Richard Mille RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal NTPT carbon featuring a skeleton dial

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh is wearing a limited all-black 45mm Richard Mille RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal NTPT carbon featuring a skeleton dial. The 44mm carbon case has an openwork caseback, protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment so that the movement can be admired from every angle.

About the Watch

The company was formed in 1999 and launched its first watch in 2001, making it a huge success. Given its infancy, the company is widely regarded as the top sports timepiece manufacturer globally. Many sports watch enthusiasts continue to fantasize about the product, which is gaining popularity. It’s all thanks to its high-tech elements and remarkable complexity.

The model’s casing is composed of the brand’s trademarked NTPT carbon. Carbon fibers feature a maximum thickness of 30 micrometers and are stacked at a 45-degree angle and heated at 6 atmospheres and 120 degrees Celsius before being formed on CNC milling machines.

NTPT offers a 25 percent stronger fracture resistance and a 200 percent higher microcrack resistance compared to carbon-like synthetic structures, according to Richard Mille. The casing has 20 titanium stud bolts and Nitrile O-ring seals for waterproofing of 50 meters. Whereas the timepiece has a sapphire crystal on its front, the rear has a closed NTPT carbon caseback, which is preferable.

The hand-wound Caliber, which measures 30.25mm by 28.45mm by 3.15mm, powers the Richard Mille RM 35-02. However, the movement’s ultra-thin design is not mirrored in the casing, but still, the skeletonized caliber is fascinating to view from the dial. When ultimately wound, the 24-jewel movement beats at 28800vph and provides 55 hours of power reserve. Winding the timepiece is a pleasure in and of itself.

A sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating, a first for the Nadal series, back shields the case. Hence, the caliber can be appreciated from every aspect.

The Rafael Nadal RM 35-02 comes in two colors: Carbon TPT and a striking bright Quartz-TPT Red featuring white highlight. Its silicon segments, typically no thicker than 45 microns, are coated with a red matrix for Richard Mille. This is before being laminated using an automated approach that rotates the fibres in each layer by 45 degrees.

The natural white quartz fibre has a high resistance/weight ratio, is hypoallergenic, and has excellent UV resistance, as is customary in the watch industry. However, the actual accomplishment of Richard Mille and North Thin Ply Technology engineers is the creation of a red matrix that contrasts sharply with the natural white of the quartz and its translucent resin. The Quartz-TPT Red on RM 35-02 is designed for optimal biocompatibility, reliability, and resistance and is consistent with REACH requirements. Besides, it can endure accelerations of up to 5,000 gs.

The RM 35-02 was created in response to a demand from several Richard Mille clients for a Nadal timepiece with a self-winding function. The inclusion of the brand’s proprietary variable-geometry rotor – a true symbol of Richard Mille’s automated movements – was a no-brainer. This allowed the winding to be adjusted to the wearer’s activity.

Price market: $520,000.00 USD

Photo: Getty Images