Richard Mille wins big as Nadal, former king of Spain shake

As GQ magazine would have it, "Rafael Nadal and the former king of Spain shook hands, and the watch world exploded."

So be it. Timepiece enthusiasts were left figuratively frothing over the Richard Mille–made accessories that the two sported in Paris. Nadal had just won his 12th (yes, you read that correctly) major title at Roland Garros, and the King of Spain Juan Carlos was there to take in his achievement.

(Getty Images)

"It’s hard to outdo a literal king, but Rafael Nadal did just that last Sunday," wrote GQ's Cam Wolfe. "He out-flexed royalty. You know what’s cooler than wearing an admittedly very rare RM009 like Juan Carlos did? Wearing a Richard Mille specifically designed just for you. Nadal’s RM 27-03 is a collaboration between him and the watchmaker—the red-and-yellow striping across the case is made to match the colors on the Spanish flag."

Nadal's relationship with RM has helped him track time for years, and the watches have had prices going on a cool million US dollars. His move to wear the obviously durable wristwatches in matches has been the most notable (and priciest) in a trend of ATP and WTA players doing so. It's a perfect pairing: a player so invested in every match he plays, and a brand likewise invested in seeing him get through each round so that its value in the contract continues to soar.