Raymond Weil Adds a Trio of Tuxedo Dials to its Millesime Small Seconds 39mm

Some watches feel like they’ve always existed. And yet, the Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds 39mm, part of a successful collection launched in 2023, has nothing to do with history. It’s just a design exercise, but one done right. Since its introduction, the collection, which now also includes a more compact 35mm version, a bolder chronograph, central seconds editions, and moon phase models, has brought the brand Raymond Weil back onto the map of watch enthusiasts. And the brand isn’t resting on its laurels, as it treats us this year to a trio of 39mm small seconds Millesime with tuxedo dials. And yes, once again, they look pretty cool. 

Raymond Weil is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. So it’s fair to say that the brand and its founder were not there when the Calatrava-styled watch was presented – as a reminder, this has to be credited to Patek Philippe in 1932. The overall style, however, not only found its way into many brands’ portfolios but has seen a strong return in recent years. This gave some brands, among them Raymond Weil, ideas that inspired the Millesime collection, designed from scratch with no historical background. And yet, the result was truly convincing.

The new trio of Millesime Small Seconds 39mm with tuxedo dials is built on the same platform as the watch that actually launched the collection, which we’ve extensively reviewed in this article. As such, we’re still looking at a mix of modern and vintage cues, with a contemporary-sized dress watch that plays on the 1930s/1940s vibe. This means a 39mm diameter paired with a fairly controlled thickness of 10.25mm, and a case with classic 3-part construction, a flat single-step bezel and a box-shaped sapphire crystal on top. The finishing is pretty good too, with a combination of brushed surfaces and polished accents – the bezel, in particular, has a nice mix of vertically brushed surfaces and a polished lateral bevel. The lugs are thin and short, with a rounded tip and a hole that makes strap-changing a breeze.

On the wrist, nothing has changed from the original Millesime Small Seconds, and the watch is a joy to wear. It has the right size, not too big to keep it dressy, not too small to remain modern – and if you want smaller, then the 35mm edition is there for you. The 10mm thickness feels a bit too thick at first, but the case’s construction makes it visually thinner thanks to its slim profile. Finally, the leather straps offered by Raymond Weil are supple and comfortable (which isn’t always the case with new watches). The rest of the specs are classic, with a push-pull crown, a snapped caseback with sapphire crystal and a decent 50m water-resistance, in line with the vocation of these watches.

So what’s new for this year? Well, the Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds gets three new references, all inspired by classic tuxedo dials and Art Deco inspiration. But what is a so-called tuxedo dial? Just like the dinner suit, it is defined by a striking contrast of colours, often black and white, with a contrasting hour chapter ring. The two-tone, often black-and-white style is reinterpreted in three versions with formal elegance, thanks to the layout of the original sector dial. Three distinct versions are presented:

• a classic cream version with a black chapter ring
• a modern brushed, midnight blue edition with a black contrasting ring
• a more daring version with a red grape brushed base and a silvery-white hour ring

Besides the new layout and colour scheme, Raymond Weil also changed the hour markers, which are now luminous Arabic numerals instead of classic baton indices. These pair nicely with the brushed, luminous hour and minute hands and the central, engraved crosshair. Finally, the small seconds, still positioned at 6 o’clock, retains its Art Deco design with a railroad track.

Under the hood is a tried-and-tested Sellita SW261-1, itself a small seconds variant of the SW200 automatic. This 4Hz movement with 41h power reserve presents matte bridges and a brushed, W-shaped oscillating weight.

Availability & Price

Presented as part of the permanent collection and not limited, these three new Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds 39mm Tuxedo Dials are worn on a leather strap, but an optional steel bracelet is also available. All three references are priced at CHF 2,075, EUR 2,250 or USD 2,295 (the same price as standard dials). For more details, please visit www.raymond-weil.com.