Hands On w/ Video…

Introduced in 2012 at SIHH, this exceptional Roger Dubuis Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon (Ref RDDBEX0364) timepiece has a “full black” titanium case with a 45 mm diameter.  The hand-wound mechanical skeleton movement (RD01SQ) has 319 parts including the double flying tourbillons, and a power reserve of 48 hours.

Limited to just 88 pieces, I recently happened upon one at the Roman Times watch boutique located @ The Forum shops in Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas.

Price?  A cool $252,000.  One hell of a watch, though!
More looks and some quick video of the double flying tourbillons, on the click

Hommage Minute Repeater, double platinum micro-rotors…limited 8 pieces…$ 419,000…

This very special Roger Dubuis Tribute to the Minute Repeater model, limited to 8 exclusive pieces, leads the way in a new line which pays tribute to the brand’s namesake founder.   In addition to the minute repeater, the watch features not one but two micro-rotors in platinum, a stunningly beautiful combination.

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Now that you’ve seen the prodigious 350,000 Swiss Franc Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor, how about this ultra exclusive version of it — limited to just 3 pieces, cased in silicon.  According to Roger Dubuis, “Silicon has been chosen for its uniquely low weight and its incomparable hardness. In fact, it is half the weight of titanium, which is half the weight of steel, yet it is 4 times harder.”

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor in Silicon

48mm silicon case, manual wind RD0101 Caliber

(see: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor for more details/specs on how the watch works)

Limited edition 3 pieces

4 balance masterpiece…superior to the almighty tourbillon?

OK, let’s get the SIHH 2013 party started just a little early with a first look at an incredible new piece from Roger Dubuis.  In what is sure to be one of the top highlights of SIHH 2013, the Roger Dubuis Quatuor is unveiled.  This is a very mechanically complex watch and I will not go in-depth on at this moment; rather I will say that at its core the Quatuor is designed to instantaneously compensate for rate variations based on the position of the watch.  Yes, this is what the famed tourbillon does, but typically it makes rate adjustments over the course of one minute.   Cased in rose gold, this piece de resistance can be yours for 350,000 Swiss Francs (that’s $375k at current f/x).  Some quick discussion– as well as specs and lots of looks — below.
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SIHH 2013 Preview…don’t miss the ultra-closeups below!

In 2013 Roger Dubuis will present the Excalibur Table Ronde, a limited series of 88 watches featuring 12 knights and their swords carved in gold and forming the hour markers around the enamelled dial.  Indeed this is an evocation of the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table legend, and a brilliant evocation at that — see the dial close-up shot below.  The design mimics (though not completely) the Winchester Round Table, also pictured below.  Here’s a first look, stay tuned for more to come…

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights of the Round Table

45mm rose gold case, automatic mechanical RD822 movement

Knights of the Round Table

and an even closer look:

The design displayed on the Winchester Round Table dates from 1552 and was made to impress the visiting Emperor Charles V

Pictured is King Henry VIII of England himself sitting in Arthur’s seat above a Tudor rose

On the back-side of the watch, a royal crest is portrayed, in a deep royal blue color, adorned with three crowns. The crest is surrounded by the Knight’s statement: “Around this table, all in equality, will sit the most valiant knights. From this room, they will set out to seek challenges, to undo wrongs, to protect the weak, and to bring down the proud.”

SIHH 2013 preview…

In January 2013 at the SIHH Geneva, Roger Dubuis will also present the Excalibur 42 Tourbillon Squelette.  The extraordinary timepiece will have a 42mm case and will run off the Roger Dubuis caliber RD505SQ mechanical movement with tourbillon. Full details coming in January.

Having now seen advance previews of the 2013 Roger Dubuis Excalibur 42 Chronograph, the magnificent Exalibur Rotonde, and now this piece, you can see why I said last week that Roger Dubuis is “making its best watches in recent memory.”  I am looking forward to putting hands on all of these pieces!

Roger Dubuis Excalibur 42 Tourbillon Squelette

SIHH 2013 preview…

Under the leadership of president Georges Kern since October 2010 (formerly he ran IWC) , Roger Dubuis is making its best watches in recent memory.   Though we have seen new collections such as the Pulsion and Monagesque, the flagship of the brand remains its iconic Excalibur.  In addition to a new 42mm automatic intro’d this month, Roger Dubuis is unveiling a new bi-compax Excalibur chronograph, seen here. Full details and analysis, below.
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Roger Dubuis recently unveiled a trio of its Excalibur 42 Automatic with special stone dials — mother-of-pearl, onyx and lapis lazuli.  Each piece is issued in a limited series of 188 each.  Lapis lazuli, pictured above, is my favorite of the trio, with the onyx model a close second.  The nice thing here is that the very simple design of the 42mm dial, with only 2 hands, provides a largely unobstructed view of the beautiful gemstones.  A closer look, including a look at the superb micro-rotor powered RD622 movement, on the jump.
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This watch is totally Ninja…a real Warrior’s watch!  The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon is not an entirely new watch, but it is the first time it has been executed in black titanium.  Also the first time with the “new” more encompassing Geneva Seal.  And it looks, well, badass.  This will be a limited edition of 88 pieces, delivered on a hand-sewn black alligator-skin strap with an adjustable folding buckle in titanium.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon in black titanium

Limited edition 88 pieces

45mm titanium case,  manual-wind manufacture RD01SQ caliber (COSC), Geneva Seal, double one-minute flying tourbillons

As mentioned earlier, 2012 brings a new collection from Roger Dubuis, the Pulsion collection.  The new Pulsion collection highlighted by its sapphire crystal directly screwed onto the case.  Here is a look at the least complicated of the new models that will be offered — a chronograph in titanium case, and the chrono in red gold (a black titanium case is also offered).  Unfortunately and unlike this piece’s complicated brother (the Roger Dubuis Pulsion flying tourbillon skeleton), this dial on this watch looks to be very, very “busy” — there really looks to be too much going on, which is too bad given that the bezel is relatively sleek and simple.   Also I’m not too sure I like the strap on this watch — black rubber with satin and polished finishes, but it looks kinda generic.  Will probably reserve final judgement until I get a better look.  Anyway…on to the next new thing at SIHH

 Roger Dubuis Pulsion Chronograph Titanium

44mm titanium case, screwed sapphire glass crystal, numerals engraved under the sapphire with lume, automatic mechanical mechanical movement (COSC) with flying tourbillon, fitted on black rubber strap with folding clasp, Geneva Seal

Here are a couple good looks at the screwed sapphire (titanium and red gold models)