I like being able to see what the Freelancer is doing

I like a skeleton watch when I can still tell what I'm looking at, and this Raymond Weil Freelancer looks pretty well judged to me. The anthracite treatment gives the movement some contrast against the case, and the balance down at six gives my eye somewhere to settle instead of wandering through a pile of shiny parts.

The US price is $3,850, checked October 28, 2026. That's a fairly serious amount of money in my world, so this would have to do more than look interesting in a close-up photograph. I do think the design gives me a reason to look more closely, though, and the proportions help quite a lot.

The useful numbers are 40 and 10.6

Reference 2786-ST-60000 has a 40 mm steel case that is 10.6 mm thick. Raymond Weil lists 100 meters of water resistance, a steel bracelet and sapphire crystal with antireflective treatment on both sides. The automatic RW1212 has a 41-hour power reserve.

I like seeing that thickness on a watch with this much going on visually. Some watches start with an interesting dial and then become a small building once you turn them sideways. On paper, this one looks like it could have the visual activity I want without needing an especially tall case to contain it. I haven't worn it, so that's a reason to investigate rather than a fit verdict.

The openworked dial also seems to keep enough structure around the hands and markers. I'd want to check actual legibility in normal light, particularly when the hands pass over parts of the movement that are close to them in color. Being able to see a mechanical movement is appealing; having to hunt through it every time I want the time would get old.

The movement name is RW1212, and I'm keeping the description there. I'm not going to turn a model name or a brand's marketing language into an unsupported claim about every stage of manufacture. For me the more interesting question is how well the watch is executed as something to wear.

I would want the bracelet answer

The official photography gives us the front and some useful views of the case and bracelet. I like the mixture of surfaces, but how those links move, how the clasp adjusts and how the edges feel would matter to me at this price. Those are questions a product photograph can't settle.

The exact first announcement date hasn't been verified. This is appearing in current October coverage and is listed on Raymond Weil's US store, which supports covering the watch now without pretending we know the precise launch day. US stock at the moment of checkout can also change; the site was listing it as available when checked.

I'm giving it 94 out of 120 bezel clicks. I like the visible mechanism and the restrained case size, and I think the darker treatment helps the skeleton dial. I'd need a good hands-on look at the bracelet and legibility before getting anywhere near spending $3,850 on it.

October 30 update: Blue calf-leather execution

The official manufacturer page now confirms reference 2786-STC-60000 on dark blue calf leather with a steel folding clasp. It shares the 40 mm, 10.6 mm steel case, RW1212 automatic with a 41-hour reserve, sapphire crystal and 100-meter water resistance of the anthracite skeleton platform covered above. The three new official views show the front, side and caseback on leather.

The retrieved storefront quotes CHF 3,450 for the leather execution. A USD price for that reference remains unverified; the existing $3,850 chart point and its October 28 price date continue to describe the previously covered steel-bracelet reference. The first manufacturer announcement day of the leather version remains uncertain. This variant update preserves the original take and 94/120 bezel-click rating.