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Footballer Nigel De Jong spotted wearing Richard Mille

Nigel De Jong, the combative Dutch midfielder who built his reputation through stints at Ajax, Hamburg, Manchester City, and AC Milan, has been spotted wearing one of Richard Mille's most technically accomplished sports references: the RM 35-01. It is a watch that sits at the intersection of motorsport engineering and haute horlogerie, and it reads as an entirely deliberate choice for an athlete of De Jong's profile.

The Richard Mille RM 35-01 represents a significant milestone within the brand's long-running partnership with Rafael Nadal. Unlike the original RM 027 series, which used manual-winding movements, the RM 35-01 introduced the RMAL1 — an in-house automatic calibre beating at 28,800 vph with a 55-hour power reserve. The movement features a variable-geometry rotor and a free-sprung balance wheel, allowing for fine regulation without disturbing the escapement. The case is constructed from Carbon TPT, Richard Mille's proprietary material produced by layering carbon filaments at alternating angles under high pressure, resulting in a structure with exceptional rigidity and near-zero thermal expansion. The total case weight sits around 33 grams — barely noticeable on the wrist despite the 49.94mm × 44.50mm footprint.

For collectors, the RM 35-01 occupies a credible position in Richard Mille's catalogue. It is not a limited edition, which keeps it accessible relative to some of the brand's rarer skeletonised pieces, but the Carbon TPT construction, in-house movement, and Nadal association give it genuine pedigree. It tends to attract buyers who want the full Richard Mille experience — engineering theatre, extreme lightness, and unmistakable aesthetics — without chasing an allocation for a numbered run.

De Jong's affinity for Richard Mille is well established. Footballers across Europe have gravitated toward the brand since the mid-2000s, and De Jong's aggressive, no-nonsense playing style maps neatly onto Richard Mille's positioning as a watch built to perform under physical stress. The RM 35-01 is rated to 50 metres water resistance and is designed to absorb shock — relevant credentials for anyone stepping onto a football pitch.

At UK retail the RM 35-01 is listed at approximately £85,000, placing it in the mid-tier of Richard Mille's broader range. On the secondary market, Carbon TPT variants have held value consistently, with grey-market prices tracking at or slightly above retail depending on condition and papers.