Celeb Focus: King of clay Rafa Nadal is one to watch
He may have just lost out in the quarter finals of the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics but Rafael Nadal is a winner when it comes to watches.
The fiery Spaniard (38) is one of the greatest tennis players in history. Known for his intense playing style, powerful topspin forehand, and exceptional athleticism, he has achieved numerous milestones throughout his career, winning 22 Grand Slam titles including at Wimbledon and the French Open.
He’s also bagged gold medals in the singles at Beijing Olympics (2008) and in the doubles at the Rio Olympics (2016). And in 2022, he clinched a staggering 14th Roland Garros win.
And of course we’re not just interested in his style on the court. He has a fine set of watches to boot.
A meeting of minds
When Rafa met Richard Mille in 2008, he didn’t want to wear a watch and it certainly hadn’t occurred to him to wear one during his matches. In fact, Richard had to convince him. But together they developed the (then) world’s lightest tourbillon – the RM 027 – the first watch to bear Nadal’s name.
‘Longevidad’ is the theme running through not only Nadal’s spectacular career, but also his friendship with Richard Mille. This gave rise to a collection of 10 watches, from the first RM 027 to the latest RM 27-05 flying tourbillon. Here are a few of our favourites:
RM 35-01 (2014)
The Richard Mille RM 35-01 combines sportsmanship, hype, and status. It reflects Nadal’s remarkable achievements, including his comeback to the top of the ATP rankings.
Known as “Baby Nadal,” this lightweight watch weighs only 50 grams and features a red rubber-covered crown, legible dial, and durable design, making it perfect for sports.
The funky offering has various comfortable strap options, including a kevlar strap with velcro fastening. The RM 35-01 houses the RMUL3 calibre with 24 jewels, a free-sprung balance, and a skeletonized manual winding mechanism, providing a 55-hour power reserve.
RM 27-04 (2020)
All eyes were on his wrist as well as his play when he wore a watch worth around £1,000,000 at the Barcelona Open during his first round win over Flavio Cobolli.
Yet another piece that he helped collaborate on, it’s a limited edition with just 50 pieces ever made – and designed to celebrate Nadal’s tenth anniversary of collaboration with the watch brand – which began in 2010.
It features a hand-wound tourbillon movement, the calibre RM27-04, distinguished by a unique mesh structure inspired by tennis racket strings. This structure is made from a single braided steel cable, only 0.27 mm thick, suspended within the case for enhanced shock absorption and resistance. The movement, including the plate and bridges, is crafted from Grade 5 titanium, offering exceptional durability.
Limited to 50 pieces, the RM 27-04 has “RAFA” engraved on the case flank and “RAFAEL NADAL” on the caseback. The watch’s luxurious design, accentuated by a micro-blasted and PVD-treated gold finish, displays hours and minutes, features a free-sprung balance wheel, and has a 38-hour power reserve. Designed to endure extreme conditions, this watch is well-suited to Nadal’s demanding playing style.
RM 27-05 (2024)
Nadal wore his own design at the French Open 2024. During his first-round match, we spied the super lightweight RM 27-05. It’s the most resilient mechanical tourbillon watch ever produced by Richard Mille.
A testament to the brand’s innovative watchmaking, this one is the perfect balance of style, technology, and extreme performance, making it desirable for fans of the player.
And because it’s extraordinary light and can withstand up to 14,000Gs of force, it’s the perfect option to wear on court. The case is made from a new composite material called Carbon TPT® B.4, which offers superior density, stiffness, and strength adding to the watch’s durability and creating an X-shaped ridge on the case back.
Want a Nadal? ¡Vamos!
We have some fabulous creations from the Nadal catalogue in stock including the RM35-03 and the RM 35 02. If you have any questions about any of the Nadal designs or you’d like to try one for size, contact our Epping showroom and we’ll be happy to help.