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Raymond Weil Freelancer Skeleton 42mm Mens Watch
Ref. 2785-BC5-20001
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 RW1212 carries Raymond Weil's Geneva postcode in its name, which is a small boast about where it was built. Developed with Sellita but claimed — correctly — as the brand's first proprietary automatic calibre, it was engineered with an unusual structural decision: the balance wheel sits dial-side at six o'clock, visible through the skeletonised bridges rather than tucked away at the back. That is a meaningful distinction between a watch that merely shows its movement and one that makes the escapement the centre of what you see. At 10.6mm thick for a fully skeletonised automatic, it wears closer to the wrist than most open-worked watches at this size, and the all-black treatment — PVD case, blackened bridges, dark fabric strap over leather — keeps what could easily read as mechanical theatre feeling composed instead. The perlage beneath the bridges only reveals itself in certain light, which gives the dial a depth that a flat printed surface cannot replicate. The deployant clasp with its double push-button release is a better fastening than the strap material alone might suggest, and the leather backing means it softens against the skin in a way pure canvas does not.
- Reference
- 2785-BC5-20001
- Brand
- Raymond Weil
- Collection
- Freelancer
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.6mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Black PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- RW1212
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 41 hours
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), Skeleton Watches (251) and All Black Watches (235).
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
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Raymond Weil's more premium watches
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £2,100 on 22 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
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 | 2785-BC5-20001 | 129766 | L38124936 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,995 | £3,035 | £2,950 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 41 hours | — | 72 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 comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 41 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
22mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £2,995, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £2,100 and £2,995, today it's £2,995.
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