ONLY WATCH 2011

Monaco, Sep 23, 2011

LOT 32

Richard Mille, "RM 027 Tourbilon RAFAEL NADAL" for Only Watch This is the very watch worn by Rafael Nadal when he won the 2011 Monte Carlo championships for the seventh year running. Fine and unique, very light, tonneau shaped and curved, prototype carbon, titanium and Lital wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator. Complete with presentation Box and certificate.

Case: Monobloc composed of a composite of predominantly carbon. Bezel with 8 special milled titanium screws, rubber-coated winding crown, a curved and antireflective sapphire crystal. Dial: Upper flange with white minute divisions, 5-minute luminous dot markers, titanium skeleton hands with superluminova tips. Movement: Caliber RM027 : titanium and Lital® alloy baseplate with aluminum-lithium bridges. Movement weight : 3.83g and resistance to G forces : 800 G. Variable inertia, free sprung balance. Balance in GLUCYDUR, 2 arms, 4 setting screws, barrel pawl with progressive recoil & winding barrel teeth and third-wheel pinion with central involute profile. 19 jewels. Watch weight without strap : circa 13 g Dial, case and movement signed. Dimensions: 48 mm x 39,70 mm x 11,85 mm.

Wish Price EUR 400,000 - 600,000


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Case: 1

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Movement: 1

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Dial: 1

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Richard Mille wanted to donate a unique and truly exceptional timepiece to Only Watch 2011. The RM 027 tourbillon to be auctioned - the very watch worn by Rafael Nadal when he won the 2011 Monte Carlo championships for the seventh year running, clearly meets this criteria. This RM 027 tourbillon is also the prototype used for pre-production testing, the results of which were extremely positive. The mechanism never once failed during all the matches played by Rafael Nadal whilst wearing this watch. The RM 027 tourbillon was created both for and in collaboration with Rafael Nadal. Despite its extreme complexity, it weighs less than 20 grams including the strap and is the lightest mechanical watch ever created. The movement is made of titanium and LITAL®, a lithium alloy that contains aluminum, copper, magnesium and zirconium and has a density of 2.55. Lithium, an alloy used in aircraft parts such as the A380, helicopters, space rockets, satellites and Formula 1 racing cars, enhances the flexibility of the 3.83 gram movement, as well as its capacity to absorb shocks. The case is made from an extremely hard-wearing carbon composite that protects the movement and its central tourbillon from shocks. The centre and base are made from a single part, the objective being to make the watch as light as possible. A Grilamid glass face and a carbon bezel and flange offer exceptionally high resistance and optimum rigidity. The exceptional characteristics of the RM 027 tourbillon make for a watch that is strong, lightweight, highly technical and perfectly able to absorb all the shocks it experiences whilst on the wrist of one of the greatest international tennis champions.