Richard Mille RM 038 Tourbillon Bubba Watson


As I type this, Bubba Watson leads the Farmers Insurance Open PGA tournament in San Diego. [Update: he went on to win.] This year Bubba joins Rafael Nadal and Felipe Massa as a Richard Mille ambassador. Bubba is the longest driver on the PGA Tour, and if you wonder whether it is safe to wear a tourbillon while golfing, Bubba will prove that you can can wear the RM 038. Find pricing and picture inside.

Bubba is a rare professional golfer who likes to wear a watch or a bracelet when he plays. This, coupled with his reputation as a big hitter, makes him an ideal candidate to test the RM 038 under real-world conditions. Given the demands of the game, Richard Mille’s focus in designing this watch were lightness, extreme shock resistance, and comfort. The RM 038 is built for golfers and sportsmen who appreciate haute horlogerie, and who require a rare and distinctive timepiece that can withstand extreme conditions.

The RM 038 case measures 48mm x 39.70mm x 12.80mm. Inside, the caliber RM 038’s bottom plate, bridges and balance cock are made of grade 5 titanium. This creates a strong, rigid platform, as well as precise surface flatness for optimum gear train function.

The RM 038 tourbillon caliber has a fast rotating barrel which provides significant decrease of periodic internal mainspring adhesion, which increases performance. Moreover it provides an excellent mainspring delta curve with ideal power reserve/performance and regularity ratio. Besides a central involute profile of the winding barrel teeth and third-wheel pinion provides an optimal pressure angle of 20°. This promotes effective rotary motion and allows for compensation of possible variations in the engagement of the going train, thus insuring excellent torque transmission with a distinct improvement in performance.

The RM 038 case is made of a rugged and light alloy called Magnesium-Aluminium AZ91. This alloy is composed of magnesium 90% and aluminium 8.9%. Magnesium density is of 1, 74 g/cm3, which means it is one of the lightest metal used for construction. After a long and delicate machining phase, this alloy is given an electro-plasma oxidation treatment named Titalyt II. The whitish color of the case is due to this treatment: it is a cristalline oxide ceramic with a high ratio of high resistant composites such as MgAl2O4 spinels. This improves both hardness and scratch resistance of this alloy, and also its wear resistance and corrosion resistance. This treatment applied to Magnesium-Aluminium is biocompatible. It is used in aerospace, automotive industries and medical sector.

The tripartite case is water resistant to 50 meters, ensured by two Nitril O-ring seals. The case is assembled with 12 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion resistant washers in 316L stainless steel.

The RM 038 Tourbillon Bubba Watson will be produced in a limited edition of 38 pieces priced at $525,000. Look for Bubba to begin wearing the RM 038 during tournaments beginning in March.

You may enlarge the images with a click.

 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TOURBILLON RICHARD MILLE RM 038 BUBBA WATSON

Tonneau case – numbered Limited Edition- available in Magnesium-Aluminium alloy AZ91.

CALIBER RM038 : manual winding tourbillon with hours and minutes.

Dimensions: 48 mm x 39.70 mm x 12.80 mm.

MAIN FEATURES

POWER RESERVE
Circa 48 hours.

VARIABLE INERTIA, FREE SPRUNG BALANCE
The free-sprung balance provides better reliability in the event of shocks, movement assembly and disassembly. It also guarantees better chronometric results over an extended period of time.

BARREL PAWL WITH PROGRESSIVE RECOIL
This device permits a profitable winding gain (circa 20 %), especially during the winding start. It is also helpful in the distribution of the mainspring’s internal tension.

OTHER FEATURES
– Dimensions of movement: 30.60 mm x 29.37 mm
– Thickness: 7.55 mm
– Tourbillon diameter: 10.90 mm
– Balance diameter: 9.12 mm
– Number of jewels: 19
– Balance: Glucydur, 2 arms, 4 setting screws, inertia moment 11.50 mg.cm2, angle of lift 53°
– Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)
– Balance spring: Elinvar by NIVAROX
– Shock protection: KIF ELASTOR de KE 160 B28
– Barrel shaft in nickel-free chronifer (DIN x 46 Cr13 +S) with following characteristics: stainless, antimagnetic, suitable for tempering.

INTERIOR FLANGE
Minute flange in white carbon fiber.

CRYSTAL
Bezel side: In sapphire (1800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment (both sides)
Thickness: 1.20 mm
Case back: In sapphire with anti-glare treatment (both sides)
Thickness: at the center 1 mm and outer edges 1.73 mm

FINISHING

MOVEMENT
– Baseplate and bridges in micro-blasted grade 5 titanium
– Anglage and polishing by hand
– Sapphire blasted milled sections
– Straight line grain finish of the upper surfaces
– Polished sinks

STEEL PARTS
– Sapphire blasted surfaces
– Satin finished surfaces
– Anglage and polishing by hand
– Straight line grain finish of the upper surfaces
– Straight line grain finish of the upper surfaces
– Polished sinks

PROFILE TURNING
– Lapped and polished ends
– Burnished pivots

GEAR WHEELS
– Concave chamfering with a diamond tool
– Circular finished faces
– Rhodium-plating (before cutting the teeth)
– Minimum correction applied to the wheels in order to preserve geometry and performance

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  1. Shawn's

    Hey Bubba…did god want you to wear a $500k watch?
    What an idiot….

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