Aligning with the finest Swiss watchmaking traditions, RAYMOND WEIL is innovating by creating a new movement in collaboration with Sellita. This exclusive movement was developed and designed by the R&D department of the Geneva watch company and produced by the movement manufacturer based in Le Crêt-du-Locle, in the Jura Mountains.
Its distinctive characteristic is the 6 o’clock front-dial positioning of its regulating organ. Named Calibre RW1212 as a nod to the postal code of the company headquarters in Grand-Lancy, it pays tribute to 40 years of RAYMOND WEIL creations and to the Brand’s determination to highlight the richness of watchmaking expertise, while infusing it with its uniquely free-spirited attitude.
“Calibre RW1212 is a tribute to the present and a symbol of the future. Its name picks up the digits of our address here in Switzerland: 1212, standing for the Geneva suburb Grand-Lancy. It symbolizes the path we have traveled to date and the free-spirited approach we bring to watchmaking. It is our first in-house movement, born from our partnership with the Swiss movement manufacturer Sellita”, said Elie Bernheim, CEO, RAYMOND WEIL.
RAYMOND WEIL introduces a model with a boldly distinctive design, notably featuring an openworked dial revealing the regulating organ at 6 o’clock. The balance-and-spring assembly, held by two bridges, reveals a construction echoing that of the most beautiful tourbillon regulators. The freelancer “Calibre RW1212” is a two-hand model providing an understated display of the hours and minutes.
It took 18 months for the R&D team at RAYMOND WEIL to develop the movement and design the dial revealing the regulating organ at 6 o’clock. All the elements closely relating to the regulating organ were redesigned and pared down, so as to endow this in-house movement with its subtle transparency. The calibre then sprang to life in the hands of the Sellita watchmakers.
Framed by a 42.5mm steel case, the balance-and-spring assembly is the focus of attention. The diamond-polished balance wheel and skeletonized bridges ensure transparent visibility extending to the very heart of the watch. Powered by a mechanical self-winding movement, the freelancer “Calibre RW1212” beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 38-hour power reserve. Its oscillating weight is adorned with a “Côtes de Genève” motif and engraved with the RAYMOND WEIL logo. The movement is built in such a way as to showcase its beautiful mechanism on the dial side. The strategic organs positioned above the mainplate and the symmetry of the bridges accentuate the architectural nature of this elegant and beautifully balanced model.
The freelancer “Calibre RW1212” comes in several versions, featuring a silver-toned or black dial teamed with a steel case and bracelet, or with a leather strap, as well as in two-tone variations featuring matching bracelets or leather straps.
As emphasized by ElieBernheim: “The introduction of this in-house calibre also marks the ‘revival’ or our ‘PRECISION MOVEMENTS’ slogan that first appeared in a 1994 advertising campaign and which earned RAYMOND WEIL a number of awards. A slogan evoking the precision that we cherish, painstaking attention to detail, the constant quest for quality, as well as unfailing respect for watchmaking skills and talents. It showcases the philosophy that drives us and honors the women and men who daily contribute to making RAYMOND WEIL an innovative and creative House.”
