Richard Mille once again salutes brand ambassador Rafael Nadal with the RM 35-03, the latest iteration of the “Baby Nadal” line. Cloaked in Carbon TPT, this $238,000 wonder intertwines advanced materials science with a bespoke complication inspired by the physics of Nadal’s high-velocity sport.
At its core, the RM 35-03 is a typified Richard Mille: pairing avant-garde aesthetics with F1-derived engineering. The case measures 43.15mm x 49.95mm x 13.15mm, sculpted in Carbon TPT, a Richard Mille specialty. This proprietary composite entwines carbon fiber filaments in multiple 45-micron layers, rendering cases featherlight yet nearly indestructible.
The engine powering this sports car for the wrist is Richard Mille’s self-winding RMAL2 caliber. Its grade 5 titanium baseplate mirrors the featherweight ethos, providing 55 hours of autonomy while operating at a lively 4 Hz frequency.
Yet the RM 35-03’s pièce de résistance lies on its flank: a pair of pushers linked to the automatic winding rotor. One button engages “Sport Mode,” an homage to Nadal’s athletic exploits. This bisects the rotor into two sectors, spreading mass for reduced wear on the bearing. The visual result calls to mind a split-seconds chronograph, with the cute animation proving irresistibly tactile.
The opposing pusher toggles between winding, neutral, and time-setting modes for the crown, indicated by a trio of markers near 3 o’clock. Rather than a humdrum pull-out piece, Richard Mille fashions a crown that toggles functionality via these titanium-carbon pushers. Selecting “Sport” also cuts the self-winding system for unencumbered play.
Nadal’s watchmaking namesake has been defined by pushing boundaries. This latest piece encapsulates Richard Mille at its finest: welding futuristic materials and micro mechanics through exacting watchmaking, then finishing with a dash of sports-inspired whimsy. While a select circle of owners may grace the courts with an RM 35-03 on wrist, its appeal extends beyond Nadal fans to connoisseurs of devotedly designed objets d’art.
