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Although the RM 27-05 venture started in 2019, its roots return a lot additional. This watch is the results of a gathering that advanced into a real friendship. “I nonetheless bear in mind the day in 2008 when Richard contacted me to debate working collectively. It was unthinkable for me, as I’d by no means worn something on my wrist. It all got here collectively in 2010, when he came around me in Mallorca. As a joke, he first introduced me with a really heavy platinum watch. When I reacted as you may count on, he rapidly held up a prototype of the RM 027: a surprisingly mild watch with spectacular traces,” recalled Rafa Nadal.
Since then, Rafa has achieved quite a few victories with Mille watches on his wrist. Each new mannequin aimed to be lighter and extra snug, fostering a detailed relationship between the champion and Richard Mille. Sharing experiences has strengthened their friendship and broadened their horizons.
Technical developments and aesthetic issues have pushed Richard Mille’s experience to the restrict with the RM 27-05 venture. The unwavering objective of lowering weight has resulted in a powerful technical achievement. The motion, based mostly on the ultra-thin RMUP-01 calibre, has an influence reserve of 55 hours and incorporates a flying tourbillon that operates at a frequency of three Hz. Its PVD-treated titanium baseplate is expertly skeletonized and hand-finished, together with the hidden elements. The bridges are additionally manufactured from grade 5 titanium and Carbon TPT to additional cut back weight. The calibre is 3.75 mm thick and weighs solely 3.79 grams. Extensive consideration to element was required to realize this objective.
“Thanks to a base fitted with ball bearings, the tourbillon retains its efficiency whereas eliminating the necessity for a bridge. Making the barrel fly additionally aligned with our want for lightness. Its excessive thinness, 0.72 mm thick, allowed us to develop an extra-flat calibre with quantity. The barrel was thus pressed into service of this singular aesthetic, a masterpiece of conventional craftsmanship,” shared Salvador Arbona, Technical Director for Movements.
Designing the calibre and case took 4,000 hours of labor. No time was spared in creating the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal. While its simplicity marks a return to the gathering’s roots, rethinking the watchmaking course of was a constant theme all through its growth. There aren’t any screws holding the motion to the case; as an alternative, the complete mechanism rests contained in the monobloc again/caseband unit, topped by the flange and bezel.
The complete meeting presses down on the calibre to carry it firmly in place. The mannequin’s main benefit lies within the qualities of a brand new composite, Carbon TPT B.4, developed over 5 years with Swiss companion North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT). Carbon TPT B.4 is an optimised anisotropic materials that permits for machining the case to thinner cross-sections. Compared with earlier Carbon TPT, the brand new composite is 4% denser, the fibre 15% stiffer, and the resin 30% stronger. These properties permit for lightening the entire with out dropping stiffness.
For optimum power, Carbon TPT B.4 is woven in stacks utilizing a particular 70° orientation between layers. This materials selection ensures the watch’s structure maintains the perfect ratios of weight, efficiency, and rigidity. The weave of the Carbon TPT B.4 creates an X-shaped ridge on the caseback that the motion rests on. Comprehensive simulations, together with the case, positioned the calibre 5/100ths of a mm from the caseback on six assist factors, enhancing the watch’s stiffness. This X sample is visually echoed all through the case, guaranteeing the bezel, flange, and monobloc caseback retain their properties underneath varied situations.
Finite component calculations, a number of simulations and analyses, tomography, and quite a few influence exams confirmed the relevance of every technical choice throughout prototyping, endowing the RM 27-05 with extraordinary endurance at accelerations exceeding 14,000 g. Through daring and unique improvements, each gram faraway from the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal provides to the worth of this distinctive watch. The weight of time takes on a brand new dimension.
