Watches and Wonders
Watches and Wonders: Roger Dubuis Bows a Bold New Excalibur Grande Complication
In Geneva, the watchmaker solidifies its focus on high horology with an execution of the Excalibur sporting a trio of prestigious complications… plus all the swagger we’ve come to expect from the daring brand.
By Mike Espindle
Executive Editor
Roger Dubuis first delivered a 100-percent in-house Grande Complication movement (technically, a calibre with three additional complications of a highly technical nature) in 2009 with the RD089. Now, the envelope-pushing brand is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and it’s time for a grande celebration, in grande complication style.
Picture a complicated timepiece that folds in a perpetual calendar (that doesn’t require adjustment until the year 2100), a beautifully toned minute repeater (that speaks with the alluring so-called church-banned, tritone “devil’s chord”), and an elaborate tourbillon (a “flying” tourbillon, to boot). You’re probably weaving together a fairly fussy, pocket-watch-y image, right?
The new in-house RD118 movement that powers the new Excalibur Grande Complication covers all that (and more), but Roger Dubuis just doesn’t do fussy.
Sophisticated With Style
The 45mm pink gold case, with a protected crown, triangle-cut bezel, and beefy dedicated minute-repeater pusher above 9 o’clock oozes all the juicy, youthful, and oligarchical appeal that has prompted some in the watch press to secretly refer to the Excalibur with an unofficial nickname that begins with an “S.” Ditto on the signature extended triple-lug attachment approach and delicious interchangeable brown calfskin leather strap.
While the dial reflects the timepiece’s multitude of functions and has a technical feel, it isn’t visually overwhelming. It communicates some distinctively new-jack solutions to presenting a loaded-up dial surface that are in perfect lockstep with Dubuis’ boldface DNA.
Part of the secret sauce here is the unique bi-retrograde visualization of the perpetual calendar function. This is a key display strategy the watchmaker has tapped since its beginnings three decades ago. Semi-circular, “fuel gauge” retrograde indicators for the day of the week and date frame-up the calendar function (offset at 5 o’clock and around 2:30, respectively) just under the main hour and minute hands.
This allows for a larger, more dramatic presentation of the functions. A view into the watch works as the gauge centers are skeletonized, and a little bit of semi-instantaneous “jumping” wrist theater occurs when Sunday ends, the end of the month is reached, and the indicators reset.
A small, more traditional month-tallying disc rides near 12 o’clock with a small leap year indictor alongside.
Spinning Wheel
Joining the off-set orientation of the retro-grade perpetual calendar elements, the tourbillon also rides off-set at about 5:30. This is yet another ingredient to the secret sauce that keeps what could be an overly complex dial execution interesting, vital, and much more fun to look at.
The mirror-polished cage, Celtic Cross design inspiration, and use of lightweight non-magnetic titanium is equally spellbinding on this spinner.
Demon Music?
While much can be said about the Excalibur Grande Complication minute-repeater’s innovative construction and sonic refinement, the simple choice of the tones used is just as compelling a tale. It carries a deeply historic backstory, and it flows easily into Roger Dubuis’ modern, rogue-ish, rock star vibe – a double threat.
The “devil’s chord” or “diabolus en musica” interval utilizes a low pitch for hours, a high pitch for minutes, and two tones for the quarter hour. Sonically, it was considered too unsettling and evocative during the Middle Ages and was strictly prohibited from use in religious compositions. Those tones have withstood the ancient restrictions and now recognizably inform the nuances of the blues. The origin of rock-and-roll, anybody? Very Dubuis, indeed.
Final Thoughts
Only eight examples of this Excalibur Grande Complication will be produced, and no pricing information was offered at press time. Visit the Roger Dubuis website to find out more.