Raymond Weil Launch Freelancer Diver 2775 Collection Celebrating Wing Foil Surfing

Raymond Weil’s Freelancer collection is a surprisingly diverse range of watches that encompass chronographs, GMTs and dive watches. It’s the latter we’re focussing on today with the launch of the new Freelancer Diver 2775 collection, which is essentially a regular production model of the Geneva Limited Edition from last year. With their funky gradient dials and bi-colour cases, these are some of the most striking divers Raymond Weil have released.

Structurally, they’re pretty conventional with 42.5mm diameter cases in either full steel, steel and rose gold or steel and yellow gold. The gold in both instances being applied with PVD plating. Convention would say that if you actually want to use one in the water you should opt for the full steel model since if the gold gets scratched too much it will be more obvious, but technically all three have water resistance ratings of 300m.

The various material combinations are also tied to specific colourways. The full steel model has a black gradient dial with black ceramic diving bezel, as does the rose gold edition. The yellow gold reference then has a blue gradient dial with matching blue bezel. I really like the gradient on both colours, the way it concentrates the dark area towards 6 o’clock as if you’re looking into the inky depths from above, although personally I think it works better on the blue.

Alternatively, you could interpret the gradient as a crashing wave with the darker portion being the body of the wave and the lighter areas the frothing foam. Which is relevant because alongside the launch of the Freelancer Diver 2775 Raymond Weil have announced that their newest ambassador, Titouan Galea, three-time Wing Foil world champion. Wing Foil is an insane sport involving the use of a hydrofoil board and a handheld sail called a wing, essentially taking the sport of surfing and putting it on steroids. It looks like a lot of fun.

The sport is also referenced on the solid steel caseback of the watch, which features an engraving of a bird flying over the sea at sunset. You’ve got the wings, you’ve got the waves, all that’s missing is a tiny depiction of Titouan surfing. Protected behind the caseback is the calibre RW4200 (base Sellita SW200) with a 38-hour power reserve. It’s equipped with hours, minutes, seconds and a date function at 6 o’clock. The date aperture is water droplet shaped just in case you weren’t aware that this is a dive watch.

As for the bracelet and strap options, again it depends on which reference you want to go for. The yellow gold two tone model with blue dial is presented on a five link bracelet with matching yellow gold mid-links and it’s the same story for the black dial-rose gold combo, just with rose gold instead. The full steel model then has two options to choose from, a full steel five link bracelet or perforated rubber strap.

The four Raymond Weil Freelancer Diver 2775 options are priced as follows: steel on rubber £1,995, steel on bracelet £2,095, yellow gold £2,195 and rose gold £2,195. For me it’s a toss up between the practicality of the steel model on rubber strap for actual diving use or the blue and yellow gold for a solid Desk Diver option.