Elie Bernheim Of Raymond Weil Talks At Watches And Wonders 2026

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: The Real Time Show
Hosts: Rob Nudds & Alon Ben Joseph
Guest: Elie Bernheim (CEO, Raymond Weil)
Episode: Elie Bernheim Of Raymond Weil Talks At Watches And Wonders 2026
Date: May 17, 2026

This energetic episode, recorded live from Watches and Wonders 2026, features CEO Elie Bernheim discussing Raymond Weil’s 50th anniversary, the launch of limited-edition and new regular collections, and the brand’s global strategy. Expect deep dives into anniversary pieces, design inspirations, the newly revealed Art Collection, and candid industry reflections.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Celebrating Raymond Weil’s 50th Anniversary—A Milestone for an Independent Family Brand

• Elie Bernheim opens by highlighting the importance:

  "We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of our company and we are very proud of this milestone for us knowing that we are still independent and family operated." (00:22)

Limited Edition: The 50th Anniversary Chronograph

• Limited to 50 Pieces:
  • Part of the Minnesin collection (winner of the 2023 GPHG Challenge category).
  • Developed as a 37mm chronograph, combining stainless steel with a white gold bezel.
  • Houses restored NOS Valjoux movements from 1976.
  • Dial boasts four layered finishes with sector-style details, a distinctive mix of textures, and several unique decorative touches.
• Distribution:
  • Priority given to friends, family, and partners, community, Hanover club, and finally, customers.
• Demand and Price Point:

  "It's for me a product that is really out of our box, out of our league... our price range is between 1,000 and $4,000. This one was just slightly below $10,000." (02:29)

Launch of the Art Collection (New, Fourth Collection)

• Completes the Brand’s Product Range:

  • Price point: $2,000 for an automatic watch.
  • 38mm case, available in black or grayish dial, and attractive two-tone executions.
  • Focused on accessibility and maintaining Raymond Weil’s competitive pricing ethos.

• Host Reaction:

  "I'm holding a two tone one in my hand. It's 38 millimeters... absolutely gorgeous. And this is going to take a lot of boxes for people." (05:04 - Rob)

• Accessible Pricing:

  "There is two $200 difference." (05:42 - Elie)
  "So around 2,200 for this and it's going to come out in June." (05:45 - Rob)

Ladies Collections—Rejuvenating Heritage

• Vintage Inspiration:
  • Focus on models once developed in 1977-78, taking cues from designs akin to the Cartier Gondole.
  • Rejuvenation into a "full new range," blending vintage character and modern craftsmanship.
• Host’s Description:

  "It's similar to a Cartier gondola. It's got effectively a double elliptical bezel... Five links. Gorgeous. And blue diamonds, Roman numerals and an opaline silver dial. Very nice." (07:08 - Rob)

Monochrome and Tank-Inspired Models

• New Gold PVD Manuel Wind Model—Tokata Heritage:
  • To be released around October.
  • Features a gold PVD finish, manual winding, open case back, elliptical window, and gold dial.
  • Vintage-inspired, evocative of watches from the past.
• Host Adds Color:

  "Would have matched his nipple piercings. Such true." (08:54 - Rob, humorous moment)

  • Price: $1850. (09:02)

The Millennium Tuxedo and Miniseme Tuxedo Dial

• Expanded dials and finishes in the Minnesin line
  • Inspired by classic tuxedo styling.
  • Continued emphasis on careful curation from brand history.

Brand Strategy & Market Adaptation

• Optimizing Collections:
  • Reduction of large collections down to four.

  "12 years ago when I took the reign of the company, we had like 8 collections which was far, far too big... Now... four collection[s]... cover... the price range with different collection for different end consumers." (10:30 - Elie)

• Worldwide Market Nuances:
  • Different models resonate in different regions.
  • Example: Two-tone designs are highly sought after in Southeast Asia and Japan, whereas other regions prefer different aesthetics.

  "The taste of someone in the Far East is not the one for someone living in the Middle East or in the U.S... We need to adapt our offer." (12:20 - Elie)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Family & Independence:

  "We are very proud of this milestone for us knowing that we are still independent and family operated." (00:22 - Elie)

• On Demand for the Anniversary Model:

  "To have such a, I would say, demand for [a] special piece... great for the brand." (02:50 - Elie)

• Host's Excitement:

  "I can't take my eyes off this new piece that's coming in June. It's blown me away. I wasn't expecting that. But it could be the first one to end up on my wrist, I think." (07:32 - Rob)

• Humorous Exchange about a Vintage-Inspired Watch:

  "Would have matched his nipple piercings. Such true." (08:54 - Rob)

• On Collection Optimization:

  "With four collection[s] I feel that we have completed the... price range with different collection[s] for different end consumers across the world." (10:39 - Elie)

• On Global Market Tastes:

  "The taste of someone Far east is not the one for someone living in the Middle east or in the U.S... We need to adapt our offer." (12:20 - Elie)

• Gracious Closing:

  "Ellie, thank you for showing us everything. And we wish you a wonderful 50th anniversary for the brand." (13:03 - Rob)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:22 — Elie Bernheim on 50th anniversary and independent status
• 01:15–03:15 — Technical and emotional details of the anniversary Minnesin chronograph
• 04:05–05:45 — Debut and details of Art Collection (fourth collection, price points)
• 06:08–07:14 — Discussion of rejuvenated ladies' lines and references to heritage pieces
• 08:10–09:02 — Monochrome, gold PVD Tokata, pricing, and humorous asides
• 10:24–11:23 — Strategic focus on four core collections and product line clarity
• 11:54–12:58 — Insights into regional product preferences and adaptive strategies
• 13:03–13:10 — Wrap-up and thanks

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Episode Tone & Atmosphere

Candid, enthusiastic, and celebratory—this conversation mixes technical detail with personal reflections and in-the-moment reactions to the new pieces. Rob’s natural curiosity draws out Elie’s pride in Raymond Weil’s 50-year journey, while both speakers’ passion for watches and accessible luxury shines throughout.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Watch fans and welcome back to the Real Time show live from watches and wonders 2026. I'm here with Ellie Bernheim, the CEO of Raymond Vale to discuss the novelties that we are going to be getting on our wrist immediately. By the looks of things, there's already one out there right in front of me. Tell us more Eli. And welcome back on the show.

[A]

Thank you very much. Thank you for joining me today. As you know we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of our company and we are very proud of this milestone for us knowing that we are split independent and family operated company. So it's great. This is the special timepiece that we officially launched a few days ago in the market already sold out, but it's only 50 pieces numbered on 50 for the 50th anniversary. It's our Minnesin collection, the one who that won the GPSG award for the challenge category almost three years ago that we decided to develop in Chronograph version 37 millimeter in stainless steel and white gold bezel using a Valjoux movement from the late 70s. So year of creation was 71976 and I managed to get some at least 50 brand new movements that we have completely disassembled, restored component by components customized with different finish for different components. If it's with code Dejnee or Rutanium for Ponco Poincano the region and so on. With the dial that I feel is really the DNA of minizim with four different layers. You have the Reu tachymeter at the external part of the dial just below the glass box angle with the diamond cut fillet that makes the separation in between the grain texture which is just beneath the superlini Nova indexes. On the middle of the dial we have a sort of tapestry that reminds me the sector dial with a double finish vertical and horizontal in order to bring some light and contrast to the piece. And obviously for the subcounters we have one more different finish limited to 50 pieces that we have offered first to our friends and family and partners across the world to thank them for the partnership over the last 50 years. Then to the community of Remonwell, to our Hanover club. And the very final stage was a few days ago, but only for a few hours for the final end consumers, our clients over the world. But that was just few pieces left. So not so much. But it's good because it's for me a product that is really out of our box, out of our league. You know that our price range is reading between 1,000 and $4,000. This one was just slightly below $10,000. But again great for the brand to have such a. Such a. I would say demand for special piece. This is the latest development. We are launching this watches and wonder a full new collection which is I would say part of embargo because the product will be live as of June in the different market. The name of this collection which is now the fourth collection to complete the range rule you're very familiar with Freelancer with Millennium and Tokaka last year we have the art collection that now fulfill I would say the our price range different consumers. $2,000 only for an automatic timepiece. 38 millimeter diameter case available in black in grayish dial. Sorry. We use the IA to basic the noise. This is the other color but you have also the black. The two tone, different execution which I think are really nice. You know that we are also quite well known for nice ladies products. To complete the offer we have these two versions here. But we have in total six, seven versions. Sorry for that. 30 millimeters. 38.

[B]

So for our listeners we are being flooded with watches here. Beautiful selection of art pieces. I'm holding a two tone one in my hand. It's 38 millimeters. It's got a gold bezel, gold center leaks on an integrated bracelet with a double fallout clasp. It's absolutely gorgeous. And this is going to take a lot of boxes for people. This is going to.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Yeah, for me this is the one I think.

[A]

Thank you very much. And we were hard in order to keep a competitivity with the price point of our collection. And this one I think is very accessible.

[B]

So what's the price difference for the steel and the bi color?

[A]

There is two $200 difference.

[B]

Okay, so very, very reasonable. So around 2,200 for this and it's going to come out in June. Okay, superb. Well, I can't wait to show everybody this. But we can't show it to you right now, but we can talk about it. There's something exciting, I bet. And I'll take a picture or I will share it because it's very, very nice. So what else have we got in. In the other lines I see some interesting ladies pieces.

[A]

No, I mean those are the, the. The pieces that we carefully selected for the 50th anniversary, the legacy tour and there are a few more here. In total, 50 pieces has been selected for the 50 years. So I'm traveling all over the world, different destination with my 50 pieces. And I take here for the Purpose of this discussion. Four ladies pieces. We talk about James Cronak here, ladies. And those were developed in 1977. 78. 78. And why I'm bringing this to you because we took the decision to rejuvenate.

[B]

Oh, lovely.

[A]

This one into a full unit new range.

[B]

So the watch that I'm holding in my hand just so you can all picture it, is similar to a. If you've never seen a vintage rim and veil. It's similar to a Cartier gondola. It's got effectively a double elliptical bezel and then a lovely five. Five link.

[A]

Five links.

[B]

Gorgeous. And blue diamonds, Roman numerals and an opaline silver dial. Very nice.

[A]

Thank you. So that's the reason why we. You can imagine easily that we are taking our inspiration. So 50 years now we assume that. And we are taking inspiration from our heritage timepieces to develop or to rejuvenate product.

[B]

I can't take my eyes off this new piece that's coming in June. It's blown me away. I wasn't expecting that. But it could be the first one to end up on my wrist, I think. Suits me. What do you think, Vic? Love it.

[A]

I'm taking the blue and gold two tone.

[B]

Blue and gold two tone.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. We've just been shown something else here

[A]

which something that you discovered last year and I remember discussion we had. You and I made a way about having a monochrome dial and case. If you remember that discussion.

[B]

I do.

[A]

Yeah. So we managed to develop this new ref for this year that will only be available later this year around October in order to complete the Tokata heritage tankers.

[B]

Smart. Very smart. So this one is gold PVD stainless steel base, manual wind open case back, an elliptical shape window. Very unusual. And a lovely gold dial as well. So extremely vintage. Inspired. My granddad would have loved that.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Would have matched his nipple piercings. Such true.

[A]

What's the price on this one? It's 18. 1850. Okay.

[B]

What else is in the box?

[A]

What is in the box? There is the millennium tuxedo maybe that you might like.

[B]

Okay. This is very smart.

[A]

So we work on a tuxedo dial for the Miniseme collection that you know pretty well.

[B]

Really Tell our listeners over the last year what it's been like for the brand. What's changed? Are you traveling a lot at the moment?

[A]

I'm traveling a lot because it's the 50th anniversary. But I'm traveling every year, I would say for family brand. I think that we have a good Momentum. Knowing the political and economical circumstances across the world, I think that we are doing well. We are doing really well. So I mean touch wood, sorry for the NICO was not that good. But I think that the fact that we keep a certain consistency, coherence within our price brackets, developing more and more sophisticated watches at accessible price is paying off now for our brand. I would say so.

[B]

With the debut of the art collection in June, will that be the catalog complete or do you still.

[A]

Yes, I mean I remember that 12 years ago when I took the reign of the company, we had like something 8 collection which was far, far too big.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I took some time to slowly but surely reduce the number of collection to have something which was like end of last year, three collection, we knew that it was not enough. So with four collection I feel that we have completed the. We are covering the. The price range with different collection for different end consumers across the world. Because again, some product can be very appealing for the Japanese market, but not at all for the French market. As for the US just to be as a worldwide brand happening or section for different sort of end consumers or clients, I think that needs for correlation. We do a job.

[B]

I think it's safe to say that Raymond Vale is one of the most well known brands that's here at Watches and Wonders in terms of mainstream awareness. I know that a lot of my friends outside of watchmaking still know your brand and they aspire to own something from within the collection. What I'm interested in exactly as you said, is what the regional differences are between popularity of collections. So where is for example this model the most popular? Is it in the us? Is it in the Far East? Is it.

[A]

It's very funny because you picked this one. This one has been absolutely well received in Southeast Asia, in Japan, they are completely crazy about this model. But also in Italy, where it's an important product for. For the market. And at the contrary, there are markets that are saying that oh no, it's absolutely not for us, but Art 2 Tone, it's really what we are looking for. So again, I think that's something I've learned and better than both, better than anyone else in the world, is that the taste of someone Far east is not the one for someone living in the Middle east or in the U.S. i mean, different tastes, different needs. So we need to adapt ourselves and we need to adapt our offer. And that's also the reason why having full collection makes sense for a brand at our price positioning in the market in order to. To fit the different demand to match the different tastes over. Over the world. That's. That's the idea behind brilliant.

[B]

Couldn't have said it any better. Ellie, thank you for showing us everything. And we wish you a wonderful 50th anniversary for the brand.

[A]

Thank you. And thank you for. For having joined me for. For this discussion. Thank you, Sam.