Richard Mille RM035 Prototype

Richard Mille is a juggernaut in modern independent watchmaking. Since launching their first timepiece in 2001, there are few watchmaking brands bigger, more renowned, and more ubiquitous in sports and entertainment. “What if we created the lightest watches with the most shock-resistance without sacrificing chronometric performance?” That’s the question Richard Mille posed. These aren’t timepieces for red carpets or galas as every Richard Mille is intended for the most extreme conditions – the cockpit of F1 cars, the wrist of a sprinter, golfer, or tennis player. A first, exciting opportunity for us at EsperLuxe, we’re happy to present a Proto-type example of the RM035.

Referred to as the “Baby Nadal,” this timepiece takes its namesake from its smaller case size (38mm x 48mm) relative to later Richard Mille watches for tennis legend, Rafael Nadal. Debuted in 2011, it’s the second timepiece that Nadal wore on court after he began working with Richard Mille in 2010. This timepiece is the first Richard Mille to pass the Chronofiable® test. Whereas chronometer certifications focus on the timekeeping performance of a given watch, the Chronofiable® test focuses on its durability. In short, this timepiece is certified to take a serious beating, including withstanding more than 500g of force without impacting the watch’s ability to track time.

From an engineering perspective, it’s no easy feat to create a timepiece that is both ultra-light and ultra-durable. The manual-wind movement, caliber RMUL1 weighs only 4.3g and took roughly a year to develop the appropriate design for the skeletonization to meet the requirements for shock protection. PVD-treatment of the baseplate and balance cock ensures the necessary rigidity. Born from the same spirit, the RM035’s case is made from an extremely light and rugged material called alumagnesium. An alloy forged from copper, aluminum, and magnesium, it’s more commonly applied to create pistons in F1 engines for its extreme pressure and heat resistance qualities. The black coating on the metal, an electro-plasma oxidation treatment called Miarox®, improves the case’s resistance to scratches and corrosion.

This particular example comes to us from the original owner as a full set, in excellent condition.

A different kind of technical element, not exclusively synonymous with complications, is at the heart of every Richard Mille timepiece. Functional even in the most extreme conditions, this RM035 was recently delivered.