Style Edit: Richard Mille RM 27-05 Rafael Nadal – the latest timepiece worthy of tennis’ ‘King of Clay’

Jul 17 , 2024

PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 25: Tennisman Rafael Nadal (Rafa) poses for a portrait shoot for Richard Mille on March 25, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Thomas Laisné/Contour by Getty Images)

Since 2008, Nadal has worn six versions of this watch, and with its latest Carbon TPT B.4 case, it weighs just 11.5 grams

The new Richard Mille RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal is a fitting finale to a 14-year collaboration between the independent watchmaker and the Spanish tennis player, a legend of the quintessential summer sport with a preppy vibe. Now 38, Nadal is widely known as the “King of Clay” thanks to a record number of clay court titles, including 14 French Opens among his 22 grand slam tournament wins.

Few watches have been so tied to an icon’s career as Richard Mille’s original RM 027 Tourbillon, the founding model of the line. Back in 2008, the year Nadal first became world No 1, it was developed with a simple premise: to produce an exceptional timepiece that could withstand the rigours of professional sport.

Rafael Nadal sporting the Richard Mille RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

“The design of the RM 027 began,” says director Yves Mathys, “with the desire to develop an extremely light timepiece for Rafa. We looked at the materials we could use to make it even lighter and more robust.”

The piece was a success. Nadal wore it as he clinched the 2010 French Open as a 24-year-old and since then, the collection – alongside Nadal – has gone from strength to strength.

For the collection’s sixth and final piece, Richard Mille pulled out all the stops. The piece weighs 11.5 grams excluding the strap, and can withstand 14,000Gs, an impressive stat for a manual winding tourbillon timepiece.

Despite the watch’s strength, the RM 27-05 is thinner than ever. According to technical director for movements Salvador Arbona, the 7.2mm design takes cues from the RM UP-01 Ferrari (1.75mm thick), while adding a 5N gold PVD-treated flying tourbillon and a flying barrel less than 1mm thick, providing 55 hours of power. The baseplate is skeletonised and made of PVD-treated titanium. All this is housed in a durable Carbon TPT B.4 tonneau case.

Close-up of the movement at the heart of the Richard Mille RM 27-05

Developed with Richard Mille’s long-time partner North Thin Ply Technology, Carbon TPT B.4 makes the lightness and durability of the RM27-05 possible. As compared to its forerunner Carbon TPT, the composite is 4 per cent denser, with fibres 15 per cent stiffer and resin 30 per cent stronger.