The Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph is a high-contrast proposition with a titanium build
Dániel Dobai- The Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph adopts the light blue trend in style.
- Its bright contrasts, moody dial and name take influence from pop music.
- Between the dial, case and bezel, there’s a lot of interesting texture.
The Raymond Weil Freelancer Chronograph has always been a laid-back, go anywhere, do anything watch. The new Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph is a limited edition that adheres to the model’s usual look while enlivening them with a healthy dollop of bright colour.
The new limited edition’s case is entirely made of titanium. Of late, more and more Swiss brands have started using this lightweight, hypoallergenic material that improves comfort, especially with bigger cases. Here, the 43.5mm wide and 13.7mm thick case has a utilitarian look with brushed surfaces. Even the two pump pushers and the crown are brushed. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Around it is a fixed bezel with a black, brushed ceramic insert. It features a tachymeter scale with white markings, just like the rest of the collection, while the actual tachymeter text is printed in cyan. The case provides 100m of water resistance thanks to the screw-down case back, which is plenty for everyday life.
Design-wise, the dial largely follows every other two-register chronograph in the Freelancer collection. Unique to the limited edition are the cyan details. The slanted outer pulsometer scale, the sub-dials, and the central chronograph hand all feature the same colour. There’s no wonder this playful, light shade of blue is all over the watch industry; it complements just about every dial. Sailboat-shaped, applied indexes surround the black dial with a strong fumé effect. At 9 o’clock is the small seconds subdial, while at three is the 30-minute register for the chronograph function. The baton-shaped minute and hour hands aren’t painted like the chronograph’s, making it harder to confuse the two. Both the Raymond Weil and the automatic text are printed instead of being applied, which makes for a sleeker, uncluttered look. Just above 6 o’clock is a proportionate date window with playful text. The date wheel is colour matched to the dial to show that the brand takes time to integrate extra details into the movements they use.
Looking back at you through the exhibition case back is the Raymond Weil Cal. RW5030, built upon the Sellita SW510 architecture, which in fact is built on the well-established Valjoux 7750 base. This trusted workhorse movement runs at 4Hz for up to 56 hours. Exclusive to the limited edition is a skeletonised black rotor with cyan text. Making the watch whole is a five-link titanium bracelet with a double push-button release.
The Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph pricing and availability:
Even though it is fully made out of titanium, the new Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph has a price of US$3,995, making it only a few hundred dollars more expensive than the regular steel variants. Only 400 pieces will be sold. Price: US$3,995
| Brand | Raymond Weil |
| Model | Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph |
| Case Dimensions | 43.5mm x 13.7mm |
| Case Material | Titanium |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire with anti-reflection coating on both sides |
| Dial | Black fumé and cyan |
| Strap | Five-link titanium bracelet with a double push button release |
| Movement | RW5030 |
| Power Reserve | 56 hours |
| Availability | Limited to 400 pieces |
| Price | US$3,995 |