ReviewA Collectible Watch For Aviation Lovers And Pilots: The Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition

The recent introduction of the Raymond Weil Beatles Maestro Limited Edition in India leaves no doubt that the Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil is deeply passionate about music and the music industry, which transcends all genres and generations. Their love for music is an integral part of the brand’s DNA. However, with the introduction of the Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition, it comes as a bit of a surprise that the family-run watch brand is deeply passionate about aviation too!

The Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition is a tribute to the founder, Mr Raymond Weil, and his passion for aviation. Limited to just 1,500 pieces, it is the first of its kind pilot watch manufactured in collaboration with the legendary aviation manufacturer – Piper Aircraft Inc. Offering a chronograph function with a GMT complication, here is The Watch Guide’s in-depth review of the legendary Freelancer Piper Limited Edition (interestingly, inspired by the founder’s own plane).

An introduction to the watch: The man behind it, and a meaningful collaboration

A fearless and adventurous man, Mr Weil, the founder of Raymond Weil, was not just a music lover but an avid aviation enthusiast too. After obtaining his pilot’s license at the age of 56, he started his beautiful voyage of unforgettable flights and adventure-filled escapades. Mr Weil passed this deep-rooted passion for aviation down the line, and the watchmakers at Raymond Weil have paid a wonderful tribute to his unconditional love for aviation with the Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition pilot watch.

Why the collaboration with Piper Aircraft Inc? Apart from the fact that the first aircraft Mr Weil owned was a Dakota made by the Piper Aircraft manufacturer, the two companies shared a lot more that just a mutual passion for flying.

Mr William T Piper and Mr Raymond Weil both shared the same vision of making their products accessible to all without compromising on quality, tradition or precision. No wonder they made such a great team!

To further commemorate this unique partnership, the Piper Meridian model has been customised in the Raymond Weil colours and is available for sale by the aircraft manufacturer. The Raymond Weil logo is featured on different parts of the aircraft, with the monogram boldly displayed on the tail. Furthermore, one of the wings has an image of the chronograph counter displayed on the dial of the watch.

The case: 45mm brushed case, tachymetric bezel, and traditional design detail

The round 45mm case is made of both steel and titanium and is brushed on all sides. The presence of titanium makes the large case feel much lighter on the wrist. While the design of the case looks traditional with simple lugs and pushers and a tachymetric bezel, the finish and angles of the case incorporate a modern charm.

With a 100m water resistance, the Freelancer Piper although a pilot watch, is sporty enough to survive a dip in the pool or ocean. The screwed-in case back and sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, offer additional protection against wear and tear. The case also features a Raymond Weil monogram engraved, screw-down and fluted crown, appropriately placed between the two pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock.

The dial: GMT function ring, three perfectly placed sub-dials, and coloured hands

The dial of the Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper is where all the magic happens. Taking a cue from the world of aviation, the dial is heavily inspired by subtle elements of an aircraft especially the cockpit. The black dial is home to a GMT ring placed around the outer dial, three perfectly placed chronograph sub-dials, a date display window at 4 and centrally raised hour, minute, chronograph seconds and the GMT hands.

The outer portion of the dial houses the GMT function ring indicated by the black GMT hand uniquely designed with a red arrow tip. What is interesting about the GMT ring is how the time of the day (AM/PM) is differentiated with the use of black (PM) and white (AM) colours. This makes it easier for the wearer to read the second time zone with just one glance. Another interesting feature is that the GMT function ring is marked with a 20-minute difference between every hour, which is pretty unique as usually the markers indicate a 30-minute or simply a one-hour difference.

Creating a stark contrast against the black dial and further enhancing the legibility ratio of the dial are the white Arabic hour markers. The dial also features three sub-dials at 12, 6 and 9 o’clock that indicate the chronograph minutes, chronograph hours and the running seconds, respectively. The uniquely designed running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock is inspired by the attitude indicator usually found on the dashboard of an aircraft. The screwed-in look of this sub-dial along with a red pointer further adds to the aviation inspired look of the timepiece.

Taking additional inspiration from the Piper aircraft are the hour and minute hands. The black barrel shaped hands enhanced with luminescent material closely resemble the propeller blades found at the front of a plane, an immensely interesting and well-adapted influence. Adding a dash of colour to the all-black dial are the GMT and chronograph hands. While the GMT hand is specially designed with only the tip of the hand in red (to reduce distractions), the chronograph hour, minutes and seconds hands are presented in blue.

The movement: automatic mechanical movement, power reserve and see-through case back

The Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition is powered by an automatic mechanical chronograph movement – the RW5020. The movement is basically a modified Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement (one of the most reliable chronographs out there) with a GMT hand. The see-through case back allows the wearer to witness the intricate workings of the movement. The watch clocks in a power reserve of 46 hours.

Strap options:

The Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition has a perforated black leather strap with a steel and titanium clasp. The use of a black perforated leather strap does come as a surprise as they are normally used on racing inspired watches, but the Freelancer Piper somehow, makes it work.

The Raymond Weil Piper Freelancer Limited Edition is priced at Rs 270,550 and is offered in a custom designed, special box which includes a scale size model of the Raymond Weil inspired Piper aircraft. Keeping in accordance with the inspiration of the timepiece, the model of the Piper aircraft features the colours of the Swiss watch brand.

While the timepiece does not include any branding of the Piper aircraft manufacturer, the specially designed box surely makes up for it with markings inside and outside the box.

The Raymond Weil Freelancer Piper Limited Edition is limited to 1,500 timepieces and is available at Ethos Watch Boutiques.

(Image courtesy: ablogtowatch)

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