Rafael Nadal To Wear Luxury Watch

Written by: Staff on 18th February 2013

Rafael Nadal To Wear Luxury Watch

epa03576159 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal returns a ball against French Jeremy Chardy, during an ATP tennis semifinal singles match in Vina del Mar, Chile, 09 February 2013. EPA/MARIO RUIZ |

Rafael Nadal may be having troubles in his tennis comeback but at least he still knows what time it is thanks to a new $690,000 lightweight watch from Swiss luxury sponsor Richard Mille.

While pictures during last week’s ATP event in Sao Paulo showed the No. 5 seemingly tossing the pricey timepiece into the crowd, he was actually just sending fans a few wrist bands when the watch clasp detached for a moment.

It is assured that Nadal kept the new RM027-01 (the name signifies, minus one gramme from the original model’s weight of just 20 grammes – about a fifth the weight of a well-stuffed sandwich) well within his possession. It costs $100,000 more than the previous model, presumably due to the miniscule weight saving.

The bit of watchmaking genius which retails for more than many houses, enjoys the latest and greatest in time-technology, including “a new system in the 2013 watch makes it even less prone to damage,” according for Forbes magazine.

“Richard Mille rates the watch to work in situations of up to 5000 Gs of force. A new system of suspension cables holds the watch in the case without being traditionally mounted with screws. This helps to further protect the delicate movement against shock and other tennis related trauma. This is probably the first watch of its kind to ever have such a mounting, and it is beautiful too. It goes without saying that the simple act of constructing this movement requires a great deal of finesse,” the business magazine continues.

Only 50 of the new watches will be made and it’s safe to guess that with his track record of either breaking or losing one of more examples, a few in the supply will be earmarked for the sometimes careless Spaniard.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Rafa, Rafael Nadal, Richard Mille, Sports, Tennis News, tennis sponsers