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Lot Essay
Richard Mille enthusiasts and collectors worldwide will immediately recognize the significance of this exceptional white RM27-01 limited edition. To the best of our knowledge, the present timepiece is the first of its kind to be offered at auction. Seen on the wrists of singer Post Malone and rapper Jay-Z, it can be considered the most appealing, desirable, and unobtainable of all RM27 models. A phenomenal creation, it weighs only 18.83 grams, including the strap, making it one of the lightest timepieces in the world.
The luxury of the RM27-01 lies in the connoisseur’s appreciation of the exceptional technical and manufacturing expertise required to create such a lightweight watch. This concept also applies to the pared-down yet visually striking design aesthetic, in which the movement appears to be simply suspended within the two-part case - much like a supercar engine placed into its chassis - without any extraneous frills or unnecessary detailing. Indeed, it is difficult to convey just how extraordinarily lightweight this watch is; the movement itself weighs an incredible 3.5 grams. Rafael Nadal personally tested the RM27-01 under real-world conditions, wearing it throughout a tennis season, where it was subjected to the extreme movements and shocks expected during top-level matches - yet it remained unaffected. Furthermore, the watch’s lightness allowed Nadal absolute freedom of movement, without any distraction.
Contributing to the watch’s extreme lightness, the movement baseplate and tourbillon carriage are crafted from grade 5 titanium, while the barrel bridges and gears are made from an aluminum-lithium alloy. The entire movement is suspended by four braided steel cables, each measuring just 0.35mm in thickness. These cables are anchored to a tensioner, which is pulled tight by the watchmaker and adjusted as needed. This innovative suspension system enables the RM27-01 to withstand acceleration forces of up to 5000G.
When Rafael Nadal first met Richard Mille in 2008, it marked the beginning of a longstanding friendship. More significantly, their collaboration became the driving force behind the development and realization of some of Richard Mille’s most extraordinary wristwatches. In particular, it led to the production of the RM027- the lightest tourbillon wristwatch in the world at that time. In 2013, this remarkable partnership resulted in the creation of an ultra-lightweight tourbillon: the original RM27-01, cased in grey anthracite polymer injected with carbon nanotubes. Limited to just 50 pieces, it sold out almost immediately.
The manufacture of the present white limited-edition case also employs cutting-edge materials - white Quartz TPT®, a groundbreaking ultra-lightweight material developed by Richard Mille for watchmaking. The strength and incredible lightness of TPT® (Thin Ply Technology) quartz are unparalleled. Composed of hundreds of layers of quartz interspersed with layers of NTPT carbon, these layers are fused together at 120 degrees Celsius to create a case that is virtually indestructible. Specifically designed to absorb both external and internal impacts, the case features a monoblock construction to eliminate unnecessary components, while the strap is fully integrated. Additionally, the watch is resistant to extreme temperatures and magnetism, making it an almost perfect sports watch.
A Brief History of Richard Mille’s Ultra-Lightweight Watches
In 2004, the RM006 Felipe Massa Tourbillon was introduced, which weighed just 48 grams (excluding the strap). The following year, the brand repeated this triumph with the RM009 Felipe Massa Tourbillon, which set a then world record of 28 grams (excluding the strap). In 2010, that record was broken by the 20 gram RM027 Rafael Nadal (strap included). The movement made from titanium and LITAL. In 2013, the record was broken yet again by the manually wound RM27-01 Rafael Nadal Tourbillon which pushed the concepts of lightness and resistance to the extreme. Developed with the tennis phenomenon, the watch weighs just 18.83 grams (strap included) and holds the record for the lightest tourbillon ever made due to its lithium aluminium movement and carbon nanotube case. In 2017, at the Salon international de la haute horlogerie (SIHH), Richard Mille presented the RM 50-03 McLaren F1, the world's lightest flyback chronograph weighing just 38 grams (strap included).
The luxury of the RM27-01 lies in the connoisseur’s appreciation of the exceptional technical and manufacturing expertise required to create such a lightweight watch. This concept also applies to the pared-down yet visually striking design aesthetic, in which the movement appears to be simply suspended within the two-part case - much like a supercar engine placed into its chassis - without any extraneous frills or unnecessary detailing. Indeed, it is difficult to convey just how extraordinarily lightweight this watch is; the movement itself weighs an incredible 3.5 grams. Rafael Nadal personally tested the RM27-01 under real-world conditions, wearing it throughout a tennis season, where it was subjected to the extreme movements and shocks expected during top-level matches - yet it remained unaffected. Furthermore, the watch’s lightness allowed Nadal absolute freedom of movement, without any distraction.
Contributing to the watch’s extreme lightness, the movement baseplate and tourbillon carriage are crafted from grade 5 titanium, while the barrel bridges and gears are made from an aluminum-lithium alloy. The entire movement is suspended by four braided steel cables, each measuring just 0.35mm in thickness. These cables are anchored to a tensioner, which is pulled tight by the watchmaker and adjusted as needed. This innovative suspension system enables the RM27-01 to withstand acceleration forces of up to 5000G.
When Rafael Nadal first met Richard Mille in 2008, it marked the beginning of a longstanding friendship. More significantly, their collaboration became the driving force behind the development and realization of some of Richard Mille’s most extraordinary wristwatches. In particular, it led to the production of the RM027- the lightest tourbillon wristwatch in the world at that time. In 2013, this remarkable partnership resulted in the creation of an ultra-lightweight tourbillon: the original RM27-01, cased in grey anthracite polymer injected with carbon nanotubes. Limited to just 50 pieces, it sold out almost immediately.
The manufacture of the present white limited-edition case also employs cutting-edge materials - white Quartz TPT®, a groundbreaking ultra-lightweight material developed by Richard Mille for watchmaking. The strength and incredible lightness of TPT® (Thin Ply Technology) quartz are unparalleled. Composed of hundreds of layers of quartz interspersed with layers of NTPT carbon, these layers are fused together at 120 degrees Celsius to create a case that is virtually indestructible. Specifically designed to absorb both external and internal impacts, the case features a monoblock construction to eliminate unnecessary components, while the strap is fully integrated. Additionally, the watch is resistant to extreme temperatures and magnetism, making it an almost perfect sports watch.
A Brief History of Richard Mille’s Ultra-Lightweight Watches
In 2004, the RM006 Felipe Massa Tourbillon was introduced, which weighed just 48 grams (excluding the strap). The following year, the brand repeated this triumph with the RM009 Felipe Massa Tourbillon, which set a then world record of 28 grams (excluding the strap). In 2010, that record was broken by the 20 gram RM027 Rafael Nadal (strap included). The movement made from titanium and LITAL. In 2013, the record was broken yet again by the manually wound RM27-01 Rafael Nadal Tourbillon which pushed the concepts of lightness and resistance to the extreme. Developed with the tennis phenomenon, the watch weighs just 18.83 grams (strap included) and holds the record for the lightest tourbillon ever made due to its lithium aluminium movement and carbon nanotube case. In 2017, at the Salon international de la haute horlogerie (SIHH), Richard Mille presented the RM 50-03 McLaren F1, the world's lightest flyback chronograph weighing just 38 grams (strap included).