The Richard Mille RM 35-03 is a striking showcase of mechanical innovation and avant garde design, created to capture the exhilaration of motion on the wrist. Lightweight, sculptural and vividly expressive, the RM 35-03 embodies relentless pursuit of engineering excellence fused with dynamic aesthetics from the timepiece maker. For this year, Mille has introduced two new versions of RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal models; first is a pastel blue Quartz TPT with a blue rubber strap, and second is a salmon Quartz TPT with a black rubber strap, drawing inspiration from the tourbillon watches sported by Rafael Nadal during tennis matches.
Dial and Butterfly Rotor
A highlight of this movement is the patented “butterfly rotor,” which allows the wearer to control the winding process through two modes: a standard setting for daily wear and a sport mode that disengages the rotor to avoid overwinding during intense activity. Both watches are similar to their 2021, and 2023 variants. They are sized at 43.15mm and get the skeletonised calibre RMAL2. Both timepieces get ten screws on the bezel, and a winding crown at 3 o’clock. The skeleton dial gets hour markers for 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 12 o’clock with hour, minute, and second hands.
There is an On/Off indicator at 6 o’clock for the rotor which allows the wearer to see the status of the rotor which is activated via ‘Sport Mode’ pusher at 7 o’clock. A gear train dedicated to the rotor deploys the two weights at 180°. With this, the movement of the rotor is blocked during high activity. This happens because the centre of gravity is brought back to the centre, bringing the rotor into balance, cancelling its winding power.
Movement
Similar to a car’s transmission, the watch has a pusher at 2 o’clock where the wearer can select modes like winding, neutral, and hand-setting functions with a simple push, with a hand displaying the selected function. Powering the watches is calibre RMAL2 with a double-barrel system providing a 55-hour power reserve while ensuring stable torque over time. By distributing energy across two barrels, it equalises torque, reduces friction, and improves long-term performance.
