We’re always on the hunt to find unique watches that deserve some additional attention and spotlight. Raymond Weil has been on a lot of people’s radar for a long time now (rightly so), and they have added truly breathtaking watches to their already most popular collection, the Freelancer.
The new timepiece that grabbed our attention this time was the Freelancer GMT Worldtimer’s green version. Let’s see what we have!
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Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW3230
- Power reserve : 50 hours
- Case size : 40.5 mm
- Case Thickness: 9.7 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 m / 330 ft
Raymond Weil: The Brand
Raymond Weil was started by Mr. Raymond Weil in 1976. The timing is peculiar, as this is the middle of the so-called quartz crisis. Quartz watches started to replace the mechanical timepieces, and a lot of people worried: will this cheaper alternative make the watch industry change forever and the conventional watch-making methods become obsolete?
Well we, from the future, know the answer: no.
As Raymond Weil grew in popularity in Europe and subsequently the rest of the globe, the brand became one of the Swiss watchmaking industry’s giants.
To this day, the company is still maintained by a family and produces watches in the conventional manner, but ever the innovators, Raymond Weil does not shy away from technical advancements. To that end, the firm established a Research and Development department, and is known to incorporate the best available technology in their watches.
Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer: Overview
In our opinion, the Freelancer GMT Worldtimer has everything. The case is 40.5 mm in diameter, which is an excellent size for pretty much all wrist sizes. At first glance, it definitely has a sports watch look, but it can be easily dressed up. The thickness of the case is at 9.7 mm, which is a bit smaller than the usual sports watch thickness averaging around 12 mm. Feel free to rock this beauty with a more elegant outfit as it can fit under your shirt’s cuff.
The case combines stainless steel and bronze, a refreshing and elegant solution, making it an appropriate choice for any occasion.
The overall look of the watch with the two crowns at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions reminds us of the look of a vintage skin dive watch. The red triangle at the end of the GMT hand makes the dial more dynamic and brings our attention to the GMT functionality, combining vintage elements with today’s modern life where everything is connected. It is one of our favorite finds, as the Freelancer GMT Worldtimer has everything we could possibly want in a watch. Let’s take a look at the details!
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW3230
- Power reserve : 50 hours
- Case size : 40.5 mm
- Case Thickness: 9.7 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 m / 330 ft
Dial
Since it’s a GMT watch, let’s start with the fun part: the watch’s dial features a rotating track that displays a prominent city for each time zone. Situated alongside a 24-hour scale, the city disc indicates the relevant hour in the corresponding location and whether it is currently day or night – thanks to the 24-hour scale. Now, we mentioned the rotating track – with the crown located at 4 o’clock, you can position the local city at “noon” to read the time that is shown by the barrel-shaped hour and minute hands. A very cool touch: the crown at 4 o’clock has the world map symbol with the Swiss federal cross on its flank. The green GMT hand with a red triangle and white tip shows the time at home. This can be adjusted in the usual way by the crown located at the 2 o’clock position with the Raymond Weil logo on it.
While the dial has a lot of information, everything is really well organized and it doesn’t feel crowded. It is easy to read, and the different shades of green really help in visually separating the information and keeping our attention focused.
As the hour and minute hands are barrel-shaped and the GMT hand has a visually strong red triangle, the angular elements pair perfectly, and enhance the otherwise heavily circular overall design. The playfulness of these two shapes is brought together by the lollipop seconds hand: it’s a sharp and pointy hand with a circle towards the end – thus presenting in perfect balance.
Case
The case itself is made from a combination of brushed stainless steel and bronze, which is a unique combination. The bronze bezel functions as a beautiful warm toned frame for the dial, and the stainless steel case plays well with the silver-toned hour and minute hands. The Freelancer GMT Worldtimer is water resistant up to 100 meters (330 feet), and has a case width of 40.5 mm. The thickness of the case is 9.7 mm.
The 40.5 mm case width makes it perfect for all wrist sizes, and the 9.7 mm thickness creates an elegant vibe as it will easily fit under your cuff for more formal wear.
The material of the crystal is sapphire with anti glare treatment, ensuring the watch will have a solid scratch resistance.
The see-through caseback provides us the opportunity to admire the automatic movement inside of this beauty.
Movement
Automatic Movement: RW3230 mechanical self-winding movement with GMT function
The RW3230 is a Raymond Weil’s in-house Swiss made automatic movement that comes with a date and GMT functions. It has a 50-hour power reserve.
The movement is based on Sellita’s SW330-2 caliber. The movement is a 25 jewels mechanism. This movement is not a basic solution, so Raymond Weil did not make compromises when it comes to quality, and they’re providing great quality all around.
The accuracy range is within +/- 5 seconds per day under normal conditions.
The see-through caseback provides a mesmerizing view of the movement.
Leather Strap
The Freelancer GMT Worldtimer comes with a color-coordinated genuine calf leather strap. It’s interesting to note that the leather strap has tone-on-tone stitching, meaning the stitches have the same green color as the color of the leather. This solution ensures that the watch doesn’t become too distractingly colorful or juvenile design-vise, on the contrary, it gives off a sophisticated, elegant look we very much appreciate. Regarding the clasp, a stainless steel folding clasp and double push-security system completes the design.
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at the summary of pros and cons, in our humble opinion:
Pros
- 40.5 mm case width is Ideal for all wrist sizes.
- Versatile look, the watch can be dressed up or down.
- Unique combination of stainless steel and bronze for the case.
Cons:
- The GMT function could be an unnecessary complication for some.
Summary: Takeaway and Final Thoughts About The Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer
The Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer is a stunning watch for everyday use for the modern businessman. It perfectly balances a more active overall design and an elegant modern appearance to make it a suitable pick as an everyday go-to watch. The very reliable Swiss RW 3230 (based on Sellita SW330-2) automatic movement with the 50-hour power reserve, combined with the usual scratch resistant sapphire crystal, make this watch an excellent choice in our opinion. The unusual all-green look is well balanced with the stainless steel and bronze combination case. We think this is an absolute must have for anyone who’s looking for excellent quality with a truly unique design.
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW3230
- Power reserve : 50 hours
- Case size : 40.5 mm
- Case Thickness: 9.7 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 m / 330 ft
Additional variations of the Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer
Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer Black
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW3230
- Power reserve : 50 hours
- Case size : 40.5 mm
- Case Thickness: 9.7 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 m / 330 ft
For watch enthusiasts who are not fans of colorful designs, the all black version of the Freelancer GMT Worldtimer might be the suitable perfect option.
The overall design is the same as the green version, however, the dial has gradient black and gray colors that give this timepiece a very serious, no-nonse look. Additionally, the all stainless steel case is coated with black DLC (diamond-like carbon).
This solution – in our opinion – makes this watch a bit more rugged looking than its green counterpart. A great choice, especially for a more active lifestyle.
Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer Blue
Specs:
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: RW3230
- Power reserve : 50 hours
- Case size : 40.5 mm
- Case Thickness: 9.7 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 m / 330 ft
Blue is always a popular choice when it comes to watches, and luckily the Freelancer GMT Worldtimer is available in an all-blue version.
The case itself has the same 40.5 mm width as the green and black versions.
The GMT functionality is changed only in design, not in functionality: the prominent cities of each time zone are not present on the inner rotating track on the blue version. This design solution makes the dial a bit more airy and less busy, therefore it’s a perfect design for people who are looking for a GMT watch with a relatively simple design.
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