In the world of luxury watches, Raymond Weil is a bit of an outlier. A brand with a stellar back catalogue of timepieces at an undeniably enticing price point, the Swiss maison should really be more celebrated than it is. Truly, Raymond Weil has carved out a niche for affordable luxury that flies firmly under the radar, and the new Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph is a testament to this.
Related: Best Chronograph Watches: Luxury to Affordable
The latest addition to Raymond Weil's aviation lineup, the Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph pays homage to the Geneva-based manufacturer's founder. An avid pilot and plane lover, Weil laid a unique foundation for his namesake brand and it seems only now, that it's reaching full flight.
Arriving in a 42mm stainless steel case coated in grey PVD, the Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph has a distinctly vintage aesthetic. Its design language is best typified by the onion-shaped crown and a very Big Pilot-esque riveted leather strap. While some references are subtle, however, others are hard to miss. Hammering home the aviation theme, Raymond Weil has engraved a distinctive propeller motif on the sapphire case back. What's underneath is just as special.
The Swiss maison has dropped a stunning W5530 flyback chronograph movement into this vintage-inspired piece, bringing a welcomed sense of modernity to the finished product. According to the brand, the fully-integrated movement features a column wheel, responsible for the single pusher simultaneous reset and restart of the functions, and horizontal coupling, which provides a bird's-eye view of the chronograph in motion.
On the dial, Raymond Weil hasn't strayed too far from the beaten track and in this case, it makes sense. Vintage touches, such as the Arabic numerals and baton-style hour and minute hands perfectly complement the rich green dial, without moving into kitschy territory. The addition of arrow-shaped indexes at 3 and 9 o'clock give a nice nod to the past, while the Super-LumiNova on the hands proves that Raymond Weil is thinking as much about function as it is about form.
For fans of Raymond Weil, the new Freelancer is a welcome show of form, but for pilot-watch fanatics, it should indicate much more. The brand is once again proving that great design doesn't have to come with an exorbitant price tag, the only problem being availability. Limited to only 400 pieces, the Raymond Weil Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph is priced at AUD$6,995 and is available from boutiques and retailers now.