Mind-boggling fact about the watch worn by Rafael Nadal at the French Open
While Rafael Nadal was amazing enough on the court at the French Open when he used his mind blowing, top spinning backhand against his opponents, it is the item on his wrist that has many heads spinning.
The Price Tag
In June 2013, Rafa has vindicated himself to stand among tennis’ all greats by winning his 8th French Open title. After his latest victory, he has gone one step further and accomplished what no other man in the history is able to. To tough watch enthusiasts, knowing what Rafa won during his spectacular victory will be interesting. Rafa won his eighth French Open crown while wearing an RM 027 Tourbillon made especially for him by Richard Mille. This extravagant timepiece may seem like your ordinary black plastic watch, but the hefty price tag of over $525,000 is definite proof that this is not the case.
Richard Mille, a Swiss luxury watch maker, decided to design a watch for Nadal in 2010, but the current version is by far the most expensive. The RM 027 was the latest in the line of creations that are designed to provide the best solutions available in the world of Haute Horlogerie. Mille’s goal was to create a luxury timepiece for Nadal that could withstand the extreme stress of Rafael’s tennis playing. The finished product was designed to show off the performance, shock resistance, and excellence of craftsmanship provided by the Richard Mille watches.
So, how on earth can a watch actually be worth so much money? I mean, after all, it’s just there to offer a convenient way to tell time, right?! Well, this watch is actually pretty amazing when you consider what it has inside, and the fact that it can stand up to the bumps and jostling that it goes through every time Rafael Nadal plays a game wearing it. Oh by the way, in case you are not aware, Nadal is known to have played some of the most physically intense game in the history of tennis.
What goes inside the watch
The RM 027 Tourbillon is a mechanical watch, meaning it does not require a battery of any kind. Instead, it uses the movements of the wrist to keep it running. It is also controlled by a tourbillon escapement, which transfers the energy of the movement of the wrist in order to keep the appropriate time. This type of watch mechanism was developed around the end of the 19th century for use in pocket watches, and seems an unlikely match with a sport such as tennis.
Richard Mille spent many hours researching materials that were both lightweight and resistant to extreme shocks, and there were several that Nadal tested out before his current watch was created. The RM 027 Tourbillon is made from titanium, LITAL®, and carbon based composite, which all work together to create a super technical watch that is the equivalent of wearing a Formula One car engine on your wrist when compared to all the other watches available.
The fact that this is a Tourbillon style watch, yet it can handle the jostling and extreme bumps that it receives when Nadal is on the court makes this a very unique watch. If you were hoping to get your own amazing $525,000 timepiece, they are no longer available – Mille only made 50 of these extravagant watches total. However, if you feel that you simply must have something like it, you can opt for the RM 035 Rafael Nadal Chronofiable® Certified, which comes in at a cool $106,324.80.
Haute watchmakers such as Richard Mille may put such exorbitant price tag to the watches that they’ve tailored for sponsorship, but the true price remains questionable to most people. Owning such a watch may be the ultimate dream of each and every one of us, but let’s be more realistic okay? If you are looking for watches that are rugged enough for your sporting needs and fit in to your budget, check out our ultimate tough watch comparison table here.
