Raymond Weil has gone to war, expanding their award-winning collection with a dressier – and unisex appealing – alternative.
It’s not too long ago that not many people were all too familiar with the achievements of Raymond Weil. For a company with its nearly half-century heritage to remain both family and independently-owned is no small feat, but it takes more than that to win over the often fickle watch community. What it does take, however, is just one good watch.
The Millesime was that watch. While Raymond Weil’s Freelancer, Tango and Toccata have made no small name for themselves, none had ever blown the socks off the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve) like the Millesime did last year, taking home one of the most coveted prizes in watchmaking history (read about the GPHG article here!)
Thus, for Watches and Wonders 2024, CEO Elie Bernheim and the Raymond Weil team are taking the Millesime for a victory lap, releasing four dressier references to cement the collection as a must-have in its price range.
The Millesime Moonphase is the result. Coming in both 35mm and 39.5mm, this new offering from Raymond Weil builds on its success for 2023. The design is unmistakably theirs, maintaining yet elevating the original’s sector dial. It can be hard for a dressy watch to succeed. Where I’m at Down Under, humidity forces our hands to prefer sportier watches over dress pieces, as small, leather-strapped timepieces tend to falter in our weather.
Though dressy in appearance, the original Millesime also had a sporty appeal, complete with a small seconds complication marked out with Arabic numerals at every ten-second interval. These Millesime Moonphase references, however, take that dressy appeal and run with it. Gone are the small seconds, replaced by an appropriately dressy moon phase complication at 6 o’clock, complete with a happy smiling moon – an expression that, for certain, was on the faces of every Raymond Weil employee when the GPHG panellists read out their name.
On the 35mm models, the brand has also added Arabic numerals to the hour markers of the timepiece, maintaining the practicality whilst shrinking down the size. What appeals to me, though, is the subtle dots where the 5 and 7 are supposed to be – Raymond Weil did not want to upset the design by creating numbers that cut off.
Both the 39.5mm and 35mm references come with two case colourations – stainless steel and a pink gold PVD – as well as two dial colours. For the men, the Millesime Moonphase is offered in either the classic white or a deep blue with pink gold accents, whereas the 35mm Ladies’ model is either the classic white or a light, muted blue with white Arabic numerals. The blue reference also comes with 16 lab-grown diamonds embedded into each lug and has the option of a steel bracelet, doubly furthering the level of elegance on this timepiece.
All four Millesime Moonphase watches are powered by the automatic Cal. RW4280 movement, which is a Sellita SW280-1 at its base, has been customised and assembled by Raymond Weil to their exacting standards. As with most of Raymond Weil’s movements, a Selitta is nothing mind-blowing, but those of you who know Sellita’s reputation know that they are exceptionally reliable, and Raymond Weil’s partnership only serves to reinforce their quality, precision and adaptability – not to mention their economically viable price point.
Final Thoughts
All-in-all, Raymond Weil’s grand expansion of the Millesime collection has been nothing short of a success. Much like the award-winning OG, I think these new references are bound to capture the imaginations of collectors at all price points through their innovative yet elegant and attentive design.
With meticulous craftsmanship both inside and out, it’s clear that Raymond Weil is out to prove the doubters wrong and establish themselves as a household name. Blending signature style and mechanical reliability, I do not doubt that Raymond Weil’s direction this year will be a good one, and I’m excited to see exactly where they go next!
Reference: 2945-STC-65001 (White/Steel), 2945-PC5-50001 (Blue/Gold PVD)
Specification
- Case: 39.5mm case diameter, 10.5mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel/pink gold PVD
- Dial: White/Blue dial with moon phase at 6 o’clock
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Water resistance: 50m (5 Bar)
- Movement: Automatic Cal. RW4280 movement with moon phase
- Movement Frequency: 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Bracelet: Gray/Blue calf leather with steel/pink gold PVD pin buckle
Australian Recommended Retail Price: $4,050 AUD (White/Steel), $4,200 AUD (Blue/Gold PVD)
Availability: Available from the Raymond Weil website and authorised retailers.
Reference: 2145-SCS-50011\2145-STS-5001 (Blue/Steel/Diamonds/Strap, Blue/Steel/Diamonds/Bracelet), 2145-PC5-65001 (White/Gold PVD)
Specification
- Case: 35mm case diameter, 9.98mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel/Pink gold PVD
- Dial: White/Blue dial with moon phase at 6 o’clock
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Water resistance: 50m (5 Bar)
- Movement: Automatic Cal. RW4280 movement with moon phase
- Movement Frequency: 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Bracelet: Blue calf leather with steel/pink gold PVD pin buckle, stainless steel bracelet (Blue/Steel/Diamonds/Bracelet)
