Roger Dubuis booth at SIHH 2019
Cover Roger Dubuis booth at SIHH 2019

Roger Dubuis' adrenaline-laced offerings at SIHH 2019 shows that it's racing ahead of the competition

At Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) this year, Roger Dubuis wowed the cognoscenti with several motoring-inspired creations. Looking at the pieces, it's amazing how the watchmaker manages to seamlessly align design elements of the automotive world with that of the watchmaking industry, and in particular into the Excalibur collection.

We take a closer look at three of the outstanding pieces that put the brand in the driving seat, ahead of its rivals in the competition. 

Tatler Asia

Roger Dubuis Excalibur One-Off

As its name suggests, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur One-Off is a unique creation. Working together with its partners, Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the motorsport division of the carmaker, and tyre expert Pirelli, the watchmaker takes inspiration from the recently unveiled Lamborghini SC18 Alston supercar. Lamborghini had designed the car for a client’s recreational use on the track.

(Related: A Dining Experience With Lamborghini, V-Zug And Roger Dubuis)

That explains the futuristic look of the timepiece and, more importantly, the intricacies of its purpose-built RD106SQ movement. The calibre, which is the third produced for the tripartite alliance, mimics the V-shape geometry of the Lamborghini engine and features a jumping hour-minute hand and a jumping hour counter at 12 o’clock—similar to that on the dashboard of the car, which has a single hand indicating the number of revolutions and a counter for the speed.

The double flying tourbillon is built on two planes, which creates a 90-degree angle between them and linked with a differential—this effectively cancels out all gravitational effects on the movement from both the horizontal and vertical axes, thus increasing accuracy.

Tatler Asia
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracàn
Above The Excalibur Huracán timepiece comes with a bi-material strap featuring a black rubber base, grey Alcantara inlay and black stitching.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracàn

Another watch heavily steeped in the performance automotive world is the Excalibur Huracàn, which is fitted with the new skeletonised automatic RD630 calibre. The movement is the second one developed for the partnership with Lamborghini Squadra Corse.

The wearer can appreciate the beating of the sprung balance at 12 o'clock as it has been shifted to the front as compared to typical movements, which have theirs at the back or hidden from sight. Its 360-degree oscillating weight on the case back is inspired by the rim of the Huracán supercar as with the strut-bar designed bridge on the upper calibre, which takes creative reference from the car's V10 engine.

Tatler Asia
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracàn Performante
Above The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracàn Performante features a quick release system for its adjustable folding buckle.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracàn Performante

The 88-piece limited-edition Excalibur Huracán Performante is built for those, who are already going full throttle in their Huracán supercars on the road.

Extra details, such as bright yellow accents, a colour closely associated with Lamborghini, feature prominently on the titanium case, dial and strap stitching. The bi-material strap is also another distinguishing factor. It bears a rubber inlay featuring the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyre-pattern design, an ode to the famed tyre-maker, which has been partnering the auto giant for decades.

Watch the video below to find out more about Roger Dubuis' close connection to the world of performance motorsports.

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