Introducing: The Raymond Weil Millesime The Fifty — Featuring A Historic Valjoux 23-6 Chronograph Movement
Happy birthday, Raymond Weil. This year, the independent, family-owned Geneva-based brand celebrates its 50th anniversary in great horological style. The brand managed to get its hands on 50 historic Valjoux 23-6 chronograph movements, restored and hand-decorated them, and put them inside a Millesime watch. The 37mm The Fifty might very well be the best-looking RW creation of all time. Its four-part dial with various finishes gives the celebratory watch a distinctive and charismatic visual signature.
Mr. Raymond Weil (1926–2014) founded his watch brand at 50 years old, 50 years ago this year. The reason his grandson and current CEO, Elie Bernheim, named the anniversary watch The Fifty is obvious, then. The name also sounds cool. And the watch becomes even cooler when you learn that the movement underneath the four-part dial is the famed Valjoux 23-6, a legendary chronograph caliber used by, for example, Patek Philippe, another Geneva-based brand.
Raymond Weil Millesime The Fifty: The restored Valjoux 23-6 is the belle of the ball
When Raymond Weil first introduced the Millesime Small Seconds three years ago, the watch came as a surprise. It was also the surprise winner of the GPHG 2023 Challenge Watch Prize. But it’s hardly a surprise that the watch won hearts. The size, proportions, dial, and price were on point. Subsequent iterations, including the chronograph versions, were also well received. And now, The Fifty, with its 37mm steel case featuring classic pump pushers and a white gold bezel, is the king of the collection.
The Fifty (ref. 1976-STC-65001) is not just an anniversary watch; it’s also a tribute to traditional Swiss watchmaking. Now, the best way to honor this art form is to showcase classic watchmaking skills. The Fifty does so by using 50 original Valjoux 23-6 movements from 1976 — indeed, the year of Raymond Weil’s founding. The Valjoux 23-6 is a famous hand-wound column-wheel chronograph movement. It’s a benchmark caliber that defined chronograph standards in terms of legibility, reliability, and architecture. The 3Hz movement inside The Fifty has an approximate 48-hour power reserve. On the dial, the hours and minutes are centrally displayed, with small seconds at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock.
The 50 movements were completely restored and hand-finished before being placed inside the steel cases. The chronograph bridges and balance cock, executed in black ruthenium, feature Côtes de Genève, and the blued screws are another visual treat. The anglage is done by hand, and so are the moldings surrounding the screws. Through the case back, the result is clearly visible. You will see a play of light, and the depth of the movement won’t leave you untouched if you’re a watch fan with a historical perspective.
The formidable four-part dial
A watch this significant deserves a special dial, and that’s exactly what it got. Its four distinct parts are finished separately to achieve the best quality and visual effect. The construction and finishing offer a sense of depth and relief, creating a dynamic and rich visual effect. The Fifty is a superior Millesime, displaying its neo-vintage design codes in a high-end way, new to Raymond Weil. There are so many dial decorations to discover, and they greatly contribute to the watch’s good looks. The delicately finished rehaut with the tachymeter scale, for instance, is a functional addition to the decorative center, pulling it all together. The hour indexes sit on a grainy texture, and the central section features a stamped “tapestry” motif composed of alternating gadroons inspired by the Millesime collection’s vertical satin finishing and central crosshairs. Finally, the clean, crisp, recessed sub-dials are very legible.
Chronograph greatness on display
On the case back, the engravings “1976” and “2026” signal both the founding and anniversary years. But the light of the party is, of course, the Valjoux 23-6 that is on display. The movement alone is a good reason to buy one of the 50 The Fifty chronographs. After all, it’s a piece of horological heritage. The movement might outshine the brand a bit here, but Raymond Weil did an outstanding job of creating the perfect environment for the famed caliber. The Fifty is a seriously good-looking watch thanks to the meticulous attention to detail. Considering that it costs CHF 8,650, it won’t be a big surprise if all these watches are gone before the birthday party ends.
What are your thoughts on the Raymond Weil Millesime The Fifty? Would you consider buying this watch? If so, is it based on brand perception and reputation, the aesthetic appeal of its 37 × 10.75mm with vintage-looking curved screwed lugs, case, and delicate dial, the legendary movement inside, or a combination of the three? Please share your comments in the section below.
