The world of luxurious is commonly crammed with superlatives, as a result of it isn’t sufficient for one thing to be well-made, stunning to have a look at, delectably uncommon and priced into the stratosphere — it additionally must have a great story to inform. However what occurs when the identical previous story has been repeated by quite a few manufacturers for years innumerable? When high-end watchmakers are all pedalling historical past, craftsmanship and a seamless mixture of custom and innovation, what else is there left to say?
For Roger Dubuis, the reply was easy: flip every little thing folks assume they learn about haute horlogerie on its head and create a brazen new philosophy by which to create essentially the most outrageous of tickers. That doctrine is what the model now calls “Hyper Horology”, and it’s as over-the-top and entertaining because it sounds.
Hyper horology is based on the model’s values of “pleasure, freedom and insanity”. An apparent parallel could be to check a supercar with a hypercar. The latter represents the haut de gamme of motoring, boasting cutting-edge expertise, sensational design and efficiency that far exceeds the wants of the extraordinary driver. Hyper Horology, as Roger Dubuis practises it, is way the identical with horological improvements that push the boundaries of conventional watchmaking, devilishly daring aesthetics, unquestionable high quality and chronometric efficiency.
In truth, the 2 worlds are so carefully aligned of their values that Roger Dubuis’ partnerships with Lamborghini Squadra Corse and tyre producer Pirelli have resulted in a complete assortment of motorsport watches. Fashions just like the Excalibur Spider Huracan and Excalibur Spider Aventador are examples that had been impressed by Lamborghini’s iconic cars. Pirelli’s affect is commonly seen within the watch straps, the place the rubber inlays are taken from licensed Pirelli successful tyres, although the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Monotourbillon (created for the tyre firm’s 150th anniversary) featured an simply swappable bezel, crown and strap impressed by the short race pit stops of motor racing.
One other realm Roger Dubuis allies itself with in its expression of Hyper Horology is that of city tradition. Its “City Tradition Tribe” contains disruptive inventive minds like tattoo artist Dr. Woo, graffiti artist Gully, Chinese language artist Liu Wei and Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama — all of whom have lent their radical kinds to restricted version watches pulsating with perspective.
Even with out enter from its many collaborators, Roger Dubuis’ personal design workforce is educated within the artwork of spectacle. From the rotating minute counter of the RD780 calibre to the “floating” energy reserve indicator of the brand new Monovortex Cut up-Seconds Chronograph, conventional watchmaking components continuously tackle thrilling new kinds.
These science fiction-worthy designs are usually paired with high-tech supplies. Not solely was Roger Dubuis one of many pioneers in using composite supplies in watchmaking, it has experimented with atypical case supplies similar to cobalt-chrome (a extremely corrosion-resistant industrial alloy used to make every little thing from generators to medical implants) and Mineral Composite Fibre (MCF) which is reported to be 13 per cent lighter than typical carbon composites and a couple of.5 instances lighter than ceramic.
Nonetheless, not all of its watches appear like wearable Autobots. Roger Dubuis nonetheless treasures the fantastic thing about metiers d’artwork, most not too long ago demonstrated within the extravagant Knights of the Spherical Desk Monotourbiillon in 2022. The gathering’s first tourbillon, the centrally mounted complication is surrounded by 12 knights serving as hour markers — every one hand-sculpted in pink gold and holding a unique pose. The 2 gold markers that time to the rotating hours and minutes are mounted on a double-disc system adorned with pink and purple Murano glass blocks, making a mesmerising interaction of color and motion.
Roger Dubuis watches appear like nothing else available on the market, however even throughout the wildest collections, some actually radical concepts nonetheless handle to shock. That very same yr, the watchmaker launched the Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon Glow Me Up which featured baguette diamonds set in grooves crammed with multicoloured Tremendous-Luminova such that the gems placed on a light-weight present at nighttime — evidently, that was a world first.
A part of the Hyper Horology circuit contains the relentless pursuit of such firsts. In 2020, it set three of them in a single watch, the Excalibur Twofold Double Flying Tourbillon. The primary being using the aforementioned MFC for the case, adopted by the event of a brand new solution to apply Tremendous-Luminova to the plates and bridges and lastly, a strap fabricated from a rubber materials referred to as FKM that was infused with Tremendous-Luminova and dubbed “LumiSuperBiwiNova” expertise.
Naturally, the precise watchmaking follows the identical manic ideology. Tourbillons – arguably essentially the most animated of problems – and particular escapement architectures dominate these collections. In 2013, Roger Dubuis launched the Excalibur Quatuor that includes 4 sprung balances paired up and positioned at 90-degree angles to 1 one other, linked by differentials to cancel out fee errors in essentially the most spectacular model since Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the tourbillon. This tour de pressure was most decidedly not a tourbillon, nevertheless. The watch was cased in gold, however there was additionally a really particular version cased in silicon. As you might have guessed by now, this technical feat and its silicon case had been each world premieres. To at the present time, we all know of no different watchmaking model that has tried to equal both feat.
Roger Dubuis additionally overachieves within the high quality management division. The Poincon de Geneve, or Geneva Seal, is a legendary business stamp of approval awarded solely to watches that had been solely manufactured in Geneva and meet a number of stringent standards associated to the standard of ending and supplies. Of the 20 million watches produced in Switzerland yearly, solely about 24,000 of them bear the Seal. At Roger Dubuis, just about all timepieces do.
It’s exhausting to imagine that the model has achieved all this in beneath 30 years, nevertheless it seems to be geared to do far more. Lately, the corporate has arrange an incubator division referred to as the “Q Lab” named after the fictional innovation laboratory in James Bond. There, all workers are free to dream and inspired to pitch new case supplies, problems, consumer experiences and extra.
For purchasers, embracing Hyper Horology means embracing the essence of the “Hyper Life”. Those that possess the means to personal a Roger Dubuis timepiece possible already take pleasure in entry to a mess of experiences. Nonetheless, what the model uniquely accomplishes is immersing its prospects even additional in its charming realms.
Unique VIP escapades at F1 races, the distinguished Geneva Motor Present and the illustrious Goodwood Pageant of Pace (the place Roger Dubuis proudly serves because the Official Timing Accomplice) merely scratch the floor of the extraordinary life-style the model embodies. Furthermore, the availability of bespoke customisation providers exemplifies Roger Dubuis’ tackle savouring life within the quick lane.
Essentially the most excessive instance of “hyper dwelling” was when the proprietor of the Excalibur One-Off idea watch was handled to a unique shock each month for a yr earlier than the watch was delivered. These included a house go to by Product Technique Director Gregory Bruttin, an unique go to to the manufacture and an individualised programme by Lamborghini.
Based mostly on every little thing we’ve seen up to now and might count on to see in future, Roger Dubuis and its spirit of Hyper Horology has taught the watchmaking world that something price doing is price overdoing.
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