Rapper Drake spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Drake was recently spotted on the wrist with one of the most technically singular pieces in contemporary watchmaking — the Richard Mille RM27-04 in 'TitaCarb' alloy, the latest chapter in the brand's long-running collaboration with tennis legend Rafael Nadal. With production capped at 50 pieces and a list price of $1.05 million, the sighting is about as rare as the watch itself.

The RM27-04 represents the fourth iteration of Richard Mille's Nadal series, each generation pushing structural engineering further. The 'TitaCarb' denomination refers to the case material — a composite of titanium and carbon TPT, a proprietary construction method that creates a layered, anisotropic structure of exceptional rigidity-to-weight ratio. The case weighs a negligible amount on the wrist yet is built to withstand the brutal mechanical stress of professional tennis. Inside sits a manual-winding tourbillon calibre, the RM27-04, engineered to resist shocks of up to 12,000 g-force — a specification validated on Nadal's wrist during actual Grand Slam competition. The movement is suspended within the case using a cable-tensioned chassis, a solution borrowed from suspension engineering rather than traditional watchmaking.

For collectors, the RM27-04 TitaCarb carries immediate significance. The Nadal collaboration has historically been among Richard Mille's most coveted limited series, with earlier references — the RM27-01, RM27-02, and RM27-03 — appreciating sharply on secondary markets. A run of just 50 pieces ensures allocation is nearly impossible through conventional retail channels, placing the watch firmly in the realm of direct client relationships with the manufacture.

Drake has built one of the most closely watched watch collections in hip-hop, with previous sightings including multiple Patek Philippe references and earlier Richard Mille pieces. His choice of the RM27-04 aligns with a collector sensibility that gravitates toward technical radicalism as much as price point — this is not simply an expensive watch, it is a specific engineering statement.

On the grey market, the RM27-04 TitaCarb commands a meaningful premium over its already formidable $1.05 million list price. Demand for ultra-limited Richard Mille tourbillons tied to active athlete collaborations consistently outpaces supply, and with Nadal's retirement from professional tennis lending a retrospective weight to the series, this reference is likely to appreciate further.