Royal Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, son of Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, was recently photographed wearing one of Richard Mille's most technically compelling sport references — the RM 035, universally known in collector circles as the 'Baby Nadal.'

The Richard Mille RM 035 takes its nickname from its spiritual predecessor, the RM 027, which Richard Mille developed in close collaboration with Rafael Nadal for tournament play on the ATP Tour. The RM 035 distilled the same philosophy — maximum shock resistance, minimum mass — into a slightly more accessible, though no less extraordinary, package. The tonneau-shaped case is constructed from NTPT Carbon, Richard Mille's proprietary filament-wound carbon composite, which layers hundreds of carbon plies at alternating 45-degree angles under heat and pressure to produce a material stronger than titanium at a fraction of the weight. The result is a case that tips the scales at roughly 33 grams with the strap attached.

At the heart of the RM 035 beats the Calibre RMUL1, a manually wound movement featuring a grade-five titanium baseplate and bridges, a tourbillon regulator, and a free-sprung balance with variable inertia. The movement architecture draws heavily from Formula One chassis philosophy — eliminating unnecessary mass at every component level while engineering for structural rigidity where it matters. The skeletonised dial leaves the entire movement visible, a signature Richard Mille statement that turns horological engineering into display.

For collectors, the RM 035 occupies a fascinating position in the Richard Mille catalogue. It lacks the headline co-signing of the RM 027 or RM 011, yet its technical specification is virtually identical to those trophy references. That relative anonymity, paradoxically, makes it a sharper buy for the serious collector — the movement quality is unimpeachable, and secondary market premiums remain more rational than on the marquee collaborations.

Sheikh Rashid's choice of the RM 035 fits a broader pattern among Gulf royals, who have long been among Richard Mille's most consistent and discerning clients. With a UK list price around £90,000, the Baby Nadal sits in the entry tier of Richard Mille's tourbillon range — though 'entry tier' here means a six-figure exercise in aerospace-grade watchmaking that few manufactures could replicate.