We feature many different watches here on The Snob magazine website. Indeed, our print magazine showcases timepieces that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes even millions of dollars! The show and pizzazz of these pieces of wrist art is nothing short of incredible. The time and dedication to creating something so exquisite and yet so useful, is an endeavor for only the craftiest of craftsman. However, what all these precious time keepers miss is an everyday usefulness. This is where Raymond Weil truly excels above all the competition…
I recently had a very open and honest conversation with the powers that be at Raymond Weil and I told them of not only my problem, but that of watch aficionados everywhere; Where is the truly exceptional watch that I can use everyday, yet has a movement and pedigree worthy of a watch snob? Raymond Weil was more than happy to answer that very question with their Freelancer Calibre RW1212 Skeleton Men’s Automatic Bronze watch.
You see, to understand Raymond Weil is to love them. They do not take themselves so seriously that they miss the mark or the market. Yet they take their craft of making fine timepieces seriously that their movements are made in house and not farmed out to who knows, in who knows where! No, RW stays the course and produces watches that have the most intricate and thoughtful designs and engineering, yet that is balanced enough to wear everyday. This tightrope walk is very hard to achieve. Just look at all the watch companies producing watches, with their own movements, that are reasonably priced and able to be worn everyday or on special occasions. Hint: that list is extremely small.
The Freelancer Skeleton features a stainless steel 42mm case with a bezel in solid bronze. This is of course in addition to the skeleton watch face that showcases Raymond Weil’s prowess and their RW1212 movement. Just looking at the balance wheel sway back and forth behind the beautiful bridge is mesmerizing. Keeping this watch firmly attached to your wrist is a brown leather strap that enhances the luster and masculinity of the bronze bezel.
The skinny case of the watch is a scant 10.6mm, and not some large and obnoxious case like the currently horrible trend is now. No, Raymond Weil strives for classic looks that stand the test of time. One great feature of the RW1212 movement is that it has a 38 hour power reserve, that saves you each night from having to rewind your watch for the day ahead. Then again, a true watch snob should have a watch winder ready, willing and able to caress a timepiece such as this.
To make certain that their watch is up to snuff and the everyday experiences you may throw at it, RW has made sure the Freelancer features a scratch resistant Sapphire crystal face with dual-sided anti-glare treatment that is also water resistant down to a murky depth of 100 meters.
As I took the Freelancer out for a spin amongst friends and strangers, I got nothing but compliments and questions. People go giddy over the skeleton front and back of the watch. And the one comment that comes out the most is, “how do they make something so small and exact?” I merely answer, “that’s what Raymond Weil does, they excel at the minute while accentuating the larger watch.” This of course is met with an approving nod and smile.
If that isn’t enough to smile about, Raymond Weil throws more at you; a 3 year guarantee for your new timepiece (upon registering your watch on their website). This is a quick and easy job done in 5 minutes or less. I seriously doubt that you’ll need to utilize the guarantee, as RW makes watches with exacting standards and craftsmen who take pride in their work.
Should you be interested in purchasing such a handsome timepiece, click here!
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