Raymond Weil Millésime Automatic Chronograph: A watch that even the most discerning watch journalists will appreciate [Wearing Review]

Since winning the Challenge Watch Award at the Geneva Grand Prix for Watchmaking (GPHG) 2023, Millésime has been gaining presence in the watch market. Shigeru Sugawara, a journalist who has covered the watch industry since the 1990s, will be reviewing the new chronograph model from this collection. Of particular note is the dial, which even Sugawara, who is particular about design, is captivated by.

Raymond Weil's progress after GPHG2023

　Raymond Weil's widespread popularity among watch enthusiasts likely stemmed from the Millésime's winning the Challenge Watch Award at the 2023 Geneva Grand Prix for Watchmaking (GPHG). I was appointed to the GPHG jury in the early 2000s, and I was keenly aware that the majority of entries were clearly ambitious and aimed for the award, with the judges' votes often going to novel designs and innovative mechanisms. However, the Millésime's win was a real eye-opener. While I can only imagine, I'm sure the judges were impressed, thinking, "Oh, that's a good idea." Raymond Weil boldly presented a truly authentic vintage look. It was praised for its unconventional approach to mechanical watchmaking, without any pretensions to eccentricity. If I were a judge, I would have no hesitation in recommending it for the category award.

　Raymond Weil is an independent brand based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1976 by the man of the same name, the family business has been in business for three generations, celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. I had the opportunity to meet Elie Bernheim, the third-generation CEO of Raymond Weil, in 2024, and learn more about the Millésime concept. As explained on the brand's official website, "millesime" is the French word for vintage. While it refers to a good vintage in wine, Bernheim's vision for watches dates back to the 1930s. This "neo-vintage watch" is a unique interpretation of the sector dial, which was popular during that period, incorporating classic details such as a box-shaped crystal and long, rounded lugs. Considering the family's love of classical music and musical instruments, it's only natural that they would emphasize modernizing vintage styles and preserving their timeless value.

　At the event, Bernheim himself showed off the new 2024 Millésime Automatic Chronograph, along with several other Millésime models. This year's new model follows on from the black and blue dials, but it's no mere sequel. The most notable aesthetic feature is the further refined use of color, which significantly enhances the neo-vintage feel. While the previous model's black monotone dial and blue reverse panda dial were vintage-look chronographs, they gave the impression of being somewhat more modern. In contrast, the new model exudes a vintage feel in every detail, making it seem like the model that best embodies the Millésime concept.

A dial design that is a visual delight

　First of all, the center of the sector dial is a deep gray anthracite that will appeal to design-conscious watch enthusiasts (including myself). The beige bar indexes and pink gold hour, minute, and chronograph second hands complement this beautifully, and the Arabic numerals on the three white inset dials that form an inverted panda pattern with the anthracite are all red, creating an exquisite color scheme that really catches the eye. Looking across the entire Millésime collection, I haven't seen a color scheme like this one yet. Regarding the inset dials, I also like their strict horizontal and vertical balance and the detailed design of each circle. While a watch is a device for telling time, there's also a great value in their existence in constantly immersing oneself in the pleasure of seeing pleasing designs. The new dial fully fulfills that desire.

　I wore the Millésime Automatic Chronograph for a total of three days. The dial's visibility was generally excellent, both indoors and outdoors. The sector dial, with its concentric divisions of the graduations, ensures excellent visibility of the hour and minute hands. The red-tipped chronograph seconds hand moves along the outer periphery of the silver-colored dial featuring a tachymeter scale, making it easy to distinguish from the time display against the anthracite background. The luminous paint, which illuminates the beige bar indexes and hour and minute hands with a green hue, ensures legibility. One of the distinctive design elements of the Millésime is the so-called "no date," and this principle remains the same for chronographs. Considering this, the conventional date display, which displays the date in a small window, hadn't yet been developed in the 1930s, which makes sense. Bernheim emphasized that the no date design further accentuates the symmetry of the classic three-eye chronograph, and I couldn't agree more.

Movement preference

　The Caliber RW5030, visible through the case back, is described by Raymond Weil as a new-generation chronograph movement developed based on the Sellita SW510. This means that its basic design is a descendant of the ETA7753, known for its stable performance and durability. The Caliber RW5030's openworked rotor rotates smoothly and quickly with even the slightest movement of the wrist, winding the mainspring. I own several models equipped with similar chronograph movements, and the vibration of the rotor, which gives the feeling of "yes, it's winding," is a pleasant sensation on the wrist. The power reserve is listed as approximately 62 hours, but accurate measurement is difficult with an automatic watch, so I passed on the rate check. The chronograph function uses a standard cam mechanism. While the pushers feel a little stiffer than a column wheel, operation from start to reset is smooth. Unless you're a dedicated watch enthusiast who specifically requests a specific movement, this should be sufficient.

Comfortable to wear

　Finally, let me add a word about the watch's comfort. The stainless steel case, measuring 39.5mm in diameter and 12.9mm thick, is a nicely understated size for a modern automatic chronograph, weighing approximately 80g and offering water resistance to 5 bar. The downward-curving lugs and the soft calfskin leather strap ensured the watch sat snugly on the wrist. On one outing, I wore it almost all day, and it didn't feel particularly heavy, nor did the strap feel uncomfortable; it was perfectly comfortable. If I were to be greedy, it would be ideal if it were a little thinner and hand-wound. I wonder if they'll develop this feature in the future? Personal preferences aside, given the level of satisfaction, this model is undoubtedly worth more than its price. I would recommend it as an introduction to full-fledged mechanical chronographs.