Raymond Weil Finds the Middle Ground with the 40mm Freelancer RW1212 Anthracite Skeleton

Raymond Weil’s Freelancer RW1212 Skeleton has found a new centre point.

After earlier skeleton models at 42mm and 38mm, the latest Anthracite Skeleton arrives at 40mm, giving the openworked design a more balanced presence on the wrist.

It’s still part of the brand’s sportiest collection, but the tone here is sharper and more architectural than rugged.

At a glance

• Raymond Weil has introduced the Freelancer RW1212 Anthracite Skeleton in a 40mm case.
• The watch uses the automatic RW1212 skeleton calibre, developed exclusively for Raymond Weil with Sellita.
• Pricing is £3,395 on a dark blue calf leather strap and £3,495 on a five-link steel bracelet.

A 40mm case gives the skeleton format room to breathe

The new Freelancer RW1212 Anthracite Skeleton sits between the 42mm models introduced in 2021 and the 38mm version added in 2024.

That sounds like a small adjustment, but it matters for a watch with this much dial-side movement architecture.

At 40mm, the case gives the skeleton layout enough surface area to feel intentional, while avoiding the bulkier character that can come with larger openworked sports watches.

The 10.6mm case height also keeps the proportions in check, especially for a design that leans more toward mechanical display than tool-watch utility.

The Freelancer line has always carried the sportier side of Raymond Weil, and the broad steel case flanks and relatively wide bezel maintain that identity.

Here, though, the open dial pulls the watch toward a more technical and dress-adjacent mood.

Anthracite keeps the open dial disciplined

The key visual update is the use of anthracite grey across the peripheral minute track, Raymond Weil logo and skeletonised movement bridges.

It gives the watch a darker, more restrained character than a bright steel skeleton dial might have.

The palette is largely monochromatic, with contrast coming from the golden balance wheel and gear train, along with the pink tone of the visible rubies.

That restraint helps the dial remain readable and prevents the skeleton work from feeling overly decorative.

The watch is offered on either a five-link steel bracelet or a dark blue calf leather strap.

The bracelet feels the more natural match for the anthracite treatment, particularly because the dial itself doesn’t use blue accents.

The RW1212 calibre remains the focal point

As with the wider Freelancer RW1212 family, the movement is central to the watch’s identity.

The RW1212 is an automatic skeleton calibre developed exclusively for Raymond Weil in collaboration with Sellita.

Its layout is designed to be seen from the front, with material removed to expose the movement’s structure and operation.

One of the more engaging details is the open barrel at 11 o’clock, which reveals the mainspring coil as it unwinds during use.

The movement has a 41-hour power reserve, a practical figure for a mechanical watch intended for regular wear.

Details & Specifications

The 40mm Freelancer RW1212 Anthracite Skeleton is a measured addition rather than a radical one, and that’s its appeal.

For collectors who like the mechanical theatre of a skeleton watch but want something wearable in size and relatively restrained in colour, this may be the most convincing proportion yet for Raymond Weil’s openworked Freelancer.