Introducing Roger Dubuis At Watches Of Switzerland Melbourne

Watches of Switzerland is thrilled to welcome Roger Dubuis, the self-proclaimed “troublemakers” of Haute Horlogerie, to our newly renovated Collins St flagship boutique in Melbourne. Refusing to be bound by the traditional conventions of watchmaking, Roger Dubuis has built an enviable reputation amongst collectors and critics alike for its inexhaustible creativity and relentless pursuit of technical excellence. All while marching to the beat of its own drum. These are not the watches your grandparents wore, not by a long shot. This is Hyper Horology, and it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

The Man, The Brand

Unlike many of its Swiss contemporaries, Roger Dubuis is a relatively young brand, having been established in 1995. The story goes that Roger Dubuis – a talented Swiss watchmaker who had honed his craft working with the likes of Longines and later for almost two decades in the complications department at Patek Philippe – met Carlos Dias, a Portuguese immigrant to Switzerland with a flair for design and dreams of building a watch company, at a cafe in Geneva. Together they set up Société Genevoise des Montres (SOGEM) in 1995, a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that Mr Dubuis was already 57 years old and showing no signs of slowing down.

The early watches from the fledgling brand were styled in the traditional Geneva aesthetic, reflecting the heavy influence of the years Roger Dubuis spent at Patek Philippe, but with slightly more artistic flair thanks to the influence of Dias. They were housed within two collections; the Hommage and the Sympathie series, each boasting Roger Dubuis’ customised calibres, using the iconic Lemania 2310 ébauche as a base. (Seasoned collectors will no doubt know that this was the same base calibre Patek Philippe used at the time for building its chronographs and other complicated models). Showcasing the breadth and depth of the watchmaker’s knowledge and skills, these early Roger Dubuis models ranged from (relatively) simple time-only models, to chronographs and perpetual calendars. Of particular note was the bi-retrograde perpetual calendar.

Unprecedented at the time for a brand of this size, and a newcomer no less, every piece produced was adorned with the prestigious Geneva Seal – a certification reserved for wristwatch movements made in the City or Canton of Geneva that are able to satisfy strict finishing and decoration criteria. More than just a pretty face though, each Roger Dubuis timepiece was also certified for accuracy by the Besançon Observatory in France. Suffice to say collectors were enamored and demand quickly outstripped supply. By 1999, Roger Dubuis had designed and produced its first in-house movements, again all certified with the prestigious Geneva Seal. A few short years later, construction of the impressive Manufacture building on the outskirts of Geneva was complete. Over the years this site has continued to grow and upgrade, earning it an enviable reputation as a fully-integrated, state-of-the-art production facility at the cutting edge of watchmaking.

A Distinctive Aesthetic

As time went on Carlos Dias became more emboldened with his stylistic choices, helping to cultivate the distinctive aesthetic Roger Dubuis is known for today. Sculpted cases featuring hi-tech materials (as well as precious metals), open-worked and often extremely elaborate dials incorporating eye-catching use of colour and precious stones, and complex and architecturally-interesting movements that are simply a joy for collectors to examine and admire.

Since the outset Roger Dubuis’ stated aim has been to relentlessly drive innovation, push boundaries and basically break the rules of traditional haute horology. The world got its first real taste of what this unique vision might look like in 2005, when the brand launched the now iconic Excalibur collection. Its futuristic, highly technical open-worked design would become the blueprint for all future models. Alongside the unveiling of the Excalibur collection, Roger Dubuis simultaneously debuted two innovative and exclusive calibres: the double tourbillon skeleton (RD01SQ) and the minute repeater tourbillon (RD08).

As the brand itself puts it; “our signature skeleton design shook the world of haute horlogerie when we unveiled it in 2005.” And while it’s true that skeletonized movements and open-worked dials had been around for years, if not centuries, nobody did them quite like Roger Dubuis. With the bar now set even higher, it was a foregone conclusion that the brand was fast becoming a force majeure in haute horology.
 

The Modern Collection

Today, Roger Dubuis remains one of the most interesting and exciting Manufactures in the upper echelons of fine watchmaking. Its audacious creations, firmly anchored in the 21st century, embody substantial expertise expressed through the finest watchmaking mechanisms combined with powerful and daring designs. Central to this are the Excalibur and Excalibur Spider collections, from which we are extremely proud to stock a curated selection of timepieces exclusively at our newly renovated Collins Street flagship boutique in Melbourne’s CBD.

To give you a taste of what you can expect, we’ve chosen three extraordinary pieces to highlight here:

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium Ref – DBEX0956

Modern and sophisticated, this masterpiece from Roger Dubuis is adorned with a premium matte sheen. Presented in a 42mm sculpted case crafted entirely from grade 5 titanium, the Excalibur Monobalancier is visually striking, yet physically light on the wrist. The matching bracelet, boasting shortened links and a Quick Release System, is also hewn from titanium, ensuring ultimate comfort and versatility. Hours and minutes are shown centrally on the open-worked dial, set against the stunning backdrop of the self-winding RD720SQ calibre. Offering the perfect balance of aesthetics and performance, this skeletonised movement comprises 178 individual components and is, of course, adorned with the Geneva Seal. New gear train toothing and escapement optimization ensures 72 hours of power reserve.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Tourbillon Ref – DBEX0664

At a petite 36mm, this Roger Dubuis model offers a skeletonized movement with flying tourbillon in a rarely seen smaller case size. The open-worked dial showcases the Excalibur collection’s signature star-shaped bridge and is adorned with round diamonds, as is the bezel. The skeleton calibres manufactured by Roger Dubuis in Geneva are the essence of the expressive singularity of the Excalibur collection. Complying with one of the most respected certifications of Haute Horlogerie, the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal), the Excalibur watches are designed like contemporary works of art. Every single component being finished by hand, the watches are symbols of greatness. The work of hyper-skilled craftspeople is at the forefront of each watch with a direct view on the creative mechanics making these pieces more alive than ever.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Monobalancier Huracán – Ref DBEX0750

When the Italian supercar maker, Lamborghini, and the ROGER DUBUIS HYPERWATCH™ manufacturer from Geneva, teamed up and unleashed their creativity, the result could only ever be audacious timepieces born to race. And the Excalibur Spider Monobalancier Huracán does not disappoint. This is quite literally what it looks (and feels) like to wear a supercar on your wrist. Offered in a bold, 45mm pink gold case with titanium container and rubber inlays as well as a notched titanium bezel with lacquered markings, this is the epitome of the luxury sports watch. The real story here though is the RD630 calibre, which was developed specifically for the partnership with Lamborghini Squadra Corse. The calibre is built with a twin barrel power supply allowing it to deliver a power reserve of 60 hours. The calibre structure is designed like a supercar engine with strut-bars forming a clear and visible visual signature. On the reverse the rotor is designed like a super car wheel rim.

We invite you to visit us at the newly renovated Watches of Switzerland Boutique on Collins Street in Melbourne and discover the Roger Dubuis range for yourself. As they say, some things simply must be seen to be believed.