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Raymond Weil Freelancer Date Blue Dial Stainless Steel 40mm Mens Watch
Ref. 2741-ST-50001
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Stepping up in Raymond Weil's range
The Freelancer line was conceived in 2007 around the idea of a man who answers to no particular convention — not quite dress, not quite sport, occupying the middle ground that most wearing occasions actually fall into. This 40mm iteration carries that logic through in the detail: curved lugs that follow the wrist rather than sitting across it, and a bezel kept tight enough to let the case feel smaller than its diameter suggests. The sunray-brushed blue dial is the watch's main argument. It shifts between near-navy in flat light and something closer to electric in direct sun, and the applied indices — their Super-LumiNova readable well into low light — sit cleanly against it without crowding the date window at three. Through the sapphire caseback, the W-shaped rotor is visible, a quiet house signature that most owners only notice once they think to look.
- Reference
- 2741-ST-50001
- Brand
- Raymond Weil
- Collection
- Freelancer
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Raymond Weil
Raymond Weil founded his company in Geneva in 1976, which was close to the worst possible moment: Swiss mechanical watchmaking was being dismantled by quartz, and established houses were closing. Starting one from nothing took a particular kind of nerve.
The company survived and stayed independent, which is rarer than it sounds — most Swiss names of comparable size were absorbed into Swatch Group, Richemont or LVMH. Raymond Weil is still owned and run by the founding family, with his grandson Elie Bernheim as chief executive.
Music runs through the brand deliberately rather than decoratively. The collections are named for it — Maestro, Toccata, Tango, Freelancer — and the company has built long partnerships with orchestras, conservatoires and record labels.
The watches sit where Swiss watchmaking is still attainable: slim dress pieces, chronographs and skeletonised automatics, mostly on Sellita and ETA calibres, with the Millesime line taking a more vintage-minded direction in recent years.
- 1976
- Founded in Geneva at the height of the quartz crisis.
- 1983
- The Amadeus line begins the brand's association with music.
- 1996
- The Parsifal collection establishes its dress-watch identity.
- 2014
- Elie Bernheim, the founder's grandson, becomes CEO.
- 2022
- The Millesime line moves the range in a vintage direction.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in the Raymond Weil Freelancer range (18), Stainless Steel Watches (2,531), Automatic Watches (1,573) and Blue Dial Watches (701).
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What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
Raymond Weil Freelancer Date Blue Dial alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 2741-ST-50001 | 01 733 7772 4034-SET | H38416541 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,995 | £1,950 | £2,135 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | — | — | 60 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £1,995, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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