Grand Slam: Richard Mille Unveils the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

With its latest creation, Richard Mille celebrates tennis great Rafael Nadal with a distinct flying tourbillon, Formula 1-grade material innovations and 4,000 hours of development.

Continuing its long-standing partnership with the winner of 22 tennis grand slams, Richard Mille has unveiled its new RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal, a timepiece that, much like the sportsman himself, is matched by no other. 

With 4,000 hours of work behind the case and movement, the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal is simply extraordinary. A flange and bezel rest atop a monobloc back/caseband unit, which are secured together without the need of any screws to house the RM27-05 movement. Based on the ultra-thin RMUP-01 calibre, the movement powers a flying tourbillon and oscillates at a frequency of 3Hz. A free-sprung balance improves both chronometric results over time and resistance against shocks, and four small adjustable weights provide for more accurate and repeatable calibration. The use of a unique single-sided mount does away with the conventional upper bridge, resulting in both unimpeded views of the movement and significant weight reduction.

Taking this one step further are the baseplate and bridges in micro-blasted and PVD-treated grade 5 titanium, a material often used in the aerospace, aeronautics and automotive industries, as well as a new version of Carbon TPT in its V-shaped gear train bridge and case. Unlike previous iterations, the improved Carbon TPT B.4 is an optimised anisotropic material that allows for even more precise machining at thinner levels, and offers increases of 4 percent in density, 15 percent in fibre stiffness and 30 percent in resin strength compared to its predecessor. The material was initially used in Formula 1, and through five years of extensive research and development by Richard Mille and its Swiss partner North Thin Ply Technology, it’s now brought to the world of watchmaking for the first time, culminating in a watch that, as confirmed by comprehensive calculations, simulations and impact tests, can endure accelerations in excess of a staggering 14,000g.

Limited to just 80 examples, the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal is proof once again why Richard Mille has been the watchmaker of choice for the tennis champion since 2008 – and why it should be yours too.