A Hands-On Introduction To The Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage Series
Ask enthusiasts to name an affordable and fan-favorite series of dress watches, and chances are that Raymond Weil’s Millesime collection will pop up in several answers. We love the Millesime, a charming line of retro-styled watches with a model for everyone. Now, the brand follows up the highly successful Millesime with the new Toccata Heritage. This latest string of watches is an early kick-off to Raymond Weil’s 50th anniversary in 2026. With a full range of mechanical and quartz variants, this new Toccata Heritage series has the potential to become another hit for Raymond Weil. Let’s find out more.
A glance at Raymond Weil’s current catalog reveals four product lines. The first is the popular Millesime collection, which has become a great success over the past two years. Additionally, the brand offers the more contemporary Freelancer and Tango series. Lastly, the Toccata is a product line with traditional silhouettes. The first is the Toccata Classic, and the second is the Toccata Square. With the new Toccata Heritage models, the brand adds a third arm to this collection, and I feel it has the potential to become very popular. Let me explain why.
The story of the Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage
The first thing that stands out is that this series takes inspiration from the classic dress watches from the late 1960s and ’70s. More specifically, the design reminds us of the famous Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse, which debuted in 1968. Despite the similarity, though, there are visual differences with the classic Golden Ellipse. The first is that the case is more rectangular, whereas the Golden Ellipse has a rounder overall shape. Secondly, the new Toccata Heritage watches have lugs, while the Golden Ellipse typically does not.
But that’s also where a little deep dive into Patek’s history is nice for some extra context. From the start, Patek also created variations of the Golden Ellipse with visible lugs. The first of these, which debuted alongside the lugless version in 1968, was the Golden Ellipse 3546G. Then, in the late 1970s, Patek Philippe released the follow-up reference 3846G.
Both are variations of the regular Golden Ellipse with lugs that look a bit more like the new Toccata Heritage. To be honest, I like this style quite a lot, so I consider the visual link a good one. And just to broaden the horizon, I reference the Golden Ellipse because it is the icon when it comes to this kind of dress watch. However, those who know the history of this genre well are aware that there were plenty of ’70s watches with a similar design. It’s a classic one defined by its smooth, rounded case and minimalist dial.
The details of the Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage series
The new Toccata Heritage collection consists of three mechanical and four quartz models. We had all three mechanical versions and three of the five quartz ones. Let’s start with the former. All three models come have a case with a 33mm diameter, a 38mm length, and a 6.95mm profile. These dimensions give them a nice and slim form that is a joy to wear.
The first of the three has a stainless steel case, an old-silver sunray dial, and a gray calfskin strap. The second has a stainless steel case with a sunray midnight-blue dial. This one comes equipped with a blue calfskin strap or a stainless steel bracelet.
Lastly, the third variant has a rose gold PVD finish with a copper-colored sunray dial on a gray calfskin strap. The regular stainless steel versions will cost €1,495 on a leather strap and €1,595 on the stainless steel bracelet, while the rose-tone model on the leather strap will cost €1,625.
The quartz options are primarily targeted at ladies
The five quartz models have a slightly smaller 31mm × 36mm case with an impressive 5.1mm thickness. This size makes them a better fit for women, although some men may be able to pull off the dimensions as well. Raymond Weil offers a regular stainless steel version with a similar blue sunray dial as the mechanical model. This one comes on a blue calf leather strap. There’s also a yellow gold PVD case with an old-silver sunray dial on a green calf strap.
The remaining three models each have a bezel set with 60 lab-grown diamonds. The first of the three comes in rose gold PVD with an old-silver dial, and the second has a stainless steel case with a midnight-blue sunray dial. The last, not pictured here, is a stainless steel version with a purple-red dial. All three models have a bracelet matching the case color to finish the look.
The stainless steel model with the blue dial costs €1,075, while the yellow gold PVD version is €1,350. The two stainless steel models with diamond-set bezels each have a price of €2,150, and the rose gold PVD version with the diamond-set bezel goes for €2,235.
The calibers of the Toccata Heritage series
As you will understand, we were especially interested in the mechanical models, so we’ll focus on them a bit more. The mechanical versions are powered by Raymond Weil’s caliber RW4100, which is based on the Sellita SW210-1. This manual-winding movement operates at 28,800vph and offers 45 hours of power reserve. The movement is visible through the sapphire display in the case back, which reveals the basic finishing of the different parts.
Raymond Weil doesn’t disclose what caliber powers the five quartz models. As you would expect, though, the movement lies hidden behind an all-metal case back.
Wearing the Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage
On my wrist, the various Toccata Heritage variants felt comfortably familiar. Of course, this is due to the well-known design that I like a lot. However, I quickly learned that the quartz models were too small for my 18.5cm (7.3″) wrist. Therefore, these pictures will show those on the wrist of our resident Fratello photographer, Max. It will give you a better idea of how the two sizes compare without looking out of place on my wrist.
As I am a tall guy, the proportions of the quartz models were not for me. Additionally, like many of you, I gravitate toward mechanical watches. That said, the yellow gold PVD version with the silver dial on the green strap looks fantastic.
Regarding the three mechanical variants we received, personal preference reigns supreme. The size and proportions of these Toccata Heritage models are great for wrists of various sizes. While they are modestly sized dress watches for my wrist, they still have a lot of wrist presence.
For my colleagues Daan and Max, who both have smaller wrists, the mechanical versions also fit well but do feel noticeably bigger. This shows the great versatility of the new designs.
All the new Toccata Heritage watches have sunray dials, and I understand why. A sunray finish adds visual attraction to relatively straightforward dials with applied markers and an open minute track. While I am not always the biggest fan of sunray dials, they work very well for these watches, bringing a little sparkle that will have your eyes returning to them multiple times a day.
Final thoughts on the new Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage collection
Overall, I quite liked these new additions to the Raymond Weil lineup. The Toccata Heritage is a stylish and nicely executed dress watch that will surely find its way to fans quickly. Sure, the familiar aesthetic is not for everyone. Still, for those who like the Golden Ellipse style and want a great minimalist dress watch, the new Toccata Heritage series offers several nicely executed and affordable options.
In the past two years, we have seen several notable releases among affordable dress watches, so Raymond Weil has some stiff competition. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable charm to the Toccata Heritage series that will undoubtedly win fans over. These new watches impressed me in the short time that we had them in the office. The stainless steel models with blue dials and the rose-tone versions stood out to me the most. On top of that, I loved the look of the one with the yellow gold PVD finish, silver dial, and green leather strap. While the size of that one is not for me, the visual style was striking.
All in all, I would love to spend some more time with the Toccata Heritage models if I get the chance. But first impressions are often lasting, and they were really good this time. After creating the popular Millesime line, this might be another successful series for Raymond Weil that further establishes it as the go-to brand for affordable and stylish dress watches. That would not be a bad position to be in.
