Rafael Nadal and Richard Mille: A Match Made for Sony Ericsson Heaven

It’s a big weekend here in the Magic City, and not just because we have Easter brunches on the brain.

Tennis fans have flooded our shores once again to spectate and celebrate the Sony Ericsson Open on Key Biscayne. We don’t have to impart on you the importance of this annual event, but discussing the importance of today’s match up is something we just can’t avoid.

This afternoon, two champs adored by the public will meet up in one heated semifinal match up—and the 80-degree temperature has nothing to do with the heat that the courts will see.

Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick have started serving, and in addition to the thousands of fans cheering on the faves—live or via TV/web—there are also corporate sponsors who will be watching with vested interests.

In the Nadal camp is a respected luxury watch brand that recently announced its exciting new partnership with the Spaniard server. Richard Mille sent word that it worked closely with the court champ to develop a tourbillon watch that would be light enough for him to wear while playing tennis. The result: the RM027, which weighs less than 20 grams, including the strap. Though the collaboration was rumored for months, the brand reports that the secret is now confirmed.

Not only is the new RM 027 Tourbillon Richard Mille’s first entry to the world of tennis, it also got Nadal to wear the luxury watch during today’s match—actually during all of his matches, but today’s against Roddick is the one we are concerned with for the moment.

Official word indicates that Richard Mille has been experimenting with the concept of weight reduction in haute horology from the very conception of the brand. “When I first produced tourbillons with titanium and ALUSIC cases and carbon baseplates, I was fighting against perceived value. A titanium watch could not be a luxurious timepiece as it did not weigh enough. However mentalities rapidly changed and gradually with time amateurs soon appreciated the extreme lightness of my watches whilst being associated with the best technology,” says Richard Mille himself.

It is a limited edition of 50 pieces, and the retail price of the watch is $525,000.