Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT has just been unveiled at the Singapore Grand Prix. Commemorating Pirelli’s 150th anniversary, it incorporates ‘winning motorsport tyre rubber’ and a significant quotient of watchmaking know-how. Angus Davies looks at what constitutes a meaningful ‘partnership’ for the discerning watch buyer.
If you watch any motorsport event, you will inevitably see the names of various watch brands adorning race cars or gracing trackside hoardings. While some watch brands may choose to collaborate with their automotive partner, the degree of involvement can sometimes prove minimal.
A few months ago, I spent a couple of days touring Roger Dubuis’ Manufacture, located on the outskirts of Geneva. During my time with the high-end watch brand, I spotted a rectangular panel of forged carbon ready to be machined into mainplates and bridges. I was informed that the lightweight material had been supplied by Lamborghini, a collaborative partner in the truest sense.
Later, I chatted with Nicola Andreatta, CEO of Roger Dubuis. He explained that the Maison’s technical personnel sit down with their counterparts from Lamborghini every three months in order to explore new ways the two companies can help one another. Indeed, it is this process of technology transfer that delivers numerous benefits to the brand’s clients.
Whilst walking along the corridors of the Manufacture, one can almost discern a faint whiff of octane-rich air. Roger Dubuis not only works closely with Lamborghini, it’s also a partner of Pirelli, the Italian tyre firm, headquartered in Milan. This blue-chip company, with an annual turnover exceeding €5 bn, is no stranger to the pit lane and has been the official tyre partner of Formula 1 since 2011.
Once again, the relationship between Roger Dubuis and Pirelli is more than just a promotional tool. This partnership serves to imbue some of the Swiss marque’s products with distinctive characteristics.
Pirelli Cinturato™️ pattern
To commemorate Pirelli’s 150th anniversary, the Genevan firm released the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix. Consistent with other Pirelli branded models, the strap affixed to this watch is formed of ‘winning motorsport tyre rubber’. More specifically, the inlays are made of ‘real tyre rubber which has won one of the most demanding motorsport competitions in the world’. Furthermore, the inner surface of each strap is endowed with a Pirelli Cinturato™️ pattern.
Over the years, the Genevan producer of ‘Hyper Horology’ has gained a reputation for making single and double flying tourbillons. A ‘normal’ tourbillon mitigates the adverse effects of gravity acting upon the regulating organ, aiding precision. In addition, the complication also delivers a bewitching animated spectacle, front of house. A flying tourbillon, eschews the usual upper bridge, thereby granting superior views of the tourbillon cage rotating, the escape wheel and pallets in conversation and the hairspring pulsing with life. In this instance, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT is equipped with a single flying tourbillon, positioned at 8 o’clock.
Another characteristic common to most Roger Dubuis models is the openworked movement architecture, a speciality of the Maison. The mainplate and bridges resemble spokes, delivering strength while revealing numerous mechanical thought processes.
Pure white Mineral Composite Fibre (MCF)
In common with many race cars, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT is made from state of the art lightweight materials. In this instance, the Genevan marque has employed pure white Mineral Composite Fibre (MCF), a material that is owned exclusively by Roger Dubuis. The watch firm states MCF has a low mass, is sturdy and ‘extremely comfortable’ to wear. The MCF case shrouds a titanium container, another material that is both light and skin friendly.
The motorsport influences also extend to the bezel, crown and strap. Employing the brand’s Quick Release System, the owner can rapidly change each component within the blink of an eye. Roger Dubuis offers various kits in different colours to change the model’s appearance to suit the wearer’s mood.
The dial indications include hours, minutes, small seconds (a hand is affixed to the tourbillon cage) and a power-reserve indicator. A liberal application of Super-LumiNova confers the bezel, logo, hands and indexes with a nocturnal glow. The brand has also decorated the strap with ‘Pirelli’s 150th anniversary logo’, incorporating luminescent treatment.
Poinçon de Genève
While Roger Dubuis’s models may be described as flamboyant, some may say excessive, there is no escaping the firm subscribes to the highest standards of watchmaking. The movement is appointed with refined finishes and is crafted without compromise. Indeed, the watch bears the prestigious Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal), providing independent assurance that it is made to the most exacting standards.
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT is limited to just 8 pieces and will be sold exclusively in the company’s own boutiques.
While many watch brands collaborate with partners, some collaborations deliver far more than others. In joining forces with Lamborghini and Pirelli, Roger Dubuis has shown what is possible when firms work closely with one another. It is this form of partnership that transcends marketing opportunism, delivering palpable benefits for Roger Dubuis’ discerning clientele.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT
- Reference: RDDBEX1036
- Case: white MCF (Mineral composite fibre) case with titanium container, diameter 45 mm, water resistance 5ATM (50m), sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours; minutes, small seconds on tourbillon, power-reserve indicator
- Movement: RD508SQ calibre; hand-wound movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3Hz); 29 jewels; power reserve 60 hours.
- Strap: white rubber strap with white rubber inlay with fused SLN on the 150th anniversary logo, white stitches. Interchangeable with Quick Release System. Buckle – titanium cover with titanium blades, triple folding,
- Price: price on application
- Limited Edition: 8 pieces