Photo: Twitter / Rafael Nadal
It’s not uncommon for public figures, whether they’re artists or athletes, to partner with certain brands for publicity – and an extra buck in that person’s bank account. That said, tennis champ Rafael Nadal is a brand ambassador, unlike most.
Most celebrities wear the products of the brand they represent on the red carpet and the occasional private event that gets duly documented for social media. Rafael Nadal, who has been the official ambassador of the luxury watchmaker since 2010 but has had a relationship with Richard Mille (the person) since 2008, would never do it just for show. It’s a cliché, but it’s true in his case: he only endorses brands he wears and believes in.
The perfect example in this sense is the watch he wore for his record-breaking win against Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open Men’s Final tournament, which marked his 21 Grand Slam title and the most wins in men’s tennis. With its clear blue strap, black case, and orange crown, it stood out on his wrist throughout the 5+/-hour match and during the awards ceremony at the end. It was the Richard Mille Rafa RM 27-04 Tourbillon, his lucky watch.
Unveiled in 2020, this piece was created specifically for Nadal in a limited series of 50 units, each priced at a hair over $1 million. It’s crafted for Nadal’s wrist both during leisure time and on the courts, so it’s durable but very lightweight. The entire piece, including the strap, weighs just 30 grams (1 oz) and is made of a special material called TitaCarb, a high-performance polyamide material enforced with carbon fiber. Because it’s made to be worn at all times, including on the tennis court, it’s able to withstand shocks of 12,000 Gs.
The sapphire front and back allow an unimpeded view of the interior – specifically the racket-like lattice of steel cables inside that hold the skeletonized, manually-wound movement and the tourbillon. The tourbillon, developed in-house for this timepiece, was the lightest created at the time it was introduced, in 2020.
Rafael Nadal once said that Richard Mille watches, specifically his Rafa RM 20-07, are “like a second skin for me.” It could be a figure of speech, but considering he’s got a bunch of them and is wearing them all the time, you know it’s the truth.
The perfect example in this sense is the watch he wore for his record-breaking win against Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open Men’s Final tournament, which marked his 21 Grand Slam title and the most wins in men’s tennis. With its clear blue strap, black case, and orange crown, it stood out on his wrist throughout the 5+/-hour match and during the awards ceremony at the end. It was the Richard Mille Rafa RM 27-04 Tourbillon, his lucky watch.
Unveiled in 2020, this piece was created specifically for Nadal in a limited series of 50 units, each priced at a hair over $1 million. It’s crafted for Nadal’s wrist both during leisure time and on the courts, so it’s durable but very lightweight. The entire piece, including the strap, weighs just 30 grams (1 oz) and is made of a special material called TitaCarb, a high-performance polyamide material enforced with carbon fiber. Because it’s made to be worn at all times, including on the tennis court, it’s able to withstand shocks of 12,000 Gs.
The sapphire front and back allow an unimpeded view of the interior – specifically the racket-like lattice of steel cables inside that hold the skeletonized, manually-wound movement and the tourbillon. The tourbillon, developed in-house for this timepiece, was the lightest created at the time it was introduced, in 2020.
Rafael Nadal once said that Richard Mille watches, specifically his Rafa RM 20-07, are “like a second skin for me.” It could be a figure of speech, but considering he’s got a bunch of them and is wearing them all the time, you know it’s the truth.
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