Almost On Time

Any purchases made on this website may earn us a small commission, please click if you want to learn more.

Often overlooked compared with some or the larger and more established watch manufacturers. Raymond Weil are a brand which is often sitting in the background, peering over the shoulders of other watchmakers.

Even though Raymond Weil is a younger brand, it has an old and distinctive style when it comes to its classic models such as the Parsifal. Whilst Raymond Weil are not at the peak of fashion with the likes of Richard Mille, they do maintain a foothold within the Swiss watchmaking industry and are regularly on display in high end shopping malls.

The Short, Yet Successful History Of Raymond Weil

Raymond Weil is one of the very few independent, family-run, Swiss watchmaking companies. The company was founded by Raymond Weil in 1976, who ran the company until he retired in 2002. After this, the company has been run by his grandson until the present day.

Originally selling watches from a foldout table in the streets of Geneva. The Raymond Weil brand is now a company that posted an operating profit of over $100 million in recent years.

Who Makes Raymond Weil Watches?

Raymond Weil make their own watches. They are not a company that outsources its watchmaking to a third party such as Swatch or Fossil.

Raymond Weil movements are typically made by third party companies such as ETA or Sellita. Quartz watches are typically always ETA, whereas the mechanical movements are from a variety of different companies. Some of these movements are modified to suit each watch, whilst others are not. This will depend on model to model.

Outisde of the top luxury brands, this type of relationship is relatively normal within the world of Swiss-made watches. Companies such as Tissot, Hamilton, Raymond Weil and many others all rely on ETA for accurate and reliable movements.

Where Are Raymond Weil Watches Made?

Raymond Weil watches are made in Switzerland. You will always find the words “Swiss Made” at the bottom of Raymond Weil watch dials, as this is a great selling point.

Is Raymond Weil A Luxury Watch Brand?

Raymond Weil is considered to be an entry-level luxury watch. Raymond Weil is not a very high-end luxury brand such as Audemars Piguet, A Lange & Sohne or Patek Philippe. It is however a Swiss-made luxury brand that produces lower-cost watches compared with these brands.

Brands that are considered to be around a similar level and price point to Raymond Weil are both Longines and Rado.

Are Raymond Weil Watches Worth The Money?

Overall, Raymond Weil watches are quite expensive. Quartz watches made to a similar specification can be found a lot cheaper, made by brands such as Tissot or Bulova. This means that the low to middle end of Raymond Weil watches are not particularly good value for money.

At the higher end of Raymond Weils automatic watches. You mostly get better value for money. Once you start spending over $1000-2000, RW uses some very good Sellita movements and occasionally has a classic movement such as a Valjoux 7750 in their chronograph models. These watches are not bad value for money at all.

You can find cheaper watches with similar specs. However, Raymond Weil is a renowned Swiss brand.

Do Raymond Weil Watches Hold Their Value?

Raymond Weil watches mostly do not hold their value. Typically, if you buy a watch from an authorized dealer, you will generally lose 30% of the retail price by the time you get home. If you are able to get a discount or buy from an online platform such as Amazon. Generally, you will not lose as much money since the price has already been lowered to start with.

You should not expect to hold or earn money by purchasing a Raymond Weil watch. It is not a Rolex submariner and will not appreciate over time.

5 Best Raymond Weil Watches

Tango

Raymond Weil Tango watches come in a variety of designs. The Tango range is at the budget end of Raymond Weil and usually always contains a Swiss quartz movement. If you are buying a Tango online, you can save up to 50% compared to buying from an authorized dealer.

The model shown above is a RW Tango dive watch, which is water-resistant up to 300m. There are also various other colors, chronographs and more traditional watches within the Tango series. It does follow a specific design compared to other series from other brands. Altogether the Tango is probably one of the better value RW pieces since it can be acquired at such a discount.

Check The Price Of Raymond Weil Tango Watches On Amazon

Parsifal

The Parsifal is the most traditional and iconic watch by Raymond Weil. Unlike the Tango, the Parsifal design sticks to a specific design and structure which makes it instantly recognizable.

Raymond Weil sticks to a classic design of roman numerals on the distinctive dial. A Parsifal watch can always be recognized from its distinctive blue jeweled crown with very large crown guards. The bracelet is also usually patterned in a way with polished steel links. Parsifal watches are usually some of the more expensive watches from Raymond Weil. They also make higher end automatic chronograph Parsifal watches with Valjoux movements.

Check The Price Of Raymond Weil Parsifal Watches On Amazon

Toccata

At the bottom end of the Raymond Weil price range is the Toccata. This watch can be picked up for around 40% less than the retail price when bought online.

If you’re after a Swiss made, simple dial watch, the Toccata is a good choice. There isn’t much to say about the dial of the watch as it’s so basic. Of course, you can buy cheaper dress watches with Swiss movements. But in terms of buying a Raymond Weil watch for under $400~ this is pretty much your only option.

Check The Price Of Raymond Weil Toccata Watches On Amazon

Freelancer

Freelancer watches are the most expensive designs that Raymond Weil makes. In general, a Freelancer watch combines the old traditional style of the brand with newer sports designs. Typically Freelancers are higher-end automatic watches with solid ETA mechanical movements.

This is pretty much the entry point for luxury Swiss automatic watches. You may find slightly cheaper Swiss automatic pieces from brands such as Tissot or Bulova. Whilst the Freelancer is not fantastic value for money. It is an original design by a top brand and therefore commands a higher price.

Check The Price Of Raymond Weil Freelancer Watches On Amazon

Maestro

Maestro watches are made with solid automatic ETA movements and classic, traditional dials. If you want a classic-looking automatic watch, the Maestro is a nice upgrade from a Toccata quartz.

Typically Maestro watches are reasonably expensive and not fantastic value for money. However, they offer a variety of dials, cases and designs including open heart variations with exhibition casebacks

Check The Price Of Raymond Weil Maestro Watches On Amazon

How To Spot A Fake Raymond Weil Watch

Raymond Weil is not a brand that is faked too often when compared with other watch companies. However, this does not mean you should let your guard down. Since counterfeiters will copy a $12 Casio, you can be 100% sure they will try their luck with RW.

Firstly, if the watch is new, it will come with its box and papers (note that RW boxes are actually poor quality, so don’t let this dissuade you). The serial number on the warranty card should match the serial number on the case back of the watch. All Raymond Weil watches have a serial number laser engraved onto their caseback. The only exception for this rule is vintage pieces.

When looking at a mechanical watch, you will be able to take the back off and inspect the movement. Using tools such as Google, you will be able to see the exact movement that is meant to be in your watch. If it is different from the movement listed, you have a fake watch.

If the watch is a quartz model, you will be able to do exactly the same. Take off the back and check the movement. If the movement is anything other than an ETA – you should be highly suspicious. Raymond Weil is a Swiss brand and does not use Japanese or Chinese movements, even in their cheapest watches.