Raymond Weil’s Millesime Will get a Denim-Blue “Sector” Dial

Launched merely closing yr, Raymond Weil’s “sector” dial is getting new livery with the Millesime Automated Small Seconds Denim Blue. Not a traditional reissue per se nonetheless a up to date deal with a vintage-inspired design, the Millesime has a “sector” or “scientific” dial segmented into sections, subtly stepped on the periphery and frosted inside the centre for a two-tone affect. The case is topped with a box-shaped sapphire crystal and slender lugs for refined retro attraction.

Preliminary concepts

Family-run Raymond Weil is a mannequin that’s prone to be acquainted to have a look at followers nonetheless not excessive of ideas – that’s on account of the mannequin had its heyday inside the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties when it was a major vendor of fairly priced Swiss watches. Since then it has step-by-step fallen behind the opponents with largely unimaginative merchandise; The New York Situations describes the mannequin as a “mainstay of procuring malls”.

With closing yr’s launch of the Millesime, a watch geared in route of followers, the mannequin is making an attempt to revive its decisions and reputation. It quickly found some success: the Millesime Small Seconds with a silver dial gained the Downside Prize (for watches retailing for decrease than CHF3,000) in the end yr’s  Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève.

Near-perfect proportions at 39.5 mm in diameter and easily over 10 mm extreme

Throughout the hand, it’s obvious the Millesime is much, considerably higher than most recent Raymond Weil creations. Though the design isn’t exactly genuine, it displays consideration was paid to the details, considerably with the textures on the dial and proportions. All in all, the Millesime combines pleasing design and honest prime quality.

Priced at US$1,995, the Millesime Automated Small Seconds is an effective value proposition, though not as compelling as a result of the alternatives from its rivals with greater economies of scale, most notably Longines with its Grasp Small Seconds that has the following spec movement and further elaborate dial for not far more. On the an identical time, “micro” producers can present comparable watches for a lot much less attributable to their direct-to-consumer model. This shows a wider downside for producers in Raymond Weil’s part which is perhaps sandwiched between massive and tiny rivals.

A stepped, two-tone dial

That features a “sector” construction with crosshairs, the stepped dial is frosted inside the centre. The discreet hour markers, along with the dauphine fingers, are full of Large-Luminova. This Millesime model encompasses a small seconds register unnecessarily labelled “Automated”.

Compact in measurement, the case has a bezel that’s brushed on excessive with mirror-polished bevelling on its edges.  The lugs are drilled for easy strap changes if one must swap out the stock navy calfskin leather-based strap.

The stepped dial is frosted inside the centre

The watch is supplied with RW4251, which is derived from the Sellita SW200/SW260, in flip primarily based totally on the construction of the ETA 2824. It’s seen by the use of the sapphire case once more, nonetheless has minimal decoration, which is anticipated given the worth stage.

The RW4251 seen by the use of the sapphire once more

Key data and worth

Raymond Weil Millesime Automated Small Seconds Denim Blue
Ref. 2930-STC-50011

Diameter: 39.5 mm
Peak: 10.25 mm
Supplies: Stainless-steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Cal. RW4251
Capabilities: Hours, minutes, and small seconds
Winding: Automated
Frequency: Unavailable
Power reserve: 41 hours

Strap: Navy calf-skin leather-based strap

Restricted model: No
Availability: Now at Raymond Weil boutiques and retailers
Worth: US$1,995

For additional, go to raymond-weil.com

Once more to excessive.