Refining Tradition: Exploring The Raymond Weil Millesime Watches

In October 2023, RAYMOND WEIL was barreling into its forty eighth 12 months with a powerful catalog of watches that ranged from classically designed quartz and mechanical costume watches to collaborations with among the most necessary artists in historical past. Somebody seeking to construct a group might fortunately meet virtually each want simply with RAYMOND WEIL watches. Then originally of November, one thing occurred: RAYMOND WEIL gained the Problem class on the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Not with a Freelancer or a Toccata, however with a brand new mannequin known as the Millesime — French for “classic.” It was a watch that nobody noticed coming, and a watch that received everybody’s consideration. Since that win, the RAYMOND WEIL Millesime has expanded right into a well-rounded assortment outlined by sector dials and a novel, scroll-lugged case.

For nearly its complete historical past, RAYMOND WEIL had all the time captured the eyes of the bigger market however seldom piqued the curiosity of fanatics. For its half, it had all the time produced compelling, high-quality Swiss-made timepieces, together with elegant girls’s watches, strong software watches, and a string of outstanding watches celebrating artists like The Beatles, David Bowie, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Approaching its fiftieth anniversary, although, the model sought to increase its enchantment with a full assortment that honored the traditions of Swiss watchmaking whereas resonating with a brand new technology of watch lovers. The Millesime and its neo-vintage attraction have been the outcome, and it has proved an enormous success.

Might there be a greater technique to formally launch a watch than by successful an award on the GPHG, the Oscars of watchmaking? When RAYMOND WEIL entered the Millesime Small Seconds Automatic, it had not been launched publicly. The model was taking a giant guess on a brand new assortment. Would the Millesime be capable to beat out watches from Kurono, Seiko, and Nomos? The query of what could have occurred had it not gained is moot: the watch claimed the Problem class, reserved for watches priced below CHF 2,000, and that positioned the model and the gathering for achievement. The enchantment of the Millesime design was apparent: a refined sector dial and an eminently wearable case with subtle ending. It was a symphony of particulars that got here collectively very like the devices in an orchestra, stunning on their very own however one thing actually exceptional when harmonized collectively.

The primary fashions launched have been two time-only iterations: the Millesime Automated Small Seconds and the Millesime Automated (with a central seconds hand). Whereas the Small Seconds took the GPHG award, each fashions would set the stage for your entire assortment. The 39.5mm instances are each below 10.3mm thick and have a satisfying mix of brushed and polished surfaces, together with a vertical brushed bezel with a sophisticated bevel. The case has a sapphire crystal on the back and front, a ridged crown, and 50m of water resistance. Most notably, the scroll lugs harken again to a bygone period of class and romanticism that’s typically ignored in trendy watch design.

However the case was not what captured the eyes of the GPHG jury or the watch neighborhood. It was the sector dials. The dials function a basic sector format, with concentric rings delineating the hour and minute tracks. RAYMOND WEIL makes use of refined texturing by way of the dial to additional distinguish its separate parts: the central space has vertical brushing, the minute monitor is snailed, and the hour monitor is easy. The ending enhances the dynamic case and the dials are accomplished with a grooved reticle within the heart portion. Sustaining a basic aesthetic, the lumed obelisk fingers present excellent legibility. Each watches are powered by computerized Swiss actions, as are every Millesime mannequin.

With the inspiration of the gathering in place by the top of 2023, RAYMOND WEIL has spent 2024 showcasing the flexibility of the Millesime platform. At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, along with two new colours to the Automated Small Second (together with a brilliant British Racing Green), the model launched a moonphase, a chronograph, and a 35mm case dimension to the lineup. The moonphase noticed the small seconds changed with a crescent aperture occupied by an endearing smiling moon set towards a starry sky. The 35mm instances, which included each moonphase and heart seconds fashions, invited a wider viewers to benefit from the Millesime and provided diamond-set and rose gold-tone choices. Lastly, a trendy and sensible chronograph was added to the combination, with a blue panda dial and a black dial making up the Tri-Compax Chronograph variant of the Millesime.

The coherence of the brand new assortment was plain. Whereas many manufacturers supply watches below a single banner that appear to be wholly unrelated to one another, the Millesime timepieces all share the charming sector dial and the distinguished case — and no matter complication, the instances all the time measure both 39.5mm or 35mm, guaranteeing that there’s a excellent Millesime for everybody. RAYMOND WEIL has gone a step additional, although, growing new supple leather-based straps and a wholly new bracelet only for the gathering. Completely paired to every mannequin, the straps are constructed from real calf leather-based with ‘W’ stitching on the tail finish. In its place, the brand new 5-link bracelets echo the ending of the case, with brushed large hyperlinks and polished slim hyperlinks, culminating in a branded butterfly closure.

Most just lately, RAYMOND WEIL has used the Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph for one of many issues it does finest: have fun artists. The brand new RAYMOND WEIL X Largo Winch sees the Tri-Compax Chronograph imbued with the colours and iconic type of the legendary Belgian comedian Largo Winch. With a silver and inexperienced dial and refined cues to the approaching, the timepiece maintains the broad enchantment of the Millesime assortment whereas engaging followers of comics around the globe. Unseen whereas on the wrist, the sapphire crystal caseback is adorned with art work of Largo Winch created particularly for the watch by the comedian’s creator, Philippe Francq.

Simply as spectacular because the watches themselves has been the response they’ve garnered. Whether or not or not it’s the unique Millesime Automated Small Seconds, the rose gold PVD Millesime Central Seconds Burgundy 35mm, or one of many Millesime Tri-Compax Chronographs, the neighborhood, and the business all appear to concur that the watches are triumphs for RAYMOND WEIL. By clearly establishing a design language for the Millesime after which successfully translating that throughout issues, RAYMOND WEIL has been in a position to unleash a string of hits that appear to have few, if any, detractors. No small a part of that, although, is as a result of unbelievable worth the watches current. With an unmistakable look and timeless attract, the Millesime assortment might simply be priced excessive sufficient to maintain it out of attain, however RAYMOND WEIL needed to supply timepieces that as many individuals as potential might get pleasure from. Excluding the limited-edition Largo Winch mannequin, the Millesime assortment is priced from $1,650 USD for the RAYMOND WEIL Millesime Middle Seconds on leather-based to $3,725 USD for the Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph on bracelet. For extra data on the Millesime assortment, please go to the RAYMOND WEIL website.