The following article was produced in partnership with Raymond Weil.
Raymond Weil might be one of the last true independent watchmakers still making waves on the world stage, but then the Swiss Maison has always maintained a reputation of doing things in its own way: quietly confident, refreshingly unflashy, and anchored in a deep respect for mechanical watchmaking and family tradition.
In a landscape dominated by conglomerates and marketing noise, Raymond Weil has remained steadfast, crafting considered timepieces that speak more to substance than spectacle. After stepping away from the Watches and Wonders spotlight in recent years, the Geneva-based brand used its time off not to rest, but to refine.
Now, it returns to the world’s biggest watch event with two timely additions to its signature Freelancer collection; pieces that show this Swiss luxury watchmaker isn’t here to shout into the noise. It never was. But it’s certainly here to be heard.
Freelancer Complete Calendar
Raymond Weil welcomes two new additions to the Freelancer collection. On first glance, the Complete Calendar its a seriously clean timepiece, bringing together day, date, month and moonphase complications into one well-proportioned 40mm case. The brand revealed two distinct references in Geneva: one in stainless steel with a deep blue dial (Ref. 2766-ST-50001), the other dressed up in rose gold PVD with a sandblasted silver dial (Ref. 2766-PC5-64001).
Both offer a clean, symmetrical layout that doesn’t sacrifice legibility for complexity; correctors are discreetly tucked into the case, while the celestial moonphase display (based on an actual NASA image) adds a classy detail to the technical layout.
Priced at $6,600 AUD, it’s a serious flex for anyone looking to add a full calendar to their collection without entering haute horlogerie territory.
Freelancer Skeleton Limited Edition
For something bolder, the Freelancer Skeleton Limited Edition (Ref. 2795-BKC-20000) brings a stealthy edge to the collection two decades after its initial release. Today’s iteration unveils a skeletonised dial with an alluring architecture that puts the brand’s proprietary movement front and centre.
Developed in-house with Sellita and Raymond Weil’s grandson Elie Bernheim, the openworked RW1212 calibre is undoubtedly the main event here: a mechanical self-winding movement with a formidable power reserve of 41 hours, sat neatly within the Freelancer’s cushion-shaped 42mm frame.
Limited to just 500 pieces, it wears modern and muscular, pushing the Freelancer into sportier territory without losing the collection’s mechanical foundations. With nearly 20 years of Freelancer behind it, Raymond Weil returns to carve out its niche: honest mechanical watchmaking, elegant design, and a little swagger, without the six-figure price tag.
