When Raymond Weil designed the Calibre RW1212, their first ever in-house design (produced by Sellita), I suspect part of the mandate was to show it off, hence the open escapement prominently on display — literally showing off a movement they’re rightfully proud of. Well, Raymond Weil doubled down at Basel 2018, exposing not just the escapement but the whole dial, thanks to a new series of skeletonised Freelancers. As you’d expect, there’s a range of new offerings on the table, but the one that impressed us was this modern sporty number, with what remains of the dial done in crisp white, with contrasting blue hands and hour markers, with their appealing, slightly bulbous shape. It’s also worth noting that both hands and hours are lumed — a nice, useful addition. But really, the dial is dominated by the, well, lack of dial. The open-worked dial really gives you a look behind the scenes, showing off not only the escapement but the power barrel at 12 (which could, in a pinch, be used as a very, very rough power reserve indicator), and the power train on the nine o’clock side. The crown gearing is partially obscured by the Raymond Weil branding, the…
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