Introducing: The 45mm Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph In Pink Gold And Black DLC Titanium
The first three iterations of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph were essentially watch equivalents of hypercars. Those chronographs, made of high-tech materials and unapologetically showing their highly tuned performance “engines,” came in bold, sporty colorways. The fourth version is different. Reference RDDBEX1138 comes in a pink gold and black DLC titanium case instead of carbon fiber and ceramic. It changes the essence of the watch. No longer is it a timepiece with only performance on its mind. It utilizes the same movement, so it’s still technically advanced, but the caliber now shows warm pink gold details. Plus, with a different “body,” the emphasis has shifted from high-speed technicality to enjoying the “scenic route” that Haute Horlogerie offers at a more laid-back pace.
The fourth version of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph (price on request) is, just like its three predecessors, outfitted with Roger Dubuis’s fifth chronograph caliber and its first with a flyback function. Caliber RD780 takes center stage in the Haute Horlogerie show that is the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph. The watch might have an XL case in glowing pink gold, but the caliber is the most charismatic aspect of this latest Roger Dubuis creation. The futuristic-looking, skeletonized, and fully integrated chronograph bears the traditional Poinçon de Genève, meaning it was made in the canton of Geneva. And there’s more. The 333-part movement reveals an impressive total of 16 hand-finishing techniques, and it deviates by less than 60 seconds per week. A closer look reveals several interesting technical features, some traditional and some very contemporary.
Into the heart of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in pink gold
The 333-part caliber RD780 is outfitted with a column wheel, which ensures the pushers are much smoother to operate than those that link to a cam. The column wheel is also a symbol of fine watchmaking. This component is visible on the watch’s dial side at the 6 o’clock position. The chronograph mechanism also features a vertical clutch outfitted with a patent-pending Second Braking System (SBS). This component decreases “flicker” and stabilizes the chronograph’s central seconds hand.
At 3 o’clock, there’s an unusual element, the 120° Rotating Minute Counter (RMC) with its edgy, isotaxal shape. The minute counter includes a patent-pending hand consisting of three parts. The three parts of the hand carry the 0, 1, and 2, and that hand rotates past the 0–9 digits, making it act as an analog 30-minute counter. It’s easy to read yet complex to construct.
Another interesting feature of the symmetric-looking movement is the tilted balance wheel at 9 o’clock. According to RD, tilting the balance 12° results in better shock protection. Doing so also raises its level of inertia to the same standard as a tourbillon. Other features that help improve the regulating organ are an antimagnetic, diamond-coated silicon escapement wheel matched with diamond-coated silicon pallet stones. Furthermore, the five-arm, rim-like winding rotor that maintains the movement’s 72-hour power reserve carries a secret: it looks fully symmetrical but still spins like a conventional, asymmetric rotor.
Gold and black DLC titanium
To create a homogeneous look, some parts of the skeletonized movement and the indications of the RMC are in the same rose tone as the case. The 45 × 17.13mm pink gold open-worked case, with some parts in black DLC-treated titanium, is an unapologetic statement of luxury. Although this chronograph looks like it prefers taking it easy over too much physical effort, it still maintains water resistance to 100 meters. The Excalibur’s notched bezel and skeletonized triple lugs are impossible to overlook, and it is impossible not to have an opinion on these exuberant design choices.
Although any version of the Excalibur is a larger-than-life kind of watch, it contains plenty of subtle details. Just look at the skeletonized, black DLC titanium pushers and open-worked crown of this latest creation, for instance. And what about the floating tachymeter scale, the deeply placed date indicator at 6 o’clock, and the sharp, open-worked hour and minute hands? Yes, it’s an abundantly detailed creation, but it’s not crude. The watch’s looks might be polarizing, but a watch bearing the Geneva Seal can’t be called coarse.
Roger Dubuis’s lucky number
The pink gold might shine lavishly, but like a lush GT, the black rubber strap reminds you of its sporty soul. The strap is easy to replace thanks to its Quick Release System, and it closes with a pink gold folding clasp with titanium blades. Conveniently, the clasp also features the “QRS.”
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in pink gold is a limited edition of 88 pieces. And yes, 88 was Mr. Roger Dubuis’s (1938–2017) lucky number. To highlight this, the number 88 appears highlighted on the tachymeter scale. You see? This might be a 45mm banger of a watch; it does have its refined subtleties.
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