Raymond Weil announced its partnership with Swiss professional sailing team Realteam at the beginning of May. The watchmaker is the Official Timing Partner of the 2016 season of the D35 Trophy on Lake Geneva, as well as the GC32 international racing tour. For Raymond Weil, the association is a way of paying tribute to its founder, who was a member of the Société Nautique de Genève.
To celebrate the new partnership with Realteam, Raymond Weil invited a selection of clients along with WorldTempus, its exclusive media representative for the event, for a sail on Lake Geneva.
As Raymond Weil CEO Elie Bernheim explained at the partnership announcement: “Watchmaking and sailing share the same demands and values, including performance, precision and innovation.” Realteam embodies the ultimate fusion of team spirit and Swiss know-how, which are core values of the Geneva watchmaker.
During the afternoon the four Realteam members on board took the time to explain to their guests the techniques required to sail the 35-foot (10.81 metre) catamaran. The powerful high-tech machine carries more than 160 square metres of sail, and can reach speeds of 30 knots or 55 km/h. Purpose-built for competition, the Decision 35, or D35, as it is commonly known, incorporates innovative and revolutionary technological solutions to measure the catamaran’s real speed. The D35 class was designed in the 2000s as a response to the continually rising development costs for multi-hulls on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
The guests were delighted to be given a taste of high-tech sailing techniques, and had the opportunity take the helm and adjust the sheets in the gentle afternoon breeze.
New partnership, new watch
To mark this new partnership Raymond Weil has unveiled a new Freelancer, a 42.5 mm watch available in polished steel or with black PVD coating, which is reminiscent of the dynamic styling and aesthetic codes of dive watches. It has a unidirectional rotating bezel in black ceramic with white, green or orange markings, luminous hands and a screw-down crown. Thanks to the well-thought-out use of Super-Luminova on key elements of the black dial, legibility is guaranteed.
Adjustment of the bracelet is also very easy, thanks to the folding buckle used on both the rubber strap and steel bracelet, which also features a double push-security system and extender. Water-resistant to 300 metres, this nautical timepiece is driven by a self-winding mechanical movement with a 38-hour power reserve.
The new Freelancer is the perfect tool to accompany Realteam members in exacting race conditions on the water.
Bol d’Or Mirabaud runs the gamut
Last weekend saw 520 racing yachts take to the bracing waters of Lake Geneva for the 78th Bol d’Or Mirabaud yacht race. Having battled high winds, storms, sunshine and rain, 428 boats crossed the finish line. Realteam, led by skipper Esteban Garcia, recorded a highly creditable 6th place in the M1 class.
