Rafael Nadal's Watch Collection - Rafa's Richard Mille Watches

Rafael Nadal has a great case for being called the greatest tennis player of all time. He holds the record for major tennis tournament wins with 22 Grand Slam titles (Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are just behind Nadal with 21 and 20 Grand Slams, respectively). In addition to being a world class tennis star, the Spanish Bull has great taste in watches. But if you look at what’s on Rafa’s wrist, you’ll notice that it’s all one brand: Richard Mille. This isn’t because Nadal only has an appreciation of the super high-end avant-garde brand, Nadal has been a Richard Mille ambassador since 2010.

Prior to meeting the man, Richard Mille, himself in 2008, Nadal had always refused to wear a watch while playing tennis. It took a couple of years, but Mille would eventually convince Nadal to become the brand’s ambassador. But Nadal has never just represented the brand, he worked in concert with Richard Mille and the brand’s designers and engineers to build highly complicated timepieces suitable (and light enough) for him to play tennis in.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 027

2010 would be the first time Rafael Nadal wore a watch, let alone a Richard Mille, during a tennis match. Nadal worked with Richard Mille to test the watch out in real world conditions to make sure it was light enough to play in. At the time, the RM 027 weighed less than 20 grams (including the strap) and was the the lightest watch ever produced. The tourbillon movement of the watch was made of a titanium and LITAL® alloy, an alloy high in lithium, making it extremely light. The result was a movement that was just 3.83 grams. The Richard Mille RM 027 was limited to just 50 pieces and is currently offered for sale at around $1,600,000 USD on the secondary market.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 27-01

Richard Mille broke its own record for lightest watch when they released the Richard Mille RM 27-01 “Rafael Nadal” in 2013. The watch weighed just 18.83 grams, including the strap (which, by the way, is the heaviest part of this watch). The RM 27-01 runs on the calibre 27-01 manual wind tourbillon movement and is limited to just 50 pieces. The Richard Mille RM 27-01 currently sells on the secondary market for around $1,750,000 USD.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 27-02

In 2016, the Richard Mille RM 27 line would get another update with the introduction of the RM 27-02 “Rafael Nadal”. The case of the watch itself is made partly of a TPT Quartz, the first time it has been ever used for a watch. The case gets its marbleized look from the (almost 600) alternating layers of TPT Quartz and carbon fiber. combination of the TPT Quartz and carbon fiber. This gives the watch a very unique, almost artistic look. Additionally, with the RM 27-02, Richard Mille unveiled the very first skeletonized baseplate known as the “unibody”, where the movement, baseplate and caseback are all fused into together. The Richard Mille RM 27-02 tourbillon currently sells on the secondary market for around $1,300,000 USD.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 27-03

In 2017 Rafa as once again seen wearing the latest iteration of the Richard Mille RM 27, this time the RM 27-03. The red and yellow TPT Quartz case of the RM 27-03 pays homage to the Nadal’s home country of Spain and the colors of the Spanish flag. This particular RM was not without its own innovations. The RM 27-03’s tourbillon movement has the ability of to absorb shocks up to 10,000 g's. Maybe that’s much shock absorption is not necessary for a tennis match, but Rafa can be sure his watch will stay in tact while he plays. The Richard Mille RM 27-03 is a limited addition of 50 pieces and currently sells on the secondary market for around $1,685,000 USD.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 27-04

In honor of the 10 year anniversary of Richard Mille’s and Rafael Nadal’s collaboration, Richard Mille released the most recent version of the RM 27, the RM 27-04. Again limited to just 50 pieces, the RM 27-04 features what is reminiscent of tennis racket strings across the dial. That is no accident and these metal mesh “strings” help hold the movement in place. Richard Mille also designed the RM 27-04 to absorb 12,000 g’s in shock, a new record (surpassing the RM 27-03). The Richard Mille RM 27-04 is currently selling for around $2,150,000 USD on the grey market.

RaFael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 35-03 Blue

While the entire RM 27 line is made up of manual winding tourbillons, the RM 35-03 “Rafael Nadal” offers an automatic option (though not a tourbillon). The skeletonised automatic movement contains another innovation of Richard Mille, their patented butterfly rotor, and also includes as a sport mode and function selector. The butterfly rotor allows the wearer the possibility of varying the rotor geometry by themselves, controlling the winding of the movement according to their activity level. Pushing the button at 7 o’clock engages “sport” mode. The on/off indicator of whether sport mode is engaged, is at 6 o’clock. The Richard Mille RM 35-03 in blue Quartz TPT is currently selling on the secondary market for around $850,000 USD.

RaFael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 35-03 White

In addition to being offered in a blue Quartz TPT dial, the Richard Mille RM 35-03 is also offered with a white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT dial. The rest of the watch, besides some color variation, remains exactly the same. This variation, however, seems to be a little more in demand. It is currently selling on the secondary market for around $1,000,000 USD.

RafAel Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 011-03

The final Richard Mille, Nadal has been spotted wearing is unlike the rest. It is the only Richard Mille that was not designed and developed for Rafa himself. When Nadal was spotted with Richard Mille himself, he was seen wearing the Richard Mille RM 011-03. Perhaps because he was not on the court, he didn’t need to wear a watch with the lightness or shock absorption of the RM 27 line. Instead the RM 011-03 Nadal was wearing has a rose gold case (making it a bit on the heavier side) as well as a flyback chronograph movement. The rose gold Richard Mille RM 011-03 is currently selling for between $300,000 USD and $400,000 USD on the secondary market.