Manufacturer: Richard Mille Year: 2021 Reference No: RM27-04 Movement No: 12 Case No: Caseback stamped with limited edition number 21/50 Model Name: RM27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal Material: TitaCarb Calibre: Manual, 19 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Canvas Clasp/Buckle: Richard Mille Titanium buckle Dimensions: 38mm Width and 47mm Length Signed: Case, movement and strap signed Accessories: Accompanied by Richard Mille fitted box, Guarantee dated 10 January 2021, Activation Warranty Card, instruction booklet, outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
It is an accolade to the brand that 20 years after the launch of its first watch Richard Mille still manages to astonish us with his out of the ordinary creations and out of the box thinking.
The present 50 piece RM27-04 Rafael Nadal is one of these pieces.
In 2010, Richard Mille announced a partnership with one of the greatest tennis champions of all time: Rafael Nadal. The ground-breaking RM27 Tourbillon was subsequently launched with an incredible lightness as well as a robust resistance to shocks and extreme conditions when worn on “Rafa’s” wrist during a tennis match.
For the 10th anniversary of this partnership in 2020, Richard Mille presented the present RM27-04 which takes the original idea of a light yet incredibly resistant cutting edge tourbillon to a whole new level. The TitaCarb case with a wonderful bronze hue weighs a mere 30 grams…including the strap!! The movement weighs a mind boggling 3.4 grams!
The tennis inspiration is clear when looking at the skeletonized movement which is suspended in a lattice composed of 0.27mm steel cables made to resemble the strings of a tennis racket.
The RM27-04 may be a featherweight watch but it has been designed to withstand the shocks and G forces generated by a professional tennis player and in particular, Nadal’s incredible force when hitting a tennis ball. In fact, the watch can withstand an astounding accelerative force of 12,000Gs.
An incredible feat of design, watchmaking and engineering, the present RM27-04 is in hardly worn condition, complete with its full set of accessories and offers a unique opportunity to own one of the 50 pieces ever produced.
All proceeds exceeding the cost for the consignor will be donated to charities supporting access to medical care for families in need and orphanages.
Established in 1999, Richard Mille's ultra-modern timepieces combine cutting-edge materials from high performance worlds such as Formula 1 racecars with high-end traditional watchmaking. The brand's revolutionary designs, technical breakthroughs and exceptional hand-finishing excite even the most discriminating collectors, and have positioned Richard Mille alongside the top makers of the modern luxury watch world.
Innovative watches, such as the RM 027 Tourbillon, which was the world’s lightest mechanical watch when introduced in 2011, have helped the brand invert the concept of the luxury watch. Key models include the RM 009 Tourbillon cased in Aluminum Silicon Carbide (AlSiC), the RM 027-02 Tourbillon made for tennis star Rafael Nadal with a case made from quartz and carbon fiber and the RM 008 split seconds chronograph.
