RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal: How the butterfly effect makes the rotor “fly”

Richard Mille Brand new patented complication: butterfly rotor-3 years of development-Movement mode and function selector

Rafael Nadal, Richard Mille’s long-term brand ambassador
The RM 035 “Baby Nadal” series is inspired by the RM 027 tourbillon watch worn by Rafael Nadal on the tennis court. It provides concentrated technology for everyone who is passionate about top performance. The new RM 35-03 self-winding Rafael Nadal watch is the fourth timepiece in the series. It is a well-deserved representative of this outstanding family and is complemented by a patented innovation: the butterfly-shaped oscillating weight.

“We are all pursuing excellence in our respective fields. Richard and I speak the same language. We both like what we do. It is very important to me to keep this flame of passion for what we do every day. I didn’t wear the RM 035 model to participate in the competition: by letting me participate in this unique adventure, it was great to feel the trust he and the team placed in me,” Rafael Nadal said.

After three full years of development, Richard Mille can now show the public the new elevator system that was first shown in RM 35-03. Although the RMAL1 movement of RM 35-02 is already equipped with a variable geometry oscillating weight-a feature of Richard Mille automatic movements-the new butterfly oscillating weight of RM 35-03 allows the wearer to change the oscillating weight. Geometry and winding speed control movement according to personal lifestyle and physical activity-a complex function that is both fun and practical.

“So far, every change in the geometry of the rotor has to be done by one of our licensed watchmakers. We hope to improve this system so that the wearer has the opportunity to directly affect the winding speed of the watch,” Richard M. Salvador Arbona, Technical Manager of Le Movement, explained. “It’s like a car driver switching the transmission from city driving to a racetrack by activating the sport mode.”

The butterfly rotor consists of two 5-level titanium alloy arms equipped with heavy metal counterweights and activated by a separate gear train through a special pusher. watches on discount

In their starting position, the counterweight moves the center of gravity radially outward and converts each movement of the carriage into the torque required for winding. However, if you press the push rod at 7 o’clock, the gears of the rotor will spread the two counterweights at an angle of 180°. The center of gravity is realigned and the rotor enters a balanced state, interrupting the winding process and preventing the movement from overwinding.

When switching between settings-from the normal mode of the coiled spring winding of the barrel to the “sports mode” where the rotor activity is interrupted-the triggering of the button provides tactile feedback for the function so that the wearer can really feel it on the wrist The weight segment. The elevator display at 6 o’clock on the dial shows whether the flywheel is activated (ON) or inactive (OFF). The motion control is completed by the function selector. The user can switch between winding (W), neutral (N) and time setting (H) functions by simply pressing the button at 2 o’clock.

RM 35-03 has elegant and ergonomic lines and is available in two versions: blue quartz TPT® with white Quartz-TPT® case middle part, white quartz TPT® and carbon TPT® , With carbon fiber TPT® case in the middle part, hollow design inspired by RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal. Thanks to the sapphire crystals on the front and back, the fully hollowed movement can be admired from both sides. The dial and bridge are made of grade 5 titanium, treated with gray plasma and PVD ​​, highlighting the eye-catching appearance of this watch. The skeletonized hands run along the outer height ring, which is also made of finely sandblasted grade 5 titanium and is marked with the numbers 3, 6, 9 and 12, which are slightly tilted towards the movement to create more depth.

The elegant appearance visually highlights the technical capabilities of the RM 35-03 automatic Rafael Nadal. With this new model and its amazing “butterfly rotor”, the wearer can now truly experience the watch as a part of themselves.