For many watch enthusiasts, Raymond Weil is a familiar Swiss watch brand, once commonly found in major department stores. Over recent years, Raymond Weil has become less popular due to the declining popularity of these retail spaces. Recently, the family running Raymond Weil decided to reintroduce their line of inspiring, affordable Swiss-made watches to the watch enthusiast community. I believe many other watch lovers will appreciate the products from this company. These are the Raymond Weil Freelancer Calibre RW1212 Skeleton watches with a two-tone case of bronze and steel, reference 2785-SBC-60000.
Many of Raymond Weil's current offerings are still designed for the broader luxury watch market. This generally means they're good enough for watch lovers but not necessarily designed for them. This is beginning to change, and I think a great example is this and some other Raymond Weil models with the automatic Calibre RW1212 Skeleton movement.
The movement was developed by Raymond Weil in collaboration with Swiss movement manufacturer Sellita. The RW1212 family is produced by Sellita but exclusively for Raymond Weil. I've long spoken about the wisdom of this approach, combining practical industrial efficiency with an original and exclusive movement design that helps the product command a higher price. Currently, Raymond Weil offers two versions of the automatic RW1212 movement: the standard open-heart version and the more visually open RW1212 Skeleton version.
The design of the RW1212 centers around the placement and design of the regulation system at the “6 o'clock” position on the dial, which includes a view of the oscillating balance wheel and the escapement's operation. This poetic animation of mechanical parts draws attention and even calms many. A full bridge over the balance wheel is rare and actually helps to ensure structural stability. Additionally, the “tourbillon-lite” dial looks genuinely interesting and stylish. The automatic RW1212 movement operates at 4 Hz, with a power reserve of 38 hours and a thickness of 5.47 mm.
The movement is tastefully skeletonized, with pearl-polished remaining bridges (in this model, they are colored gunmetal gray) and an excellent view of the movement's operation. Even the mainspring barrel has cutouts, allowing you to see the mainspring inside (which can also serve as a rough power reserve indicator). One downside of the movement is the absence of a running seconds hand, meaning the watch is best used for everyday or casual wear (since sports watches typically allow for the tracking of seconds). The absence of a seconds hand makes the movement's layout visually more elegant, which is likely why the decision was made to forego the seconds hand.
When Raymond Weil first introduced the RW1212 Skeleton movement, it did so in several watches that seemed insufficiently “open.” Therefore, the next generation of Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton watches (which includes this model 2785-SBC-60000) offers a more refined and open version of the lacework dial, allowing for a wider view of the movement. Nevertheless, the dial still features a real hour and minute scale. Moreover, Raymond Weil did not break one of my personal design rules, which is to never place skeletonized hands on a skeletonized dial (unless you hate people who actually look at the dials of your watches). The tapering hands are even filled with a luminous compound.
The 42mm Raymond Weil Freelancer case is basic in style but overall attractive. The case has many bold lines and reminds me of a softer TAG Heuer Carrera case. It is 10.6mm thick and water-resistant up to 100 meters. Above the dial is a flat sapphire crystal with AR-coating (on both sides). Another crystal is attached to the back of the case, revealing a rear view of the skeletonized movement.
What makes the Reference 2785-SBC-60000 Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton model somewhat special is the aesthetics, particularly the bronze details. Raymond Weil has taken a decidedly fashionable stance and opted for stable aged bronze instead of something new that won't wear as well. The bronze bezel and matching crown look great if you love a designer, pre-worn look. (By “worn” we mean not scratches, but smooth weathering of color, similar to the look of bronze polished with oil. Raymond Weil put it a bit more poetically, saying that “each watch has a unique, rich patina and self-effacing luster.”
The Raymond Weil strap matched to the watch case looks and feels great. It is simply called the “aged brown leather strap,” but it is really good. Not only are the color and texture pleasing and appealing, but the strap is supple yet strong and quite comfortable to wear. The strap is attached to a folding steel clasp.
I think many watch enthusiasts will appreciate these Raymond Weil Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton watches: they truly look and feel like something more expensive. They can be an affordable and fashionable solution in a room full of more expensive and fragile watches, which in many cases do not provide more enjoyment when worn. While the regular three-hand Freelancer watches may not be as appealing to seasoned collectors, these Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton Bronze watches have many elements that I believe can appeal to enthusiasts of all types, especially for such money.
The price for the 2785-SBC-60000 Raymond Weil Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton Bronze model is 2,940 USD. Find out more or place an order on the Raymond Weil website.