Nadal’s Wrist Shot Reveals A Brand New Richard Mille Flying Tourbillion At Roland Garros

Rafael Nadal’s spectacular career in Tennis has been one for the books. Passionate and talented Nadal has rightfully earned his place among the greats of the sport beautifully embodying the qualities of tenacity, resilience and victory. These are the very qualities shared by Richard Mille when it comes to watchmaking and over the years, we have seen the sportsman strap on a Richard Mille during several important tournaments throughout his illustrious career. 

During the ongoing Roland Garros held in Paris, Nadal was seen sporting the brand new RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillion Rafael Nadal. Although the journey began in 2019, this Richard Mille saga has reached a climactic conclusion with the latest release. Weighing just 11.5 grams and forged with the ability to withstand a g-force of 14,000, this timepiece is iconic in every way imaginable!

The RM 27-05 project was driven by an unwavering quest to eliminate weight and the result boasts an impressive technical data sheet. The movement has a power reserve of 55 hours and incorporates a flying tourbillon that oscillates at a frequency of 3 Hz. Its PVD-treated titanium baseplate is optimally skeletonised and hand-finished, even the hidden parts. The bridges are also made of grade 5 titanium and Carbon TPT to make them even lighter. The calibre measures 3.75 mm thick and weighs just 3.79 grams. 

The designing of the calibre and case took an astounding 4,000 hours of work as there are no screws holding the movement to the case. The entire mechanism rests inside the monobloc back/caseband unit, which is then topped by the flange and bezel. The whole assembly presses down on the calibre to hold it firmly in place. What gives this model a major advantage are the qualities of a new composite, Carbon TPT B.4, developed over the course of five years with the brand’s Swiss partner North Thin Ply Technology. Carbon TPT B.4 is an optimised anisotropic material that makes it possible to machine the case to ever thinner cross-sections. Compared with earlier Carbon TPT, the new composite is 4% denser, the fibre 15% stiffer and the resin 30% stronger. 

For optimum strength, Carbon TPT B.4 is woven in stacks using a specific 70° orientation between layers. Choosing this material guarantees the watch's powerful architecture the best ratios, weight, performance and rigidity. It’s what makes it possible to follow the weave of the Carbon TPT B.4, creating an X-shaped ridge on the caseback that the movement rests on. Comprehensive simulations of the whole, including the case, resulted the calibre being positioned 5/100ths of a mm from the caseback on 6 support points, which contribute to the watch's stiffness. This X pattern is visually reflected throughout the case, while guaranteeing the bezel, flange and monobloc caseback retain their properties regardless of circumstances.

Technology and inventive thinking have created a timepiece that goes way beyond watchmaking akin to Rafa's status as not just an athlete but a symbol of excellence and greatness.