Richard Mille - RM 38-02 - Manual Winding Tourbillon Bubba Watson

Golf is an excellent testing ground for Mille’s watches because it is a sport that requires physical strength. On the wrist of a very great hitter like Bubba Watson, a watch must be able to withstand the stresses of hard stops and drastic accelerations… These were all part of the considerations when designing the RM 38-02. CALIBRE RM38-02 Manual winding tourbillon movement with hours and minutes.

Limited edition of 50 pieces Inspired by the audacity of the previous calibres signed Bubba Watson and by his ‘lucky’ pink colour, the RM 38-02 is built around a baseplate in Carbon TPT®, which comprises many layers of parallel carbon filaments. This material, omnipresent in the RM 38-02, is very demanding in terms of machining, both because of its hardness and because of the skeletonisation it is subjected to. The baseplate supports grade 5 titanium bridges giving the movement powerful dynamics.

The open-work bridge incorporates two tubes that pass through the movement on either side. In grade 5 titanium and hand painted in the coveted pink colour, they further accentuate the general lines of the calibre. The colour is a nod to Bubba’s iconic Ping driver, and brings subtle touches of pink inside the movement.

This colour is also present on the back of the calibre on a monumental micro-perforated bridge, echoing the pattern on the of Bubba’s driver when competing. The assembly of these PVD-treated bridges does not allow the watchmaker even the slightest of error. A clumsy gesture, the merest scratch on a part, and the component is simply binned.

Inside and out, the watch and even the asymmetrical case are made of a unique pink Quartz TPT®, white Quartz TPT® and Carbon TPT®, to match Bubba’s unique personality. The association of different colours and materials without merging them was a real technical challenge. The RM 38-02 Tourbillon Bubba Watson is the fourth watch of the collection bearing Bubba’s name. Produced in a numbered limited edition of 50 pieces, it was pretty much the watchmaking equivalent of a hole in one. Top view Right view Back view Left view.