Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar Watch Review

Vintage styling has been doing Raymond Weil a world of good. The launch of the Millesime two years ago was a turning point for a brand that was… well, floundering is unfair but certainly lacking a strong core identity. The neovintage vibes of the Millesime, however, were such a success that they’ve since doubled down on the collection, adding more colours, chronographs, and hammering home that beautiful, archival, Art Deco look.

Fortunately, it’s not just that collection that’s benefitted from this new direction for Raymond Weil. The Freelancer has generally been their more modern face with plenty of sporty and skeletonised versions, chronographs or otherwise. But now that renewed focus on vintage has filtered through to the Freelancer too – and the result is the Freelancer Complete Calendar.

Now, I love a complete calendar, which shows just day, date and month, sans year. Yes, it’s the poor man’s perpetual (and slightly less affluent man’s annual calendar), but given the price tag attached to a grand complication I’m, in all honesty, going to let run down anyway, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Plus, with slightly less information involved, you can streamline the layout a bit and keep it crisp and clean. That’s exactly what Raymond Weil have done here.

There are two models and the layout between them is exactly the same. You have the day and month in small side-by-side windows at 12 o’clock, baton hour markers, and a moon phase with peripheral date at six o’clock. It’s OCD-scratchingly symmetrical and cleanly lays out plenty of information without overwhelming.

However, while the layout is the same, there are two very distinct versions of the Freelancer Complete Calendar with two very different personalities. On the one wrist you have a steel version with a dark blue dial on a matching steel bracelet; on the other you have a silvery, champagne-adjacent dial with a rose gold PVD case, both with a retro glassbox crystal.

Of the two versions, the blue and steel is the safer option. It’s versatile, elegant and on the rather lovely five-link Jubilee-esque bracelet it’s eminently wearable. It goes with everything and is what I’d call an archetypal ‘smart-casual’ look. If you’re looking for your next office watch, this might well be it, ready for appreciative nods across the meeting room.

None of that is bad. It makes the blue and steel the safer option by far – but I’m a much bigger fan of the more classical silver and rose gold. There’s something in the vein of Carl F. Bucherer (rest in peace you painfully underrated watch house) in its colours and layout. With a pop of blue from the moon phase rather than the more subtle tone-on-tone of the steel, it aesthetically punches well above its price tag. Sure, it’s PVD gold, but most people would assume the opposite. Finished on a chocolate brown leather strap, it’s a much dressier option and I love it.

Fortunately, neither has the specs of a dress watch. 40mm hits the goldilocks zone of wearability, small enough to suit most wrists but maintain the readability of the various functions. It’s also just 10.5mm thick, so it will fit nicely under the shirt you’ll want to wear with it. Even the crown, comparatively large and fluted though it is, maintains that smart, svelte look. All of that is backed by the practical 100m water resistance that, while not fit for swimming, is good to have on an everyday wearer.

Movement-wise we have the RW3281, with a weekend-proof (but not long weekend-proof) 62-hour power reserve. You can see it through the exhibition caseback and while it won’t be stopping you in slack-jawed awe, it’s nicely enough finished – about what you’d expect at this price point.

Speaking of price, I’ve mentioned before that the Freelancer Complete Calendar looks more impressive than its price tag, but what exactly does that mean? Well, either version – regardless of PVD or not – will set you back £3,195. That makes it less expensive than Longines’ version – and a LOT less expensive than Vacheron’s – which feels about right for Raymond Weil. There are cheaper complete calendars out there, but none that are this competently done.

While the Millesime broke new ground for Raymond Weil, the Freelancer Complete Calendar’s not going to get too many headlines. It is what it is: a nice, archivally inspired twist on the brand’s flagship semi-sports watch. But at the very least, it’s great to see them leaning even more on the vintage side of things, particularly when the result is a watch that looks and feels like it’s playing with the big boys.

Just don’t let anyone try on the PVD gold or the jig is up. Steel’s far less expensive than gold, but it’s also noticeably lighter.

More details at Raymond Weil.