Described by the brand as the “climactic conclusion” of the line of ultra-light watches made for the tennis champion, the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal weighs just 11.5 g without its strap – or about two sheets of A4 printer paper.

Like many of Richard Mille’s watches, the RM 27-05 is cased in carbon composite, specifically Carbon TPT B.4. More compact than the brand’s typical watches, the tonneau-shaped case is a compact 37.25mm by 7.2 mm. And according to Richard Mille, it is shock resistant to about 14,000 g.

Initial thoughts

Richard Mille was the first to make ultra-light a thing in watches with the RM009 ALUSiC that was introduced almost 20 years ago. The brand took the concept to the extreme with the RM 27 that debuted in 2010. Weighing just 13 g without the strap, it was conceived for Rafael Nadal to wear while playing tennis.

The watches have gotten even lighter since then, and the RM 27-05 is the final chapter in the series. Weighing essentially nothing at 11.5 g without the strap, it is as lightweight as it gets for a mechanical watch of this type.

Besides being the most extreme example of Richard Mille’s ultra-light philosophy, the RM 27-05 is also quintessential Richard Mille in terms of style. The notched outline and vents on the case, and the hyper-mechanical appearance of the skeleton movement, are very much typical of the brand’s current design ethos.

In short the watch is very much Richard Mille. That also holds true for the price, which is over US$1 million as is now the norm for the brand’s most exotic watches. More than any other brand, the price has no relation to any of the intrinsic features of the watch, but it reflects Richard Mille’s status as the brand this particular segment of watches.

Though the RM 27-05 is technically impressive to a degree, it isn’t as exciting or revolutionary as the RM009 was in 2005 simply because 19 years have passed. That is perhaps reflected in the RM 27-05 being the last of the series. After all, Richard Mille himself has always had a keen understanding of his client’s tastes.

Monobloc design

Various tweaks were made to the internal and external construction of the RM 27-05 to minimise its weight. Amongst them is the one-piece case. Richard Mille cases are typically made up of three parts, with a case middle, bezel, and back.

However, the RM 27-05 has a one-piece case that accommodates the movement. In fact, the movement slots directly into the case and is secured without screws but instead held in place by a flange and bezel that’s held with screws against the case middle.

Another detail that sets the RM 27-05 apart is the use of Carbon TPT B.4. Developed over five years by North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), the Swiss firm that’s Richard Mille’s longtime composite supplier, Carbon TPT B.4 can be milled even thinner than past composites according to Richard Mille.

This is achieved without sacrificing robustness or strength due to the composition of Carbon TPT B.4. Richard Mille says the material is “4% denser, the fibre 15% stiffer and the resin 30% stronger” than equivalent carbon composites used in its earlier watches.

Like the brand’s other ultra-light watches, the RM 27-05 has a crystal that’s plastic rather than conventional sapphire, which is heavier. The crystal is a PMMA polymer with an anti-scratch coating.

The lightness of the case means some concessions had to be made, which in this case is water resistance. While the watch can withstand up to 14,000 g of acceleration, the case is only water resistant to 10 m.

Ultra-thin now made ultra-light

The RM 27-05 is equipped with RM27-05 movement that beats at 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) and has a power reserve of 55 hours. It has a flying tourbillon at five o’clock that is mounted on ball bearings, and a “flying” barrel at 11 o’clock with the mainspring visible through the open-worked barrel cover.

Interestingly, the RM27-05 is derived from the ultra-thin RMUP-01 found in the RM UP-01 Ferrari. Unlike the RMUP-01 that was essentially deconstructed to achieve record-setting thinness, the movement in the RM 27-05 is relatively conventional with two hands in the centre of the dial.

The movement is largely conventional on its materials as well, with its base plate and most bridges in black-coated titanium, which is also used for the screws of the movement and case. Only the V-shaped bridge visible on the dial is in Carbon TPT B.4.

Key facts and price

Richard Mille RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

Diameter: 37.25 mm
Height: 7.2 mm
Material: Carbon TPT B.4
Crystal: PMMA polymer with an anti-scratch coating
Water resistance: 10 m

Movement: RM27-05
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and flying tourbillon.
Winding: Manual-wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 55 hours

Strap: Black textile strap

Limited edition: 80 pieces
Availability: At Richard Mille boutiques starting May 2024
Price: About CHF1 million before taxes 

For more, visit richardmille.com

The newest member of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s line of sports watches, the Polaris Geographic is a dual time zone in a modern “ocean grey” with orange accents with a practical dial layout showing a second time zone, day-night indicator, cities disc for the world time, and the power reserve.

Initial thoughts

Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) first introduced this complication over three decades ago as the Géographique, a full-featured travel watch that stood out from most of the simpler travel watches of the time. But it had a fairly cluttered dial, so the new Geographic is simplified, with the key change being the removal of the date. This streamlines the aesthetic though some might find the date more practical than the power reserve indicator.

The movement inside is an upgraded version of the calibre in the 1990s Géographique and now has a three-day power reserve, but is still relatively complex to set. A more useful update would have been a more intuitive time zone-setting function. 

The Polaris Geographic retails for US$16,100, which feels steep, particularly since JLC has historically been affordable more affordable watchmaking of good, industrial-artisanal quality. 

A diving dual time zone

The new Geographic adopts the style of the Polaris line, which is a modern-ish dive watch look with an inner rotation bezel.

The layout remains the familiar one found on past generations of the model, with the second time zone in a sub-dial at six and the day-night indicator to its left. A cities ring for 24 time zones is displayed in a window across the lower periphery of the dial. And a power reserve indicator sits at nine o’clock.

According to JLC, the gradient grey dial is achieved with 35 layers of hand-applied lacquer, resulting in a finish that goes from grey to black on the edges. It’s matched with orange accents as well as large, legible hands and markers.

The steel case, with a domed “glass box” sapphire crystal, shares the same dimensions as the Polaris Geographic WT of 2018, measuring 42 mm in diameter and 11.54 mm in thickness.

Inside is the in-house cal. 939 also found in the Master Control Geographic. The movement traces its roots to the cal. 929 developed in the late 1990s. It’s been improved over the years and now boasts a 70-hour power reserve.

But it is functionally identical to its predecessor so setting the second time zone is a bit fiddly. The wearer has to first use the crown at ten to select the desired city, then set the hour hand for the second time zone sub-dial at six.

Key facts and price

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Geographic
Ref. Q9078640

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 11.54 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 939
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time-zone, power reserve, 24 time-zones, night and day display
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Black rubber strap with blue-grey canvas strap option

Limited edition: No
Availability: Available at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques and retailers.
Price: US$16,100

For more, visit Jaeger-lecoultre.com