With possibly his last stint in Australia, we look at the famed Spanish Tennis superstar and his downright incredible Richard Mille Collection!
Rafael Nadal, what can we say about him besides that he is amongst the best tennis players we have ever seen? The Spanish giant has won 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record 14 French Open titles. He is among only two men to complete the Career Golden Slam in singles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay also constitute as the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
More recently, however, Nadal has been out of action for almost a year, with the player suffering a hip flexor injury during last year’s Australian Open. The good news for tennis fans is that he is back this year, having a healthy and fit recovery, Nadal recently played his first competitive match at the Brisbane International, in preparation for the Australian Open in Melbourne later this month.
One thing watch enthusiasts will know is that Nadal is an avid watch fan. Arguably, he is one of the only few players to wear not only wristwatches but also incredibly expensive ones while playing. His favourite brand? Richard Mille. Richard Mille has sponsored Nadal, and what better advertising for the brand than to have the tennis superstar wear the watches during the games? The watches themselves have been designed to be able to withstand the shocks and movements that occur while Nadal is pushing himself to the limit.
Below are the Richard Mille timepieces that Nadal has been spotted with so far, whether it’s on the court, during press conferences or on social occasions. Most of these pieces are also his collaborative creations with Richard Mille. Check out his truly incredible collection below!
RICHARD MILLE RM 027 Tourbillon
The Richard Mille RM 027 Tourbillon is the first watch that Nadal wore at a tennis match. In 2010, Nadal worked closed alongside Richard Mille in developing this timepiece to be as sturdy and light as possible, fit to be worn during high-intensity matches! At the time of production, this RM 027 was the lightest watch ever produced, weighing in at just 20 grams.
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $2,373,000
RICHARD MILLE RM 35-03 Blue
This RM 35-03 in blue differs widely from most of Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille timepieces in that instead of having a tourbillon, it’s an automatic movement containing the brand’s patented butterfly rotor. This butterfly rotor is truly impressive. It allows the wearer to adjust the winding level of the rotor according to their activity levels! The watch also includes a sports mode and a functionality selector.
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $1,260,660
RICHARD MILLE RM 35-03 White
Rafael Nadal loves his coloured timepieces, and I’m fully on board with his choices. Exactly the same specs as the RM 35-03 Blue, this white model is paired with an ice blue/sky blue strap, which, as you can see from the pictures, stands out beautifully on the wrist!
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $1,483,150
RICHARD MILLE RM 27-01 Tourbillon
Designed in collaboration with Nadal, the Richard Mille RM 27-01 tourbillon was made specifically to withstand the intense physical demands of tennis. The timepiece has a lightweight carbon composite case.
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $832,070
RICHARD MILLE RM 27-02
Introduced in 2016, the Richard Mille RM 27-02 “Rafael Nadal” features a case made partly by TPT Quartz, the first this material has been used on a timepiece. The marble finish of the case comes from the alternating layers of TPT Quartz and carbon fibre.
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $1,928,070
RICHARD MILLE RM 27-03
Released in 2017 was the Richard Mille RM 27-03. The combination of red and yellow for the case and crown is a reference to Rafael Nadal’s home country of Spain, where these are the main colours of the Spanish flag. One insanely impressive innovative feature of this Richard Mille is it’s ability to absorb shocks of up to 10,000 g’s!
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $2,499,070
RICHARD MILLE RM 27-04
The Richard Mille RM 27-04 tourbillon was created to honour the 10th anniversary of Rafael Nadal and the brand’s partnership. This timepiece has a unique design: the dial is recreated to replicate the mesh “strings” of a tennis racquet. These metal strings are also what hold the movement in place.
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $3,188,750
RICHARD MILLE RM 011-03
This Richard Mille is one of the few models that Nadal hasn’t had a part in designing. The RM 011-03 has a rose gold case, making it much heavier than his other watches. Hence, that is why you can see it on his wrist during a night out, and not on the court!
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $520,000
RICHARD MILLE RM35-01 Carbon NTPT
This RM 35-01 “Rafa” edition was introduced back in 2016 and, like most other Richard Mille timepieces, has been designed to withstand hard environments. In this case, the case itself is constructed from Carbon NTPT, a material used for its impressive durability and strength!
Australian Estimated Price: AUD $370,780
