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Round-UpRaymond Weil Timepieces That Reinforce Why Diamonds Are Forever

A look at Raymond Weil's timepieces—the ones with an elegant appeal that marry diamonds with classical and music greats to produce a timekeeping symphony, with mother-of-pearl as the stage

Ornella D’Souza April 29, 2023

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“I don’t mind a repetitive chorus; I mind repetitive verse. I mean, it’s the same amount of space. Why would you have only three diamonds if you can have six?” American musician Lou Reed’s thoughts linking music with a ‘girl’s best friend’ reflects the ideology behind these Raymond Weil diamond watches. Their watches—apart from the usual replacing of hour markers with diamonds—blend minimalism with intricate diamond-studded designs on the bezel. Additionally, the brand’s collections mostly pay obeisance to music geniuses from Western classical and rock, from German composer and conductor Richard Wagner to the English rock band Beatles. Their prominent lines, Maestro, Noemia, Parsifal, Toccata, Tango, etc, exemplify the fusion of music and diamonds into one unique timekeeping symphony with mother-of-pearl dials as the right stage.

Raymond Weil Tango diamond watch mother-of-pearl yellow-gold-PVD stainless steel bracelet — Maestro, Noemia, Parsifal, Toccata, Tango, etc, these prominent lines from Raymond Weil exemplify the fusion of music and diamonds into one unique timekeeping symphony with a mother-of-pearl dials as the right stage. Seen here is the Raymond Weil Tango

Parsifal

The 1991 Parsifal line attributes the last opera by the same name, by composer and director, Richard Wagner, who always ‘ahead of the times’. Eight gadroons (in this case, strips of diamonds) on the bezel and eight diamonds for hour markers, ensuring a glittering dial but one that is not ostentatious.

The mother-of-pearl dial with the Roman numerals six, nine, and 12, add sheen but again doesn’t look gimmicky. A cool, dark blue lacquer on the crown breaks the silver and white tones all over. The attached cross-link bracelet is redolent of the original 1991 model. The round 30mm case is water-resistant upto 50m.

Noemia

What first catches your eye is a twin trail of glittering diamonds snaking along the Noemia 32mm case. Asymmetrical and diagonally opposite to each other; the left trail extends from the steel bracelet to its bezel and the right one does the opposite. Available with a dial in either smoky green or grey, this model further serenades with 11 diamonds as hour markers, with a large, legible Roman numeral XII/12 completing the timekeeping cycle. Overall, the watch is studded with 47 diamonds, each weigh 0.226 carat.

One reason behind this dainty presentation could be that Noemia happens to be named after the brand’s founder’s granddaughter. Bringing this sparkly arrangement to prominence is the fine guilloche pattern encircling the dial’s outer edge. The 7.58mm thick watch with a closed caseback and 2.5mm calibre height to accommodate the quartz movement setup, offers 50m water resistance. The Raymond Weil Noemia comes attached to a polished, satin-finished steel bracelet.

Maestro

Don McLean’s ‘Starry Starry Night’ comes to mind seeing the Raymond Weil Maestro Ladies Diamond Automatic Moon phase watch. Entirely from polished steel in rose gold PVD, the 34mm case brims of feminine energy with an eye-catching bezel studded in 62 diamonds, like diamond ring fit for a queen. Along with other elements on the dial like Arabic numerals, brand logo, and a date aperture at three o’clock, the focus of this dial is the crescent-shape moon phase at six o’clock showing a starry night sky with a moon peeping from the clouds.

The blue tones reflect in the watch hours and calf leather strap in alligator grain embossing secured by a stainless steel folding clasp plated in rose gold PVD, made operational by a double push-security system. Touted to be highly accurate as per industry standards is the Swiss-made automatic movement RW4280 that powers the watch at 28,800vph and promises a 38-hour power reserve. A rotor and bridges covered in Geneva stripes, and rest of the body given a smooth rhodium-finish and 26 jewels, makes the RW4280 is one very attractive movement.

Toccata

Paying ode to the 1920s Art Deco period, when rectangular watches were in trend, is the Raymond Weil Toccata rectangular (22.6 by 28.1mm) timepiece with a perpetual dazzle. Toccata is Italian for ‘touch’ of the musical genius that is the conductor who successfully maneuvers an orchestra through a highly energy operatic piece. Similarly, the Toccata tries to blend precision in time with workmanship.

Paying ode to the 1920s art deco period, when rectangular watches were in trend, is the Raymond Weil Toccata rectangular (22.6 by 28.1mm) timepiece with a perpetual dazzle

Ultra-thin at 6.4mm, the quartz model is embellished with 68 diamonds on the bezel and eight hour markers. Aside the date aperture at three o’clock and brand logo, the Roman numeral hour markers six, nine and 12 match the gold-plated hour and minute baton-shaped hands on the smooth mother-of-pearl dial. The stainless steel and yellow gold PVD plating of the case and bracelet coupled with a protective sapphire crystal on the dial, ensures the watch offers upto 50m water resistance.

Tango

Why call a watch ‘Tango’ after the South American ballroom dance that is aflush with romance? According to the brand, the moniker marries the ‘dance’ of the brand’s mastery and artistry on the dainty 30mm case. In addition to the glint provided from its two-tone metal body—silver and rose gold PVD plating, and stainless steel with yellow gold PVD plating—the watch showcases eight sparkly diamonds along with three Roman numerals as hour markers, with a date aperture at three o’clock.

The gold-plated bezel held in place by six screws matches the attached bracelet. Creating the right drama is a guilloche pattern creating a ripple-effect at the heart of the dial. The quartz movement watch is 100m water resistant.