Understanding Richard Mille Bubba Watson Watches

Celine Simon Saturday, June 8th, 2024 6 min. read

Just like Rafael Nadal Richard Mille watches were built to be worn during a tennis match, the brand’s Bubba Watson models were conceived to be worn on the course during a golf game. This is a big ask for a luxury watch given the type of force hitting a golf ball produces. Champion golfer and left-hander Bubba Watson and watchmaker Richard Mille joined forces in 2011 and the partnership has spawned several models, all of which remain highly coveted. Welcome to our comprehensive guide to Richard Mille Bubba Watson watches, where we’ll compare specs, designs, and prices of all the references made so far.

Richard Mille Bubba Watson RM055
Richard Mille Bubba Watson RM 055 “White Legend” 

The First Richard Mille Bubba Watson Watch: RM 038 Tourbillon (2011)

RM 038 (Image: Richard Mille)

Introduced in 2011, the Richard Mille RM 038 is an ultra-light, ultra-strong, and ultra-comfortable tourbillon watch that left-handed Bubba Watson can wear when he takes his powerful swings. Think about that for a moment; a tourbillon is one of horology’s most delicate mechanisms, so creating one that could withstand the enormous impacts of professional golf was a wild concept.

That crazy idea, and the brand’s partnership with the Floridian golfer, gave birth to the RM 038 watch–the first in a long line of Richard Mille Bubba Watches. The sleek greyish-white sports watch features a three-piece case that was originally crafted from Magnesium-Aluminium AZ91 — an alloy composed of 90% magnesium and 8.9% aluminum. However, that eventually changed to magnesium WE 54 (89% magnesium, 6% yttrium, and 5% rare earth materials), one of the lightest metals available. The magnesium WE 54 is also coated with a crystalline oxide ceramic to improve scratch and corrosion resistance.

That rugged case serves to protect the manual-winding Caliber RM038 inside the watch (visible through the skeletonized dial and transparent caseback), which includes a tourbillon at 6 o’clock and is suspended by isolated points around the case for increased shock resistance. So much shock resistance, in fact, that the watch can withstand 10,000 G’s of acceleration.

RM038 Bubba Watson Victory Watch
RM038 Bubba Watson Victory Watch (Image: Richard Mille)

Richard Mille only made 38 examples of the Bubba Watson RM 038, each priced at $525,000 in 2011, and all of them sold out quickly. Bubba was wearing his RM 038 watch when he won the Masters in 2012, and Richard Mille issued the RM038 Bubba Watson Victory Watch soon after, limited to just four pieces!

RM 038 Bubba Watson Tourbillon Specs

Bubba Watson RM 038 (Image: Richard Mille)
ModelRM 038 Tourbillon Bubba Watson
Case48mm x 39.70mm
12.80mm thick
Magnesium WE 54
FunctionsHours, minutes, tourbillon
MovementCaliber RM038
Manual-winding
48 hours power reserve
21,600 bph
Water Resistance50 meters
2011 Retail Price$525,000
Limited Edition38 pieces
RM 038 Tourbillon Bubba Watson Specs

Loading, please wait…

The Baby Bubba: RM 055 Bubba Watson (2012)

Bubba Watson Richard Mille RM055 "Baby Bubba"
Bubba Watson Richard Mille RM055 “Baby Bubba”

At first glance, the RM 055, introduced in 2012, looks very similar to the RM 038 that came before it. However, there are a number of notable differences. For instance, the latter RM 055 does not include a tourbillon nor is it a limited edition piece. As such, the RM 055 was affectionately dubbed the “Baby Bubba.”

The Caliber RMUL2 inside the watch is capable of withstanding over 500 G’s of acceleration. The case that protects it combines white rubber-cased titanium case bands and casebacks with a white ATZ ceramic bezel —one of the world’s hardest materials.

RM 055 Limited Editions

While the original RM 055 Bubba Watson was not limited, Richard Mille did make a few special variants (in various materials) for select markets that were indeed limited editions. Some of them include:

  • RM 055 Bubba Watson Black Edition for the European/Middle East market
  • RM 055 Bubba Watson Asia Editions (multiple colorways)
  • RM 055 Bubba Watson Dubai Edition
  • RM 055 Bubba Watson All Grey Boutique Edition
  • RM 055 Bubba Watson “White Legend” and “Dark Legend”
  • RM 055 Bubba Watson “White Drive” and “Red Drive”

Richard Mille also made (non-limited) diamond-set versions of the RM 055 in black carbon TPT and rose gold.

RM 055 Bubba Watson Specs

Limited Edition Bubba Watson Richard Mille RM 055 "White Legend"
Limited Edition Bubba Watson Richard Mille RM 055 “White Legend”
ModelRM 055 Bubba Watson
Case49.90mm x 42.70mm
13.05mm thick
Grade 5 titanium caseband with white rubber casing
ATZ bezel
FunctionsHours, minutes,
MovementCaliber RMUL2
Manual-winding
55 hours power reserve
28,800 vph
Capable of withstanding accelerations of over 500 Gs
Water Resistance30 meters
2012 Retail Price$98,250
RM 055 Bubba Watson Specs

The Richard Mille Bubba Watson with a G-Sensor: RM 38-01 (2014)

RM 38-01 in green ceramic (Image: Richard Mille)

In 2014, Richard Mille unveiled the RM 38-01 Bubba Watson, boasting a patented G-Sensor, in addition to the characteristic tourbillon. The world-first mechanical G-Sensor, located under 12 o’clock and made up of more than 50 moving parts, can record the force generated by a golfer’s swing up to 20 Gs of acceleration.

The case of the first RM 38-01 features a green ceramic TZP bezel combined with a central caseband in grade 5 titanium molded with white rubber. Look closely at the crown and you’ll see it was designed to look like a dimple-speckled golf ball. The green RM 38-01 Bubba Watson was limited to 50 pieces and retailed for $820,000 upon release.

Richard Mille also made a white Quart z TPT version of the RM 38-01 G-Sensor Bubba Watson.

RM 38-01 Bubba Watson Specs

RM 38-01 in White Quartz TPT (Image: Richard Mille)
ModelRM 038-01 G-Sensor Tourbillon Bubba Watson
Case42.70mm x 49.94mm
16.15mm thick
Green Ceramic TZP
Grade 5 titanium caseband
FunctionsHours, minutes, tourbillon, and G-sensor
MovementCaliber RM38-01
Manual-winding
48 hours power reserve
21,600 bph
Water Resistance50 meters
2014 Retail Price$820,000
Limited Edition50 pieces
RM 038-01 Tourbillon Bubba Watson Specs

Think Pink: RM 38-02 Manual Winding Tourbillon Bubba Watson (2022)

RM 38-02 Manual Winding Tourbillon Bubba Watson
RM 38-02 Manual Winding Tourbillon Bubba Watson (Image: Richard Mille)

In 2022, the newest Bubba Watson watch joined the Richard Mille collection in the form of the RM 38-02. Flaunting vibrant touches of pink on a predominately white canvas, the RM38-02’s bezel and caseback are fashioned from pink and white Quartz TPT whereas the caseband includes layers of Carbon TPT and pink Quartz TPT. It’s not just the visual flair that was taken to the next level–the RM 38-02 is built to withstand a jaw-dropping 10,000 G’s of acceleration, although it lacks the G-sensor of the RM 38-01..

‘I have been pushing Richard for a pink watch for ten years and here it is!’

Bubba Watson

The shape of the case is not your standard Richard Mille tonneau but asymmetrical and tapered, which according to the brand, eliminates “friction with the torque-limiting crown on the wrist.” The manual-winding Caliber RM38-02 tourbillon movement includes PVD-treated grade 5 titanium bridges a skeletonized Carbon TPT baseplate that was subjected to a battery of extreme tests to ensure it could keep up with the likes of Bubba.

The RM 38-02 is priced at $980,000 at retail and is limited to only 50 pieces. In 2024, the Bubba Watson Richard Mille Rm 38-02 is valued at over $2 million on the secondary market.

RM 38-02 Bubba Watson Specs

Bubba Watson Richard Mille RM 38-02
Bubba Watson RM 38-02 (Image: Richard Mille)
ModelRM 038-02 Tourbillon Bubba Watson
Case43.70 X 50.04mm
15.95mm thick
Pink and white Quartz TPT bezel
Carbon TPT® and pink Quartz TPT® caseband
FunctionsHours, minutes, tourbillon
MovementCaliber RM38-02
Manual-winding
70 hours power reserve
21,600 bph
Capable of withstanding accelerations of over 500 Gs
Water Resistance50 meters
2022 Retail Price$980,000
Limited Edition50 pieces
RM 038-02 Tourbillon Bubba Watson Specs

Richard Mille Bubba Watson Watches: In Conclusion

Bubba Watson wearing Richard Mille RM038 watch
Bubba Watson wearing Richard Mille RM038 watch (Image: Richard Mille)

So far, Richard Mille has created four references in honor of its partner Bubba Watson. There are the RM 038, RM 38-01, and RM 38-02 tourbillon pieces and the time-only RM 55 models. Although white is the color most associated with these RM watches, the brand has made other colorways available too throughout the years.

Regardless of the specific variant, Bubba Watson RMs are some of the most popular and sought-after Richard Mille watches, prized for their high-tech materials, striking designs, and super cool mechanics.

Other Richard Mille Watch Guides:
Understanding Richard Mille Rafael Nadal Watches
RM 72-01: In-Depth With Richard Mille’s Le Mans Classic Watch for Race Centenary
Richard Mille Prices: Historical and Current From Actual Sales Numbers