Raymond Weil adds a new reference to its elegant and handsome Millesime Moon Phase 35mm with a Japan-exclusive Special Edition overseen by Masayuki Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of Chronos Japan Edition. The watch retains the compact proportions, sector-dial grammar, and restrained vintage cues that made the 35mm Millesime line such a hit, then sharpens it with a two-tone silver and slate-blue sector dial and a realistic lunar disc modelled after NASA imagery, a modern counterpoint to the smiling moon of the regular collection.
The Raymond Weil Millesime Moon Phase 35mm stainless steel case falls right into today’s “quiet luxury” category and wears flatter than its 9.98mm height suggests, thanks to a carefully chamfered bezel that visually slims the profile. Finishing is honest and clean, featuring a satin-brushed caseband, lugs, and bezel faces, with polished lug tops and bezel bevels that catch light and add depth. Vintage cues are carried by the box-shaped sapphire and by long, gently arched lugs that curve toward the caseback for comfort. Water-resistance is a practical 50m.
On the dial, the Special Edition leans into the Millesime’s sector-style design. A silver base features three clearly separated tracks; slate-blue hour and seconds rings form a subtle bullseye that recalls 1930s-1950s instruments, materially enhancing legibility. The Arabic hour numerals are newly rendered in a high-contrast white sans-serif font. The minute track sits on a slightly inclined surface, and the minute and second hands have curved tips, small but telling classical details. At six o’clock, the moon-phase display is the headline change: instead of a cartoon smile, you get a photorealistic moon with true shadows, derived from NASA data, which adds a technical tone without breaking the period mood.
The Japan-only Millesime Moon Phase 35mm is powered by the calibre RW4280 (Sellita base), an automatic movement that beats at 28,800 vibrations/hour, with about 41 hours of reserve. Through the sapphire caseback, you’ll see the W-shaped rotor embossed with the brand’s initials, and at 6 o’clock, the “Edition Limitée une sur 100” engraving underlines the run’s exclusivity.
The watch is worn on a slate-blue calfskin strap that matches the dial accents. It’s soft to the touch, uniformly edge-finished for a tidy look, and signed with W-shaped embroidery at the tip; a pin buckle keeps the classical impression intact.
Produced in 100 pieces in Japan only, this Raymond Weil Millesime Moon Phase 35mm Special Edition will be available from October 11th, 2025, at ISHIDA Shinjuku and ISHIDA Omotesando in Tokyo, ISHIDA N43° in Sapporo, and online via Raymond Weil Japan. The price is JPY 462,000 (approx. EUR 2,650). For more, visit raymond-weil.jp.
https://monochrome-watches.com/raymond-weil-millesime-moon-phase-35mm-special-edition-for-japan-price-review/