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2010-06-04

RAYMOND WEIL, a swiss watchmaker true to its values

The Swiss family firm RAYMOND WEIL, founded in Geneva in 1976, enjoys a special position in the exclusive world of luxury watchmaking.

RAYMOND WEIL stands out for its dynamism and pioneering character, striving constantly to create timepieces, which reflect the Brand’s values of independence, creativity and watchmaking savoir-faire – at attractive prices.

RAYMOND WEIL is present across the globe and has enjoyed spectacular and constant growth in every market. Under the leadership of Olivier Bernheim, President and CEO – latterly joined by his two sons Elie (Marketing Director) and Pierre (Sales Director), both grandsons of company founder Mr Raymond Weil – the firm has continued to expand and innovate in the fields of product research and development, marketing and communication. Our own subsidiaries have been recently established in the USA, India and Canada. The Geneva watchmaker has also expanded into markets like China, mindful of the economic potential and the Brand’s strong local reputation.

The strategy adopted in recent years has assuredly contributed to RAYMOND WEIL’s impact on the watchmaking world. Key factors in the firm’s success include the constant renewal of its product range, with the introduction of new, increasingly sophisticated mechanical timepieces, strengthening collections at the lower end of the price-range, a wider-reaching communications strategy and the launch of the RW Club (the first club to be set up by a luxury watchmaking brand). 2010 will be a decisive year for RAYMOND WEIL. The aim is to focus, nationally and internationally, on the Brand’s heritage within the luxury watchmaking industry, by making its image even more attractive. This will reinforce the RAYMOND WEIL Genève uniqueness by developing new models that respond to a demand for high quality and reflect the Brand’s evolution and creativity, and by reinforcing the distribution policy, whose goal is to increase Brand presence and visibility, and finally by offering beautiful timepieces at attractive prices.

The Brand’s new approach in 2010 reflects the modern innovative design and the aggressive price positioning of RAYMOND WEIL and clearly demonstrates the family’s understanding of its clients’ expectations in the current economic climate.

Men’s watches confirm RAYMOND WEIL’s reputation as a brand that dares to combine originality and technical proficiency.
20 years after its official launch, the iconic Parsifal collection was recreated for Baselworld 2010! This collection once again shows a deep attachment to the Brand’s roots and its desire to preserve tradition as a source of inspiration – while, at the same time, refining the key design elements, which have forged the powerful identity of this symbolic collection.

The nabucco range, renowned for its stylish design, now boasts a new addition in titanium: nabucco Va, Pensiero. This new timepiece’s mature elegance, retaining all of the collection’s powerful architecture showcased in grey-grained graphite, remains true to the collection’s creative values and mythical forms.

Tradition, the automatic collection, also plays a significant role in the RAYMOND WEIL men’s global range. With its timeless look, classical automatic watch amateurs will be seduced by the refined and elegantly simple design of this collection.

Ladies’ collections like the shine and noemia jewellery watches, and the freelancer mechanical timepieces, occupy a major place in the Brand’s international range. With its dial fitting snugly between the delicate curves of its diamond-spangled case, the Brand’s latest female collection – the aesthetically harmonious noemia – is sensuality incarnate… while subtly alluding to RAYMOND WEIL’s family values.

Baselworld 2010 saw RAYMOND WEIL add a zest of panache to its ladies’ watch collection with the freelancer summertime – an ultra-stylish mechanical timepiece, blending audacity, modernity and refinement in a range of citrus tones and natural colors.

‘INDEPENDENCE is a state of mind.’ The Geneva firm’s motto offers a clear indication of why RAYMOND WEIL stands out amongst luxury watchmakers as an audacious, youthful, dynamic, innovative brand, which has successfully adapted to developments in its field – and adopted the innovations needed to remain a market-leader. ‘INDEPENDENCE is a state of mind’ embodies the approach of both the firm and the people behind its success – and pays tribute to the patrimony and heritage of a family, whose leitmotif is independence.

As reflected in the names of its collections (Wagner’s Parsifal, Verdi’s Nabucco, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, etc.), RAYMOND WEIL has been involved in the world of art and culture since it was founded. The Brand has long enjoyed close links with the world of music, designing unique timepieces for international artists and partnering prominent musical events.

As an active patron of the arts, RAYMOND WEIL is also closely involved in promoting young talent – notably through the RAYMOND WEIL International Photography Prize. This is already considered one of the world’s leading photography competitions – not just because of the awards on offer, or the famous partners the Brand has attracted (Aperture, Paris Photo, Artforum, etc.), but also because the prize perfectly symbolizes RAYMOND WEIL’s desire to provide long-term support to young artists.

KEY DATES

1976
Mr. Raymond Weil founded the brand during a period of crisis for the watchmaking industry. His goal was to produce watches with a new concept and design. Independence, savoir-faire, aesthetics, creativity embodied the Brand’s founding values.

1982
Olivier Bernheim, Raymond Weil’s son-in-law, joined the family company and became President and CEO in 1996.

1990
Launch of the emblematic men’s and ladies’ Parsifal collection. With its blend of complications, noble materials and innovative design, the collection saw RAYMOND WEIL assert its credentials within the Swiss watchmaking industry.

1999
Creation of a research and development department to help RAYMOND WEIL enjoy full control of the watch-design process. By embracing the latest technological innovations, R&D played a major role in RAYMOND WEIL’s innovations – such as the development of the complication for the GMT function of the famous don giovanni così grande two time zones and the patented, quick and easy interchangeable bracelet system for the ladies’ shine collection.
 

2006
Elie and Pierre Bernheim, RAYMOND WEIL’s 3rd generation, joined the company, ensuring family continuity and guaranteeing stability in the eyes of the Brand’s partners.
Launch of the ladies’ shine collection. The different facets of shine made this watch jewel a must. With its strong, glamorous and audacious personality, shine was perfectly attuned to the rhythm of modern women.
Creation of the RW Club. The RW Club provided an exclusive, unique and personalized service for RAYMOND WEIL clients and connoisseurs of fine watches, culture, art and music.

2007
In 2007, two star collections of RAYMOND WEIL were launched: nabucco and freelancer. The first was a men’s mechanical collection, featuring an imposing 46mm case, water-resistant to a depth of 200m and integrating a high-tech material: carbon-fiber. The freelancer collection, on the other hand, was a mechanical range dedicated to both men and women. With its audacious blend of technical and modern, refined style and contemporary colors, freelancer was totally in line with the great Swiss watchmaking tradition.
During the launch of both collections, RAYMOND WEIL’s new motto ‘INDEPENDENCE is a state of mind’ was unveiled, strengthening the Brand’s positioning as an independent, family-owned company and representing the dynamic impact of the third generation.

2009
RAYMOND WEIL’s new Ladies’ collection, noemia, was unveiled at Baselworld 2009. Full of sensuality and elegance, this new range seduced the women of the day, thanks to its sophisticated design and sparkling diamonds.
Fourth edition of the RW Club International Photography Prize, which swiftly became one of the most important international photography competitions over recent years.

2010
20 years after its official launch, the iconic Parsifal collection was recreated for BASELWORLD 2010! Parsifal once again shows RAYMOND WEIL’s deep attachment to its roots and its desire to preserve tradition as a source of inspiration – while, at the same time, refining the key design elements, which have forged the powerful identity of this symbolic collection.

Press kit

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