REACHING NEW HEIGHTS WITH THE FREELANCER PILOT FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH
Paying tribute to the Maison’s founder, the freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph blends mechanical excellence, vintage aesthetics and luxurious details.
Mr. Raymond Weil was passionate about watches, music and flying above Switzerland’s picturesque landscape in his beloved plane. Today, the passions of the Brand’s founder live on in his grandchildren, Elie Bernheim, CEO of RAYMOND WEIL and Pierre Bernheim, certified pilot himself, inspiring the family Brand to develop this limited edition timepiece.
Housed in a 42mm case, the steel surfaces are coated in grey PVD, providing an elegant and adventurous aesthetic. This vintage aviation theme extends to the onion-shaped crown, a design standard on pilot watches, and the brown leather strap with rivets, reminiscent of those found on aeroplanes. Limited to only 400 pieces, the timepiece’s design celebrates its exclusivity through a distinctive propeller motif engraved on the sapphire case back.
The automatic movement inside the timepiece is the RW5530, a flyback chronograph movement that allows a simultaneous reset and restart of the chronograph with a single pusher and has a 56h power reserve. This fully integrated movement features a column wheel and horizontal coupling, a configuration highly prized by watch aficionados. Its column wheel controls the start, stop and reset functions which, in this instance, are thermally-blued, enhancing corrosion resistance and heightening its visual allure. The horizontal coupling indulges the wearer with views of the chronograph engaging and disengaging, a spectacle much loved by mechanical purists. The movement is adorned with perlage and Côtes de Genève motif. The W-shaped oscillating weight, the new horological signature of RAYMOND WEIL, and the blued column wheel are visible through the engraved case back.
Baton style hour and minute hands sit above a deep green dial with applied Arabic numerals. Arrow-shaped indexes at 3 and 9 o’clock pay tribute to pilots’ watches of the past, while the richly textured hour is reminiscent of the tarmac. The hands and hour markers feature Super-LumiNova®, aiding readability in restricted light conditions. The central chronograph seconds hand is presented in bright yellow, a colour that is repeated on the 30-minute chronograph register. The 2-counter design provides a symmetrical and harmonious layout while the dial is encircled with a crisp white track aiding read-off.
Created in honour of Mr. Raymond Weil and his passion for aviation, this new limited edition will appeal to watch aficionados and aviation enthusiasts alike.
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