Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Mesut Özil spotted wearing Richard Mille

Mesut Özil, during his tenure as Arsenal's attacking cornerstone and one of the Premier League's most recognisable figures, was photographed wearing a Richard Mille RM035 — the model the watch community has long dubbed the 'Baby Nadal.' It is exactly the kind of statement piece a footballer of Özil's profile gravitates toward: conspicuous craftsmanship worn with studied nonchalance.

The Richard Mille RM035 is built around a skeletonised manual-winding calibre, the RMUL3, housed in a case constructed from NTPT Carbon — a material developed for America's Cup yacht racing, made by layering carbon filament plies at 45-degree angles under heat and pressure. The result is a case that tips the scales at a remarkable 38 grams on strap, with a tensile strength that far exceeds traditional materials. The calibre itself features a variable inertia balance wheel, titanium and carbon baseplate architecture, and a power reserve of approximately 55 hours. The reference RM035 measures 50.05mm × 42.70mm — imposing on the wrist, yet almost weightless in reality.

Richard Mille introduced the RM035 as a direct descendant of the RM027, the tourbillon built explicitly for Rafael Nadal's wrist on the Roland Garros clay. The RM035, lacking the tourbillon but retaining the philosophy of ultra-light construction and shock resistance, became the entry point into the Nadal lineage and quickly developed its own collector following. Its NTPT Carbon case, with its distinctive marbled grain pattern unique to every single piece, means no two RM035 watches are visually identical — a detail that resonates with collectors who value individuality.

Özil has never been shy about luxury goods; his social media presence has repeatedly featured high-end watches, cars, and fashion. Pairing an RM035 with football culture is entirely coherent — Richard Mille has systematically built its brand identity around elite athletic performance, and Özil's wearing of the 'Baby Nadal' reads as a natural cross-sport endorsement, even if an informal one.

At UK list price around £85,000, the Richard Mille RM035 sits at the entry tier of the RM sport catalogue, though 'entry tier' is relative. On the grey market, demand for NTPT Carbon Richard Mille references has historically pushed prices above retail, with the RM035 regularly trading between $120,000 and $150,000 depending on configuration and condition. For collectors, the combination of Nadal provenance, exotic materials, and wearability keeps the RM035 among the most sought-after references in the modern Richard Mille lineup.