37-year-old Gerry “Bubba” Watson is one of the rare left-handers on the professional golf circuit. The Bagdad (Florida) native, known for his spectacular and imaginative style on the green, currently stands 5th in the world ranking. He was not one of those young turks who found success early on in their professional careers; Watson had to wait for the ripe old age of 31 before experiencing the thrill of his first PGA win.
Bubba Watson joined the Richard Mille family in 2011. Like Rafael Nadal and Felipe Massa before him, the American golfer was involved in developing a collection of watches specifically designed for golf: the RM 038, the RM 055 and the more recent RM 38-01 tourbillon. The latest iteration of the golfing watch has a G-sensor, a Richard Mille world first. The 17 mm sensor located on the dial at 12 o’clock records the force generated by the golfer’s swing. The maximum readout of 20 G is a necessity for athletes like Bubba Watson, who is capable of hitting a ball at more than 310 km/h.
The use of TZP-G, an ultra-rigid ceramic made of aluminium oxide powder tubes injected at a pressure of 2000 bar, for the back and bezel of the RM 38-01, confirms Richard Mille’s mastery of the revolutionary application of industrial materials to watchmaking.
