I have to confess that I don’t care a lot about chronographs. However Raymond Weil might have simply received me over. It’s not that I don’t admire chronographs, however moderately that I’ve by no means actually been compelled to spend any measurable sum of cash on one (a lot much less an immeasurable sum). I’ve owned two or three, ever. One was a Seagull-equipped piece from a now-defunct microbrand; one was a Lorier Gemini; and one was a present I offered with permission as a result of I by no means wore it. I knew Raymond Weil’s Millesime assortment was principally hit after hit, however even once I first acquired the brand new Raymond Weil Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax watches, together with the limited-edition Raymond Weil X Largo Winch, I shrugged and regarded them as merely “good.” However I used to be quickly smitten.
Together with Frederique Fixed and maybe Baume et Mercier, I’ve lengthy regarded Raymond Weil because the epitome of entry-level luxurious Swiss watchmaking. (Maybe we will contemplate the three manufacturers the entry-level counterpoint to Patek, AP, and Vacheron.) With the Millesime assortment — and some current Freelancer releases — I feel Raymond Weil satisfied me and others that it was way over simply an entry-level luxurious Swiss watchmaker. (To each FC and BM’s credit score, I feel they’ve completed the identical over the previous few years.) The Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax fashions solely reaffirm this concept.
The Raymond Weil Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax watches share their case with the remainder of the Millesime assortment. Right here, it measures 39.5 broad and 12.9mm thick, nice dimensions for an computerized chrono. The 45.5mm lug-to-lug finishes the shape out and ensures a straightforward put on on nearly each wrist. That is actually a traditional case design that’s a far cry from the extra trendy Freelancer chronographs. One in every of my favourite parts of this watch, and one thing that basically offers it a throwback (to the ’30s) vibe is the scroll lugs, that are belied by the top-down view which solely suggests moderately boring straight lugs. As a substitute of that run-of-the-mill design, the Millesime watches have a beautiful curved lug that expands to a wider, spherical finish, creating the look of a scroll (the scroll fashion is widespread on furnishings arms, and I’m certain different issues). One other compelling aspect of the case is the brushed bezel, which tamps down only a bit on the formality of the Millesime Chronographs.
Throughout the design, there’s a stability of brushing and sprucing, together with the brushed sides, polished pump pushers, and the fluted crown, which incorporates sprucing and frosting. The case has a field sapphire crystal, which appears to be the development today and is actually my choice over a domed crystal. As may be anticipated, there’s solely 50m of water resistance. In contrast to the sportier Freelancer chronos, which get 100m, this watch isn’t made for journey, except your concept of journey is chancing an evening out at a flowery restaurant (which it could be — no judgment!).
The Millesime Chronographs are supplied on both strap or bracelet. My expertise with manufacturers like RW, FC, and BM, is that nevertheless good they’re watches could also be, their straps are absolute rubbish. To make sure, my Frederique Fixed Slimline Computerized that I acquired for my marriage ceremony got here on a black leather-based strap that I’ve solely worn as soon as, on the day of my marriage ceremony. That’s not the case right here, although. RW surprises once more with moderately informal two-stitch leather-based straps color-matched to every watch which might be smooth, supple, and really feel nice in hand and on the wrist. Just like the brushed bezel, this strap fashion creates a considerably informal look. The straps shut with a easy pin buckle clasp and lack quick-release bars, however I don’t care concerning the former, and the drilled lugs assist with the latter. For the Largo Winch mannequin, the gray strap options the comedian’s “W” emblem on the underside however just isn’t supplied on the bracelet, which incorporates a railroad design with polished small hyperlinks and a butterfly clasp. Whereas RW is kind of cheap and solely prices $100 further for the bracelet, I’ll recommend you save the cash and go together with the superb leather-based straps.
The Raymond Weil Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax is obtainable in three dials: Midnight Blue panda, black, and the Largo Winch LE. The one that can undoubtedly catch peoples’ eyes is the Raymond Weil X Largo Winch Restricted Version, with its silver and inexperienced dial. For individuals who don’t know (like me earlier than I wrote this), Largo Winch is a Belgian comedian guide by Philippe Francq that follows the eponymous Largo Winch. Winch is a younger, good-looking orphan who finds himself on the head of a enterprise empire, having to confront quite a few threats to his holdings. I haven’t learn any of the comics or seen any of the opposite media, however it appears to be like and sounds to me like a company, anti-corruption James Bond.
Two design decisions telegraph the collaboration: the inexperienced and the W within the subdial. The Largo Winch LE has the identical case and dial format as the opposite two fashions, with a 30-minute chronograph counter at 3, 12-hour chrono counter at 6, and working seconds at 9. After all, on the Lago Winch, all of the sunken subdials have a inexperienced coloration, particularly the colour of cash (Pantone4214C) and a matte end, with the Largo Winch ‘W’ in a contrasting inexperienced inside the 9 o’clock register. Two different inexperienced accents punctuate the dial: the tachymeter ring and the tip of the chronograph seconds hand. One other distinguishing issue is the silver central dial, which incorporates a brushed (as an alternative of matte) end.
The opposite two fashions embrace the Black dial and the Midnight Blue panda. Of the three, my favourite is the Midnight Blue. It’s an impossibly deep blue that may appear black in lots of gentle circumstances, and the prospect to catch the wealthy blue was one thing I discovered myself anticipating. The Midnight Blue has silver registers with numerals in a brighter blue. The Black dial, however, is just too simplistic for me, with none aptitude, however it could attraction to these on the lookout for essentially the most versatility. Whatever the dial, the tachymeter ring options an azzurage end, and the fingers are brushed with Tremendous-LumiNova fill. The hour markers are additionally completed in Tremendous-LumiNova, though the Largo Winch’s black lume is so dim as to be ineffective. Whereas the Midnight Blue and Black dials shone brightly for my wants, it’s my feeling that lume completed poorly, as on the LE, needs to be foregone altogether.
Powering the Raymond Weil Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax is what the model has labeled the RW5030. I’m positive if a model desires to relabel a third-party motion, however I’d additionally like that model to be clear concerning the base motion. Right here, it’s a normal Swiss computerized Sellita SW510b (the no-date model), and RW has completed nothing further aside from the cutout rotor with customized printing, and is on full show by means of the sapphire caseback crystal. As an attention-grabbing apart, RW makes use of the RW5030 designation for its bicompax chronos, too, which is in line with Sellita’s personal naming conventions, which use the identical identify for all variants of a base. The RW5030/SW510 gives a 62-hour energy reserve at 28,800 vph, which received’t see any complaints. On the Raymond Weil X Largo Winch, the crystal options an illustration of Largo Winch created completely for this collaboration, and in case you look carefully, you possibly can see he’s carrying the LE on his wrist.
Regardless of my adoration of those timepieces, the worth threw me off a bit. After I first began dealing with them, I used to be pondering $2,500-$3,000. I’d purchase one right away between $2,500 and $3,000. After I noticed the worth was over $3,500, I used to be a bit deflated. Then I began chronographs from these different two entry-level icons. Frederique Fixed’s computerized chronos are priced between $3,100 and $3,995, whereas Baume et Mercier prices between $3,150 and $4,950. It’s additionally value noting that Raymond Weil’s Freelancer chronographs begin at $3,795. That is all to say that the pricing is each internally and externally constant and that the truth of immediately’s market is that the overwhelming majority of computerized chronographs begin at $3,000.
There are little doubt chronographs which might be extra historic or objectively higher, if not each. How do you compete with the standard of a Daytona (the reply, truly, is to not use screw-down pushers), the historicity of the Speedmaster (which it’s important to admit is a bit performed out), or the primacy of the El Primero (or the Calibre 11 or the 6139, relying on what camp you’re in). Possibly you possibly can’t. However possibly that’s a part of what makes chronographs so depressing, all of the huffing and puffing about actions and firsts and moons. It seems I didn’t and don’t need any of these issues. I simply desire a fairly watch with a strong motion that wears nicely and isn’t obsessive about its credentials. With the Raymond Weil Millesime Tri-Compax fashions, that’s precisely what I get. The Raymond Weil Millesime Tri-Compax is priced at $3,625 USD on a leather-based strap for the Black dial (Reference 7765-STC-20001) or Midnight Blue dial (Reference 7765-STC-50651) and $3,725 USD on a bracelet for the Black dial (Reference 7765-ST-20001) or the Midnight Blue dial (Reference 7765-ST-50651). The Raymond Weil X Largo Winch Restricted Version (Reference 7765-STC-50651) is priced at $3,775 USD and restricted to 300 items. For extra info, please go to the Raymond Weil web site.
