2024 is shaping as much as be an thrilling 12 months for Raymond Weil, an unbiased watchmaker from Geneva. It made its official Watches & Wonders debut and expanded on its profitable GPHG award-winning Millesime assortment, launched simply final 12 months. Raymond Weil is already priming as a brand new flagship mannequin. Eleven variations have been added to the lineup in whole. The oldsters at RW have been sort sufficient to mortgage me the 39.5mm British racing inexperienced dial Millesime Small Seconds ref. 2930-ST-52001, and I’ve some ideas on its total design. (In the event you aren’t accustomed to the gathering, we coated the Millesime Small Seconds in full detail.)
To summarize what’s new for 2024, Raymond Weil introduced that it’s including two new dial colours to the 39.5mm mannequin in September: dusty denim blue and British racing inexperienced, the latter hue related to motorsports for the reason that early 1900s. Beforehand, the watch was solely out there with a silver or anthracite dial, so I perceive the hype. It additionally seems that the inexperienced dial is the primary Small Seconds mannequin to sport a metallic bracelet as an alternative of leather-based. This new expression of the mannequin helps the Millesime cross over into a unique class of informal costume watches which can be a bit extra laid again than earlier choices.
The Millesime Small Seconds is distinguished by a skillfully executed sector dial. I discovered that the delicately engraved crosshairs have been a bit onerous to see simply by shortly glancing on the watch, however I respect the subtlety. What stood out to me essentially the most and made the watch extra legible was the complexity of the varied textures of the dial. The middle has a sublime, eye-catching sheen that contrasts properly with the matte hour ring and, surrounding that, is a blink-and-you-might-miss-it snailed minute observe. The painted Tremendous-LumiNova hour markers and lengthy, tapered hour and minute fingers drive residence the classic aesthetic Raymond Weil was going for with the Millesime. My solely grievance is the textual content contained in the sub-dial. “Computerized” distinguishes the watch from the model’s quartz choices, however I discover it misplaced and crowded. The dial would have been a lot cleaner had that textual content been omitted, but it surely doesn’t make or break the gathering for me.
I loved sporting the Millesime, which has an approachable 39.5mm case and a comparatively svelte profile of round 10.3mm. Nonetheless, the 47mm lug-to-lug measurement is borderline too giant for my smaller 5.75” wrist, as proven within the picture under. Nonetheless, the lugs are completely proportioned to the case and would go well with most wrists bigger than six inches. Curiously, Raymond Weil additionally introduced three new 35mm girls’s choices for the Millesime Small Seconds for 2024 in silver, denim blue, and burgundy. Given the selection, I might select the 35mm mannequin over the one featured on this evaluation. However, in fact, it isn’t out there with the nostalgic inexperienced dial — not but, anyway.
The retro “glass-box” sapphire crystal sits barely larger than the bezel with out including an excessive amount of top to the case. It ought to nonetheless slide properly underneath the cuff of a good costume sleeve, given the skinny profile of the watch. The bezel has a vertically brushed texture that displays the sunshine properly because the wrist strikes and high-polished bevels for a little bit of distinction, whereas the center case is in satin metal and includes a pull-out crown that retains the water resistance at 50m. The Millesime Small Seconds additionally sports activities a sapphire crystal caseback for a transparent view of caliber RW4251 motion and the bespoke skeletonized “W” Raymond Weil rotor. Nothing else stood out to me relating to the motion’s outward look, however it’s price mentioning that it’s primarily based on the Sellita SW261-1 and has a handy 38-hour energy reserve.
The denim-blue mannequin will solely be out there with a leather-based strap to match the dial, whereas the inexperienced mannequin will come on a five-link stainless-steel bracelet with a hidden “RW” butterfly clasp. The clasp is straightforward sufficient to open by urgent the dual triggers on both facet of the bracelet. On the identical time, the “RW” hyperlink overlaps to create a way of continuity between either side of the clasp, which implies the underside half of the bracelet should first click on into place to accommodate the “RW” hyperlink. This design isn’t distinctive to Raymond Weil, but it surely took some getting used to all the identical till I used to be extra accustomed to the watch.
General, reference 2930-ST-52001 has all of the makings of an incredible all-rounder and must be a success with its steel-on-steel end and understated inexperienced dial. The Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds British Racing Inexperienced retails for $2,095 USD, a small premium in comparison with the denim blue, silver, and anthracite fashions offered on leather-based that every retail for $1,995 USD. Contemplating the extent of expertise on this watch, it affords collectors loads of worth whereas sustaining the right degree of wearability for a 39.5mm costume watch in stainless-steel. For extra info, please go to the Raymond Weil website.
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