In October 2023, RAYMOND WEIL was barreling into its 48th year with a strong catalog of watches that ranged from classically designed quartz and mechanical dress watches to collaborations with some of the most important artists in history. Someone looking to build a collection could happily meet almost every need just with RAYMOND WEIL watches. Then at the beginning of November, something happened: RAYMOND WEIL won the Challenge category at the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Not with a Freelancer or a Toccata, but with a new model called the Millesime — French for “vintage.” It was a watch that no one saw coming, and a watch that got everyone’s attention. Since that win, the RAYMOND WEIL Millesime has expanded into a well-rounded collection defined by sector dials and a unique, scroll-lugged case.

For almost its entire history, RAYMOND WEIL had always captured the eyes of the larger market but seldom piqued the interest of enthusiasts. For its part, it had always produced compelling, high-quality Swiss-made timepieces, including elegant women’s watches, robust tool watches, and a string of exceptional watches celebrating artists like The Beatles, David Bowie, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Approaching its 50th anniversary, though, the brand sought to expand its appeal with a full collection that honored the traditions of Swiss watchmaking while resonating with a new generation of watch lovers. The Millesime and its neo-vintage charm were the result, and it has proved a huge success.

Could there be a better way to formally launch a watch than by winning an award at the GPHG, the Oscars of watchmaking? When RAYMOND WEIL entered the Millesime Small Seconds Automatic, it had not been released publicly. The brand was taking a big bet on a new collection. Would the Millesime be able to beat out watches from Kurono, Seiko, and Nomos? The question of what may have happened had it not won is moot: the watch claimed the Challenge category, reserved for watches priced under CHF 2,000, and that positioned the brand and the collection for success. The appeal of the Millesime design was obvious: a refined sector dial and an eminently wearable case with sophisticated finishing. It was a symphony of details that came together much like the instruments in an orchestra, beautiful on their own but something truly remarkable when harmonized together.

The first models introduced were two time-only iterations: the Millesime Automatic Small Seconds and the Millesime Automatic (with a central seconds hand). While the Small Seconds took the GPHG award, both models would set the stage for the entire collection. The 39.5mm cases are both under 10.3mm thick and feature a pleasing blend of brushed and polished surfaces, including a vertical brushed bezel with a polished bevel. The case has a sapphire crystal on the front and back, a ridged crown, and 50m of water resistance. Most notably, the scroll lugs harken back to a bygone era of elegance and romanticism that is often ignored in modern watch design.

 

But the case was not what captured the eyes of the GPHG jury or the watch community. It was the sector dials. The dials feature a classic sector layout, with concentric rings delineating the hour and minute tracks. RAYMOND WEIL uses subtle texturing through the dial to further distinguish its separate elements: the central area has vertical brushing, the minute track is snailed, and the hour track is smooth. The finishing complements the dynamic case and the dials are completed with a grooved reticle in the center portion. Maintaining a classic aesthetic, the lumed obelisk hands provide perfect legibility. Both watches are powered by automatic Swiss movements, as are each Millesime model.

With the foundation of the collection in place by the end of 2023, RAYMOND WEIL has spent 2024 showcasing the versatility of the Millesime platform. At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, in addition to two new colors to the Automatic Small Second (including a brilliant British Racing Green), the brand introduced a moonphase, a chronograph, and a 35mm case size to the lineup. The moonphase saw the small seconds replaced with a crescent aperture occupied by an endearing smiling moon set against a starry sky. The 35mm cases, which included both moonphase and center seconds models, invited a wider audience to enjoy the Millesime and offered diamond-set and rose gold-tone options. Finally, a stylish and practical chronograph was added to the mix, with a blue panda dial and a black dial making up the Tri-Compax Chronograph variant of the Millesime.

The coherence of the new collection was undeniable. While many brands offer watches under a single banner that seem to be wholly unrelated to each other, the Millesime timepieces all share the captivating sector dial and the distinguished case — and regardless of complication, the cases always measure either 39.5mm or 35mm, ensuring that there is a perfect Millesime for everyone. RAYMOND WEIL has gone a step further, though, developing new supple leather straps and an entirely new bracelet just for the collection. Perfectly paired to each model, the straps are made from genuine calf leather with ‘W’ stitching on the tail end. As an alternative, the new 5-link bracelets echo the finishing of the case, with brushed wide links and polished narrow links, culminating in a branded butterfly closure.

Most recently, RAYMOND WEIL has used the Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph for one of the things it does best: celebrate artists. The new RAYMOND WEIL X Largo Winch sees the Tri-Compax Chronograph imbued with the colors and iconic style of the legendary Belgian comic Largo Winch. With a silver and green dial and subtle cues to the coming, the timepiece maintains the broad appeal of the Millesime collection while enticing fans of comics around the world. Unseen while on the wrist, the sapphire crystal caseback is adorned with artwork of Largo Winch created especially for the watch by the comic’s creator, Philippe Francq.

Just as impressive as the watches themselves has been the response they have garnered. Whether it be the original Millesime Automatic Small Seconds, the rose gold PVD Millesime Central Seconds Burgundy 35mm, or one of the Millesime Tri-Compax Chronographs, the community, and the industry all seem to concur that the watches are triumphs for RAYMOND WEIL. By clearly establishing a design language for the Millesime and then effectively translating that across complications, RAYMOND WEIL has been able to unleash a string of hits that seem to have few, if any, detractors. No small part of that, though, is due to the incredible value the watches present. With an unmistakable look and timeless allure, the Millesime collection could easily be priced high enough to keep it out of reach, but RAYMOND WEIL wanted to offer timepieces that as many people as possible could enjoy. Excluding the limited-edition Largo Winch model, the Millesime collection is priced from $1,650 USD for the RAYMOND WEIL Millesime Center Seconds on leather to $3,725 USD for the Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph on bracelet. For more information on the Millesime collection, please visit the RAYMOND WEIL website. 

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