Richard Mille RM 35-01 ‘Baby Nadal’ Hands-On

In 2010, luxury watchmaker Richard Mille teamed up with superstar professional tennis player Rafael Nadal to create what can only be described as a global sensation. The cause of the sensation at the time was of course the newly released RM 027 Tourbillon fashion replica watches, a very complicated timepiece and very light (only 20 grams with the strap on!) Nadal in all future matches will wear it.

Displaying a rare combination of marketing and engineering ingenuity, Richard Mille managed to elevate the role of humble brand ambassador and ensure that every time Nadal stepped onto the court, millions of eyes turned not just on his racket but on him wrist.

Here again we must praise Mr. Mille not only for his innovative thinking but also for his acting talent. You see, even though the RM-027 is equipped with one of the most complex and sophisticated mechanisms ever seen in a watch (aka the tourbillon), it is anything but fragile.

First, the baseplate of the movement is made of titanium and LITAL® alloy, a high-lithium alloy containing aluminium, copper, magnesium and zirconium, with a density of 2.55. Lithium, one of the lightest elements, is added to the alloy mix to provide great strength without adding unnecessary weight. For the same reason, this particular alloy is also used in the aerospace industry for the manufacture of the Airbus A380, helicopters, rockets and satellites, as well as Formula 1 racing cars.Discount replica watches

But that's not enough. To ensure absolute structural integrity, the case is made from a composite material containing a large amount of carbon, providing a strong and resilient housing for the tourbillon movement at its centre. The tailgate and case are one piece to ensure overall lightness. Glass; carbon fiber bezel and flange for exceptional rigidity and torsional rigidity characteristics. It can be said that this is a very light and very strong watch.

Then, just when it seemed like all hope was lost, a (sort of) miracle happened. At SIHH 2014, Richard Mille officially launched the new RM 35-01, also known as the "Baby Nadal" watch.

Richard Mille RM 35-01 'Baby Nadal' At first glance, the new RM 35-01 doesn't appear to have much in common with its closest sibling - the aforementioned RM 27-01 - aside from a similar black, red and yellow color scheme. That's because it's a completely different watch, with a new case and of course a new movement, and you'll notice that it doesn't have a tourbillon.replica watches for men

To be honest, I found that last bit a little disappointing at first. After all, one of the coolest things about Nadal's watch is that it features a tourbillon capable of withstanding the incredible shocks he apparently regularly throws at it. Having said that, it doesn't seem economically feasible to offer this capability in the RM 35-01 while maintaining a reasonable (relatively speaking, of course) price point.

Aside from the absence of a tourbillon, the RM 35-01 still manages to pack a ton of innovation into a very small, very light package. First, the case is manufactured using the exclusive NTPT® technology developed and debuted late last year.Best replica watches

According to Richard Mille, NTPT® carbon is composed of multiple layers of parallel filaments from which carbon fibers are split. These layers, with a maximum thickness of 30 microns, are impregnated with resin and then woven on a special machine that modifies the weft direction by 45° between the layers. Heated to 120° at a pressure of 6 bar, NTPT® is then ready to be processed on a CNC machine.

This intricate process results in a unique, ultra-strong carbon fiber case that looks and feels great. In fact, the lightness of the watch on the wrist is almost uncanny, and you'll quickly forget you're wearing anything.

Not only that, but the RM 35-01 is so light. Like the previous RM 27 series, the RM 35-01 luxury replica watches is equipped with its own ultra-light movement. Weighing approximately 4 grams, the skeletonized hand-wound RMUL3 movement is effectively suspended in the center of the case, held in place by only a few key anchor points on each corner. It uses a twin barrel system that provides a power reserve of approximately 55 hours when fully wound.

Don't be fooled by the deceptively simple construction, as the movement remains extremely robust and shock-resistant, with the baseplate, bridges and balance cock all made of black PVD-treated grade 5 titanium. The only downside is that the back cover is solid, which does add to the overall strength of the case, but unfortunately doesn't allow for an uninterrupted view of the back of the suspended movement, which I thought would be cool. Shopping replica watches