What watch did Rafael Nadal wear for Wimbledon final?
What is that big, black watch on Rafael Nadal's
wrist? It is the Richard
Mille RM027 Tourbillon that seems to accompany him to all
his tournaments. Find out more about this enigmatic
watch that is always on Nadal's
wrist. When Rafael Nadal swings into
action on the tennis court, there is always a
large, black watch on his right wrist. And though
it may look like a cheap, black plastic Casio from the distance it
is a highly sophisticated and expensive mechanical watch worth
several hundreds of thousands of pounds. Not only is it unusual to
see a tennis player wearing a watch on court, it is even more odd
that it is a highly complicated tourbillon, more
often seen in the more sedate atmosphere of a board rooms, than
being thrashed around a tennis court. The
tourbillon, a device invented at the end of the
19th century to improve timekeeping in pocket watches seems out of
place in the high impact game of tennis. It is the turbo,
fuel-injection, 16 cylinder, all bells and whistles engine of the
watch world, and Rafa seems remarkably fond it of it. Is
Rafael really keeping his eye on the time or has
his ultra-light Richard Mille watch become
something of a good luck charm?I hope to be able to interview him
and ask the question but for the meantime, I assume, that like most
men, he is in awe of the micro-mechanical marvel of this machine,
with the workings visible through the dial. The fact that this
watch, like all Richard Milles, is based on the pared-down
aesthetics of Formula 1 Racing, can only add to its appeal and is
about as close to wearing a F1 engine on your wrist as it comes.
And it only weighs 20 grams, strap included making the RM
027 Tourbillon is the lightest mechanical watch ever
designed and the first watch to be worn by a player in a Grand
Slam. Just as well that it is extremely shock resistant and
comfortable on the wrist. While most brands would suggest you leave
your delicate tourbillon watch in the changing room at
Wimbledon, Richard Mille took
delight and saw the marketing potential of putting the watch on the
wrist of a player in top level tennis matches. Unlike a traditional
watch, Richard Mille has researched highly
resistant, lightweight materials such as LITAL® that is used for
the moving parts and a carbon-based composite for the casing and
the baseplate is made from titanium. Months of experimenting and
countless tests on the arm of Rafael Nadal, who
fully participated in designing and developing the model, were
necessary to refine and perfect this ultra-technical model which
can withstand the most violent of blows. Rafael Nadal
said "It is an honour for me that someone like Richard has
chosen me as one of his ambassadors. I know that he has worked very
hard to be able to create this very special watch. I am honoured
and I am sure it will be a special and successful partnership."