matches not only needs to withstand hours of repeated impact on clay courts and the resulting accelerations of hundreds of g's, but also needs to be comfortable to wear, incredibly lightweight, and resistant to sweat from an athlete's wrist: these are the true tests of a tourbillon movement. The RM 027 Tourbillon watch was born. Designed to withstand the demands of sporting environments, the RM 027, including its strap, weighs less than 20 grams, making it the lightest tourbillon watch ever made at the time. Furthermore, this watch was the first to utilize titanium for its tourbillon, ALUSIC® alloy for its case, and carbon fiber for its baseplate.

The baseplate of the RM 027 Tourbillon is crafted from titanium and LITAL®: a high-lithium alloy combining aluminum, copper, magnesium, and zirconium with a density of only 2.55. The addition of lithium, a lightweight element, to the alloy mix provides exceptional rigidity without adding unnecessary weight. For similar reasons, this special alloy is also used in the aerospace industry, in the Airbus A380, helicopters, rockets and satellites, and in Formula 1 racing cars. Furthermore, to minimize the weight of the watch, the movement within the RM 027 weighs just 3.83 grams.

Nadal tested the RM 027 under real-world conditions, wearing it during tennis matches. The results of this watchmaking experiment are clear: despite the sudden, violent movements and impacts often associated with high-level tennis matches, the RM 027 Tourbillon has proven its durability, allowing Nadal to swing his racket with complete confidence. With the RM 027, Richard Mille has truly brought mechanical watches, and even tourbillon watches, into the world of sports, showcasing the brand's exceptional performance and development capabilities in a real-world setting.

RM 27-01: Movement Suspended in the Center of the Case

Following the RM 027, Richard Mille aimed to break the record for the world's lightest mechanical watch with a new watch. The RM 27-01, unveiled in 2013, immediately broke the record. Weighing a mere 18.83 grams, including the heaviest strap, this watch defied the enormous challenge.

This unprecedented architectural construction, incredibly complex, stems from Richard Mille's determination to develop a watch with a movement suspended in the center of the case. Richard Mille drew inspiration from suspended bridges in structural engineering and aspired to apply this design to a watch, a space measuring just a few dozen millimeters. After months of meticulous research and development, Richard Mille's engineers finally realized this avant-garde design concept, resulting in what is arguably one of the most innovative architectural structures in recent years.

The baseplate of the RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal is secured to the case by four braided steel cables, each just 0.35 mm in diameter. This combination of rigidity and flexibility protects the movement, which weighs just 3.5 grams, thanks to the baseplate and tourbillon carriage crafted from grade 5 titanium, and the barrel and transmission gears crafted from an aluminum-lithium alloy.

The tension in these cables is controlled by tensioning devices at 3 and 9 o'clock, as well as by four pulleys at the four corners of the movement that act as towers. Each cable is fixed to a tensioning device, then passes through an upper pulley to the movement, where it returns to a lower pulley and connects to the lower flange. After threading the cables, the watchmaker then tightens them by rotating the central ring of the tensioning mechanism using a special tool.

Securing and tensioning these cables requires exceptional precision and intricacy: excessive tension could cause the cables to break or become loose, potentially damaging the movement; insufficient tension could cause the movement to resonate, compromising its chronometric performance. Thanks to its design, which allows the movement to be suspended from the center of the case, this exceptional movement can withstand accelerations exceeding 5,000 g's.

RM 27-02: A Watch of Uncompromising Quality

Inheriting the spirit of the RM 006, RM 008, and RM 012 Tourbillon watches, the RM 27-02 is a masterpiece among Richard Mille watches, destined to leave its mark. The RM 27-02 is a watch of uncompromising quality, reinterpreting the art and technique of watch design for the 21st century.

Following research conducted by Richard Mille's team of engineers on Carbon TPT®, the brand unveiled its innovative "monoblock" skeletonized baseplate, where the case middle and baseplate are fused together, eliminating the need for the two components to be fastened together. This construction, inspired by the chassis of a racing car, enhances the watch's rigidity and resistance to shocks when applied to watchmaking.

The monoblock movement baseplate is a technical feat requiring profound knowledge and the skill of micro-machining new materials: a concept nurtured by Richard Mille since its inception. The innovative "monoblock" skeletonized baseplate, where the case middle and baseplate are fused together, eliminates the need for the two components to be fastened together. This construction, inspired by the chassis of a racing car, enhances the watch's rigidity and resistance to shocks when applied to watchmaking. The monoblock movement baseplate is a technical feat requiring profound knowledge and the skill of micro-machining new materials: a concept nurtured by Richard Mille since its inception.

This is also reflected in the uncompromisingly innovative craftsmanship of the case. Its distinctive black and white exterior is undoubtedly eye-catching. Richard Mille's team of engineers, in collaboration with the British company North Thin Ply Technology, developed a unique material called Quartz TPT®, composed of hundreds of overlapping quartz filaments. These fibers are exceptionally resistant to high temperatures while offering exceptional rigidity and transparency, unaffected by electromagnetic waves. Since the RM 27-02, this unique material has been incorporated into various Richard Mille collections. Its excellent physical properties, exceptional wearability, and vibrant colors have made it a favorite case material among watch enthusiasts.

RM 27-03: Withstands shocks up to 10,000g

Following the impressive performance of the RM 27-02, the RM 027 series continues to advance in shock resistance and color, resulting in the RM 27-03 Tourbillon. The RM 27-03's tourbillon movement has reached unprecedented levels of shock resistance, capable of withstanding and resisting accelerations of up to 10,000g. This marks a milestone in watchmaking and a testament to the prowess of this Spanish tennis player.

In its design, this watch embodies the Spanish tennis champion's regal demeanor. The French Open is an ideal occasion for the launch of this new watch. Clay courts have always been Nadal's favorite, and he exploits his strengths to the fullest. The soft and fragile clay surface perfectly necessitates an aggressive style while adhering to the fundamental principles of competition.

The RM 27-03 seamlessly reconciles material innovation with horological construction. Clay courts are renowned for their magnifying effect. This also applies to the RM 27-03, whose striking red and yellow Quartz TPT® case symbolizes Nadal's native Spain. Using a proprietary Swiss process, a thin layer of silica, just 45 microns thick, is impregnated with colored resin, interwoven into a thin layer of filaments, and then heated to 120°C to create the vibrant, vibrant colors.

The development of the new Quartz TPT® colors demonstrates the exceptional skill of Richard Mille and North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) engineers, from color stability required by REACH standards to biocompatibility and durability. Once the composite material is created, it undergoes extensive milling and surface treatment to create the case and individual components.

The key innovation of this exceptional watch lies in its tourbillon movement's ability to withstand shocks of up to 10,000g. This extensive development and rigorous testing, conducted in a "pendulum impact test" that simulates the linear acceleration caused by sudden movement or impact, has elevated its performance to new heights.

RM 27-04: Cable-Suspended Movement

10,000g impact resistance wasn't the ultimate goal for Richard Mille. The RM 027 collection was born to break records and create possibilities. Thus, the RM 27-04 once again redefined the concept of mechanical watches. This new watch perfectly complements the collections previously created for the Spanish champion. Its uniqueness goes beyond this, as it also marks the tenth anniversary of Nadal's partnership with Richard Mille. The collaboration between the 14-time French Open champion and the founder of the brand that bears his name began as a purely professional exchange but later blossomed into a deep friendship.

According to the Mallorcan-born player, it's a "very special" relationship, one fueled by mutual trust and admiration for their respective professions. The RM 27-04 is no exception, weighing a mere 30 grams, including the strap.

The movement of this watch features a micro-sprayed mesh, a construction unprecedented in watchmaking. The 855 square millimeter mesh is composed of a single-core braided steel cable with a diameter of just 0.27 mm, secured by two screw tensioners treated with either PVD or 5N treatments, fully supporting the movement.

Inspired by the principles of tennis string braiding, the watchmaker first secures the cable to the tensioner at 5 o'clock and then begins weaving the mesh: the cable is alternately threaded through the posts, then braided horizontally. The cable then passes above and below the posts, passing 38 times around a hollow titanium flange, before finally reaching the tensioner at 10 o'clock, completing the weaving process. The uniform angles created by the braiding of the wire prevent excessive friction and localized wear on the posts caused by frequent impact during tennis matches. The movement, suspended from the center of the case, allows the RM 27-04 to withstand accelerations exceeding 12,000 g, setting a new endurance record for the Richard Mille brand.

From the original RM 027 to the RM 27-04, Richard Mille's close collaboration with the tennis superstar has spawned a diverse series of exceptional timepieces. However, Raphael's relationship with Richard goes far beyond partnership. The tennis champion stated, "He's a driven individual who truly wants to push watchmaking forward. He's not one to rest on his laurels. I admire his pursuit of excellence; in tennis, I always strive for better, and that's what I strive for."

I believe Richard Mille won't stop there. Although Nadal's physical condition may prevent him from competing for several more seasons, this year's French Open clay court will likely be the center of attention. As for the RM 027 watch series, we look forward to new surprises in the future.