RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal; Richard Mille’s Latest Grand Slam

When on the court, Rafael Nadal has a distinct preference to wear one of Richard Mille’s RM 027 Tourbillons, but his passion for the brand goes beyond that. With the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal, this top-athlete has added its fourth timepiece to the collection, and it is as impressive as it is innovative.

As Rafael Nadal puts the unique collaboration with Richard Mille in words, ‘In our respective domains, we both seek to achieve excellence. We speak the same language, Richard and I. We’re both passionate about our work. Keeping alive this flame of passion for what we do each day is essential to me. Even though I don’t wear the RM 35 models in competition, it is heart-warming to feel the confidence that he and the teams show in allowing me to participate in this singular adventure,’

As we have grown accustomed, Richard Mille also packed its latest watch with innovations. The new RM 35-03 is the first to benefit from a completely new system for movement winding, which was under development for three years. In essence, it is the next step in the evolution of the variable geometry rotor. Where that one needed to be adjusted by a Richard Mille watchmaker, the new butterfly rotor, as it is called, can be adjusted easily by the owner at any moment and in the blink of an eye by simply pushing a button. This way, the winding characteristics can be matched by their activities, ensuring the optimum performance of their timepiece.

The RM 35-03 is a robust-looking watch, not only because of its size but also thanks to the design of the bezel. It is not smooth, as is customary with many of Richard Mille’s creations but consists of two levels machined with great care and precision. The watch is available in two different versions. The first combines white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT with a case band in Carbon TPT, while the second unites blue Quartz TPT with a white Quartz TPT case band. Both are powered by Caliber RMAL2, which not only features the patented butterfly rotor but also comes with a skeletonized baseplate and bridges in grade 5 titanium, Richard Mille’s signature function selector, as well as two mainspring barrels. This makes the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal a true horological athlete, sharing the same spirit as one of the best tennis players the world has ever seen.