Taking inspiration from a custom motorcycle, Raymond Weil has unveiled the Freelancer Chronograph Bi-Compax 7780 timepiece, which has a look inspired by the creative minds at Meister Engineering, the company that built the bike that carries the watchmaker’s name on its tank.
For their latest timepiece, the Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil has taken inspiration from a custom motorcycle that any open-road biker would drool over. The bike is the work of Meister Engineering, who, like the renowned watch company, has a presence in Geneva.
Raymond Weil always puts creativity at the forefront of everything it does, and they are drawn to other brands that share this viewpoint. The watch company wanted to obtain a customised motorbike for promotional purposes and decided Meister Engineering would be the ideal company to work with. The resulting collaboration has seen the two companies produce two exceptional models. The custom two-wheeled works of art have inspired the Genevan watch brand to create a new bronze timepiece with a chronograph.
Raymond Weil’s iconic name is across the fuel tank depicted in rose gold foil. The inspiration for the texture of the Freelancer’s 43.5mm bronze case and the two counters gracing the dial.
The gradient-effect paint on the motorcycle influenced the watch’s black smoked dial. The latter detail showcases an exciting display with light tones at the centre of the dial that takes on a darker shade near the edge.
On the Freelancer Chronograph Bi-Compax 7780, the pulsometer and tachymeter scales engraved on the motorcycle tank cap are mirrored on the timepiece’s satin-finished ceramic bezel insert and flange, respectively. The bike’s leather-clad seat inspired the watch’s rich brown calf leather strap.
The specification of the bespoke motorbike has provided a wealth of ideas for the brand’s new vintage-inspired watch. The symmetrical bi-compax layout features a 30-minute chronograph counter and a small seconds display. The golden hour and minute hands are generously proportioned and, in conjunction with the applied indexes, prove highly legible.
There is a snailed Hour-track while the hands and indexes feature luminescent treatment, increasing readability in darker conditions. The colour of the central chronograph seconds hand, the hand on the 30-minute register and the numerals on the pulsometer scale are all in the same shade.
Positioned at 6 o’clock is the date/display, which contributes to the overall symmetry of the dial, and presented in black is the date disc matching the dial, a detail purists will appreciate.
The Freelancer Bronze Chronograph Bi-Compax 7780 has exquisite detailing. The tachymeter scale, shown on the bezel, means you can calculate the speed of a motorbike or vehicle over a known distance.
The Freelancer’s dial is outstanding and plays with depths, shades, textures and colours, contributing to the watch’s elegant appearance. Over time, the bronze will age, forming a patina, heightening the overall sense of grandeur. On the back of the timepiece, the case is stainless steel. The Calibre RW5030 movement is visible via the exhibition case back.
Fitted with a W-shaped skeleton oscillating weight, it is a nod to the surname of the company’s founder. When the automatic movement is fully wound, the watch will work autonomously for fifty-six hours, a credit to the manufacturing.
The watch comes with a pulsometer scale to measure your heart rate during your adventures.
Freelancer Bronze Chronograph 7780 – Where and How?
The Freelancer Bronze Chronograph 7780 comes on a brown calf leather strap, enlivened with contrasting stitching and a bronze folding clasp equipped with a double push-security system. The limited edition is available in two variants and is restricted to three hundred pieces, and the timepieces range in price from £2,995-£3,495. For more information, visit https://raymond-weil.co.uk.
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