At this year’s Watches & Wonders 2020, Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis introduces a brand new Excalibur watch – the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina. Unusually, the 45 mm watch’s case and caseback are made with the alloy CarTech Micro-Melt BioDur CCMTM. Meanwhile, the skeletonised timepiece’s functions include a minute repeater and a single flying tourbillon.
The Excalibur Diabolus in Machina‘s dial has a double-surface flange, which is engraved with a minute track. Meanwhile, the watch’s polished hour markers are filled with luminous SLN. What’s more, the brand has created the case, bezel and crown using CarTech Micro-Melt BioDur CCMTM. This non-magnetic alloy is popular in the automotive, aeronautical and aerospace industries due to its strength and resistance to corrosion, not least in comparison to stainless steel. Furthermore, it is very bright and shiny – another reason to use it for a watch.
Powering the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina is the horology house’s mechanical automatic movement, the RD0107 Calibre. Notably, it integrates a minute repeater, meaning the watch can tell the time through sound. Uniquely, the watch is tuned to the sound of the tritone – the famous ‘devil’s chord’ that was forbidden in medieval religious music.
A pushpiece activates a tone with a low pitch for the hours, a high pitch for the minutes, and two tones for the quarter hours. What’s more, a rotating disc with the words ‘Hours’, ‘Quarters’ and ‘Minutes’ lies at 11 o’clock. The disc visually indicates what part is being chimed.
Usefully, the minute repeater’s pushpiece means that the function can only be triggered if the pusher has been fully pressed. This stops the mechanism from being used accidentally, as this could cause potential damage to the movement.
The movement’s second complication is the mechanical single flying tourbillon, offering a frequency of 3 Hz. Meanwhile, the mainspring barrel provides the watch with a 60-hour power reserve. The movement has several decorations, including an NAC-coated plate and matching bridges, as well as Cotes de Genève patterning.
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina is certified with the Poinçon de Genève. It is presented on an interchangeable 3D calf leather strap with a titanium triple-folding buckle. Lastly, the timepiece is water-resistant to 30 m and costs 575,500 euros.
| BRAND: | Roger Dubuis |
| MODEL: | Excalibur Diabolus in Machina |
| REFERENCE: | RDDBEX0842 |
| CASE: | CarTech Micro-Melt BioDur CCMTM |
| DIMENSIONS: | Diameter: 45.0 mm Height: 16.8 mm |
| WATER RESISTANCE: | 3 bar (~ 30 m) |
| DIAL: | Skeletonised |
| STRAP/BRACELET: | Interchangeable 3D calf leather strap |
| MOVEMENT: | RD0107 Calibre |
| MOVEMENT TYPE: | Mechanical automatic |
| POWER RESERVE: | 60 hours |
| FREQUENCY | 21,600 vph / 3 Hz |
| FUNCTIONS: | Hours, minutes, minute repeater, single flying tourbillon |
| PRICE: | EUR 575,500 – Unique Piece |
