Inspired by the open road and a customised motorbike crafted by the artisans of Meister Engineering, RAYMOND WEIL unveils the new freelancer bronze chronograph 7780. This new model is an eye-catching vintage-inspired watch. And, just in case your heart is racing at the thought of it, the timepiece comes with a highly useful pulsometer scale.
Creativity is at the heart of everything that RAYMOND WEIL does. Likewise, it is a quality the company recognises in others. A few months ago, the company wanted to procure a customised motorbike for promotional purposes. As a result, it turned to the specialist firm, Meister Engineering, visiting its showroom in the centre of Geneva. The company, comprising artisans and engineers, reimagines standard motorbikes, imbuing them with its own distinctive blend of creativity, style and mechanical virtue.
Ultimately, the two-wheeled work of art inspired the Genevan watch brand to create a bronze timepiece equipped with a chronograph, the freelancer 7780.
On the brand’s customised motorbike, the name RAYMOND WEIL adorns the fuel tank and is depicted in rose gold foil. This provided the inspiration for the texture of the 43.5mm bronze case and the two counters gracing the dial. Likewise, the motorbike’s gradient-effect paint influenced the watch’s black smoked dial. This latter detail confers an interesting display with light tones at the centre of the dial that assume a darker shade near the edge.
The tachymeter and pulsometer scales engraved on the motorcycle tank cap are replicated on the watch’s satin-finished ceramic bezel insert and flange, respectively. Even the freelancer’s rich brown calf leather strap has been inspired by the motorbike’s leather-clad seat. Clearly, the specification of the bespoke motorbike has provided a wealth of ideas for the brand’s new vintage-inspired watch.
The symmetrical bi-compax layout features a 30-minute chronograph counter and a small seconds display. The golden hour and minute hands are generously proportioned and, in conjunction with the applied indexes, prove highly legible. The hour track is snailed, while the hands and indexes feature luminescent treatment, augmenting readability in restricted light. The colour of the central chronograph seconds hand, the hand on the 30-minute register and the numerals on the pulsometer scale are presented in orange shades.
A date display is positioned at 6 o’clock, once again contributing to the overall symmetry of the dial. The date disc is presented in black, matching the colour of the dial, a detail much appreciated by purists.This model encompasses a number of exquisite refinements. The tachymeter scale, presented on the bezel, provides the means to determine the speed of a motorbike, or vehicle of your choice, over a known distance. Residing on a bronze-toned flange, a pulsometer scale allows the wearer to determine the heart rate of an individual. A notable characteristic of this dial is that it wonderfully plays with shades, depths and textures, contributing to the watch’s sophisticated appearance.
With time, the bronze will mature and form a patina, heightening the overall sense of elegance. To the rear of the watch, the case back is presented in stainless steel. The movement, the Calibre RW5030, is visible via the exhibition caseback. Once again, the attention to detail is clear to see. For example, the watch is fitted with a W-shaped skeleton oscillating weight, a reference to the founder’s surname. A further attribute of this automatic movement is that, assuming the mainspring is fully wound, the watch will run autonomously for 56 hours.
As stated earlier, the watch comes on a brown calf leather strap. It is enlivened with contrasting stitching and paired with a bronze folding clasp equipped with a double push-security system.
The RAYMOND WEIL freelancer chronograph bi-compax is available in two variants: one in a bronze case, limited to just 300 pieces and with red and orange accents, and the other in a bronze and titanium case, with blue accents. This new chronograph is perfectly suited to free thinkers and creative individuals. Take it on the road and make it your own.