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Raymond Weil Freelancer 43mm Mens Watch
Ref. 2785-TIC-60001
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 has always been Raymond Weil's case for watchmaking with some architectural ambition, and this particular execution pushes that further than most. The RW1212 was developed with Sellita specifically so that the balance wheel could be displayed through an aperture at six o'clock — it is not a skeleton dial that simply removes material for visual effect, but one arranged so that a working component becomes the centrepiece of the layout. The grey dial against black PVD gives it a deliberately subdued register, closer to gunmetal than to the high-contrast skeleton pieces that shout their mechanics. At 10.60mm, the case sits considerably flatter against the wrist than the open dial architecture would suggest, and it will pass under a cuff without the ridge that usually accompanies a sporting automatic. The deployant clasp feeds the leather rather than folding it at a fixed point, which is a small but considered decision — it means the strap wears evenly across its length rather than creasing at one spot and lasting half as long.
- Reference
- 2785-TIC-60001
- Brand
- Raymond Weil
- Collection
- Freelancer
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.60mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- RW1212
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Raymond Weil Freelancer range (18), Automatic Watches (1,570), Blue Dial Watches (714), Skeleton Watches (251) and Titanium Watches (162).
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
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Raymond Weil Freelancer alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 2785-TIC-60001 | H36616640 | NB1000B01A/B102 FABRIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,095 | £2,135 | £1,850 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Fabric strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 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 comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
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.
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