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Raymond Weil Freelancer Skeleton 38mm Mens Watch
Ref. 2783-ST-50000
Sits in Raymond Weil’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Raymond Weil watches we list, which start at £850.
Price range £850 to £3,595 across 57 Raymond Weil watches in stock.The Freelancer collection arrived in 2007 as Raymond Weil's case for mechanical watchmaking with a contemporary edge, and this skeleton reference marks a notable step within it: the first time the RW1212 calibre has appeared in a 38mm case. That sizing matters, because skeleton dials at this diameter are rarer than they ought to be — the movement architecture has room to breathe without the dial becoming a crowded diagram of its own workings. The RW1212 was developed with Sellita and is built around a front-facing balance wheel positioned at six o'clock, which becomes the focal point the skeletonised dial is arranged to serve. The bridges are ruthenium-finished in black, the movement plates rhodium and bare steel, and the wheel train carries gold accents — so there is genuine colour-working across three tones rather than a single metallic wash. Against a deep blue chapter ring treated with Super-LumiNova, the layering reads well in both direct and angled light. At 10.87mm thick, the case sits closer to a dress watch than most skeleton pieces of comparable depth rating, and the 45mm lug-to-lug measurement means it carries that slimness without feeling compressed on the wrist. The W-shaped oscillating weight, introduced here as a new signature across the brand, is visible through the exhibition side and worth a look before the bracelet goes on.
- Reference
- 2783-ST-50000
- Brand
- Raymond Weil
- Collection
- Freelancer
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 10.87mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- RW1212
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mm
- Warranty
- 2 years
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 6 collections
This watch appears in the Raymond Weil Freelancer range (18), Back in Stock (3,734), Stainless Steel Watches (2,581), Automatic Watches (1,570), Blue Dial Watches (714) and Skeleton Watches (251).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 38mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Raymond Weil's more premium watches
Raymond Weil Freelancer Skeleton alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 2783-ST-50000 | TN38-ND-SS-PK-B | 01 400 7778 7155-07 7 20 01TLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,295 | £3,000 | £3,500 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Titanium bracelet |
| Power reserve | — | 38 hours | 120 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 comparedWill it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 45mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 38mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £3,295, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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