Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium Watch Review
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium, housed in a 42 mm lightweight case, features a highly specified movement and bears the prestigious Poinçon de Genève hallmark. Angus Davies discusses skeleton watches before exploring this latest example of ‘Hyper Horology’. He also points out the wisdom in always checking the ingredients within any horological dish.
Plights of the middle-aged man
Like many men of my age, I make the annual pilgrimage to the doctor for my recommended ‘check-up’. It’s a bit like a health confessional. The questions come thick and fast; ‘Do you smoke?’ ‘How many units of alcohol do you consume each week?’ ‘Do you exercise regularly?’ And so on. Then, there is a raft of tests before you’re eventually invited to step on the dreaded weighing scales. It was after one such ordeal that I was instructed to spend more time looking after myself. Since receiving that advice, I’ve been a good 58 year old boy. Now, I regularly attend my local gym and eat copious quantities of fruit, nuts, seeds and vegetables.
A consequence of my new regime is that my purchasing habits have changed. While pushing a shopping trolley down the various aisles of my local Waitrose supermarket, I often pause and spend time studying food packaging, checking the ingredients and trying to avoid aspartame, sugar and salt. After all, my body’s a temple!
What’s the composition of your watch?
In the world of horology, it is always good to know the precise composition of a watch. Beyond a pretty dial and slick marketing, there should be merit. For many horophiles, myself included, an exhibition caseback provides a useful glimpse of a movement’s many parts. However, without fully dismantling a watch (not to be recommended), there may be a number of sins hidden from view. For some watch obsessives, the answer comes in the form of a skeleton watch. This genre of timepiece eschews a conventional dial and features an openworked movement revealing a plethora of exposed parts. However, buyers beware, not all skeleton watches are the same.
Skeleton watches
Skeleton watches are not a new phenomenon. On the contrary, the first skeleton watch was created by André-Charles Caron in 1760. Over the years, many watch companies have released skeleton timepieces, often adapting conventional movements by removing extraneous material to create a filigreed mainplate and bridges. However, this approach has inherent risks. In particular, the removal of metal can lead to the movement flexing, which may impair reliability or precision. In particular, care should be exercised not to remove metal near jewel beds or screws.
Roger Dubuis – skeleton calibres are part of the Maison’s DNA
Roger Dubuis is a name synonymous with making skeleton calibres. Operating from a modern Manufacture in Meyrin, just on the outskirts of Geneva, the Swiss firm crafts neoteric expressions of Haute Horlogerie. Using cutting-edge CAD (Computer Aided Design), Roger Dubuis creates movements that give due consideration to torsional rigidity, simulating the forces acting on each area of the mainplate and bridges.
Parts are formed using a combination of CNC (Computer Numerical Control), profile turning and wire erosion machines. Unlike watches made in Caron’s era back in the 18th century, production tolerances are now measured in microns (1 μ = 0.001 mm). Thereafter, parts are washed, sometimes tempered, while burrs are removed. Each movement component is then refined, employing an array of protracted finishing techniques. Every stage of production is subject to the independent scrutiny of TimeLab, the auditing body responsible for upholding the standards of the Poinçon de Genève.
Over the years, I have visited the company’s Manufacture on several occasions and witnessed the creation of its watches first-hand. The brand’s skeleton watches reveal a plethora of exquisitely decorated components, readily visible via the sapphire crystal to the front and the exhibition caseback to the rear. However, excellence is not limited to just those areas of the movement that are visible. Indeed, those components beyond the wearer’s gaze are also finished to the same exalted standard.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium – introduction
Recently, the Swiss marque unveiled a new addition to its highly popular Excalibur collection. Housed in a stealthy black DLC titanium case, measuring 42 mm in diameter, the watch brims with freshness while upholding the familiar Excalibur design elements beloved by brand devotees. The watch is endued with many refinements, some of which I will touch on hereafter.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium – indications
With the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium, the hours and minutes are indicated with ‘triple surface’ hands formed of white gold. Look closely and you will discover that the angled surfaces of the hands are satin brushed, while adjacent flat surfaces are shot blasted. The tips of the hands are coated in black SLN. Most notable of all, the centre of each hand is partially openworked, consistent with the skeleton theme.
A grey ‘double-flange’ hugs the interior of the case. Endowed with a satin-brush finish, it is adorned with crisp minute markers, punctuated by polished rhodium-plated indexes that are lined with white SLN.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium – Calibre RD720SQ
Star-shaped bridges straddle the display, allowing light to flood the interior of the case and affording front-to-rear views. Roger Dubuis indulges horological voyeurs with views of various wheels, the regulating organ, the micro-rotor, the keyless works and the naked mainspring. The shape of these parts often transcends functionality, conferring a sense of beauty.
Unlike most watches, which feature an index-regulated balance, the Calibre RD720SQ is equipped with a variable-inertia balance. This latter system uses inertia weights set within the rim of the balance wheel for adjusting the rate. By adopting this approach, the rate can be set more precisely and should the watch be subjected to a shock, it is less likely to require remedial regulation. Furthermore, rather than locate the inertia weights on the exterior edge of the balance wheel, Roger Dubuis has positioned them in-board, mitigating air turbulence, thereby augmenting precision.
The Swiss Manufacture has fitted the movement with a micro-rotor, harnessing energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist to tension the mainspring. From a technical standpoint, it is more difficult to create sufficient inertia using a small oscillating weight, but Roger Dubuis has the necessary expertise. In fact, it has been making micro-rotor movements since 1999. The benefits are that the movement is slimmer and views of the calibre’s architecture are free of obstructions. Interestingly, the brand has pushed the limits of what is technically possible by skeletonising the micro-rotor. The resultant aesthetic proves wonderfully pure.
With many watches, the amount of energy from the barrel reaching the escapement and regulating organ is typically 80-85%. Boosting the efficiency confers greater autonomy without increasing the overall dimensions of the movement. In its press release, the Swiss marque mentions the watch has ‘a power reserve of 72 hours thanks to a new gear train toothing, and escapement optimization through its geometry, also an improved durability thanks to new lube, and increased precision thanks to 4hz frequency’. It is the Maison’s mastery of micro-engineering that sets it apart from the majority of mainstream brands.
Another notable highlight of the Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium is the finishing. The brand states that ‘the Manufacture skilfully crafts 14 distinct finishes in-house on this RD720SQ’. Finishing confers several benefits beyond enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the movement. These include removing signs of machining, detaching burrs which may foul moving parts and enhancing corrosion resistance. In this instance, the finishing must meet the onerous requirements of the Poinçon de Genève. Appraising the movement, there are several examples of finishing to be found. For instance, the screws are mirror-polished, jewels sit in polished sinks and anglage abounds. Roger Dubuis has not sacrificed craftsmanship on the altar of style. Indeed, this watch is worthy of the term ‘Haute Horlogerie’, or, as they prefer to say in Meyrin, ‘Hyper Horology’.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium – case
Since it was founded in 1995, Roger Dubuis has created several generously proportioned watches, including some models measuring 45 mm, or even 48 mm, in diameter. However, the luxury firm, clearly recognising that some prospective purchasers prefer smaller case dimensions, also offers watches in 36 mm and 40 mm sizes.
The new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium sits in the middle ground, measuring 42 mm in diameter. The case is formed of titanium, a metal that is not liable to corrode, is hypoallergenic and very light, making the watch incredibly comfortable to wear. On this occasion, the Swiss firm has chosen to dress the case in a sleek black DLC finish.
Admirers of the Excalibur collection will note the fluted bezel, along with the iconic triple lug case design, two signature features of this contemporary model. The watch, presented on an interchangeable black rubber strap, incorporating the brand’s ingenious Quick Release System (QRS), is also water-resistant to 100 m.
Closing remarks
By their very nature, Roger Dubuis watches are not for everyone. The pricing will prove prohibitive for many, while the bold styling of its products may not be to everyone’s taste. However, if you like the avant-garde styling of the company’s timepieces, and I certainly do, then you will be unlikely to find better finishing elsewhere. Moreover, when you deep dive into the composition of the brand’s watches, you discover a world where mechanical virtuosity and peerless craftsmanship are manifest throughout. Lastly, when it comes to the composition of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium, there is no need to consult a long list of ingredients; it’s guaranteed to be packed with goodness, making it a shining example of wholesome horology.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black DLC Titanium
- Reference: RDDBEX1136
- Case: Black DLC Titanium, diameter 42 mm, height 12.62 mm, water resistance 10ATM (100m), sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes
- Movement: RD720SQ calibre, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 32 jewels, power reserve 72 hours, 178 components.
- Strap: black rubber strap, interchangeable with Quick Release System – QRS. Black DLC titanium triple-folding buckle.
- Price on application