It is pitch dark, suddenly two burning tyres start spinning whilst spraying sparks as if the rubber would have burned down to the rim. A signal-red needle accelerates over and over and provokes the howling of an engine. When it turns light, it’s not the animation of a sportscar as you would have expected, but the newest creation of watchmaker Roger Dubuis.
Unique – Roger Dubuis Excalibur One-Off
We are at the SIHH 2019 watch fair, where the material & technique-driven watch brand presents some new exciting novelties and takes the collaboration with Lamborghini to a new level – also the tire producer Pirelli joins the partnership. Since 2017, the manufacture works closely together with Lamborghini’s motorsport division Squadra Corse. Roger Dubuis has also been the main sponsor of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo for one year now. Some quite innovative watches have already emerged from this collaboration.
Inspired by Lamborghini’s sportscars – Excalibur Huracán Performante
The watches are distinguished by a strong design inspired by the super sportscars. Some of the materials used in the cars are adapted into the watches. It is especially the hexagonal architecture from Lamborghini cars that can also be recognized on these watches. The fire breathing protagonist from the presentation is the new Excalibur One-Off, that is inspired by the Lamborghini SC18 Alston. Its two Tourbillons symbolize the spinning tyres – the glowing needle shows the hours, instead of the revs. The Excalibur One-Off also doesn’t bring any engine to howl, at most its only owner, who has to pay around one million Euro for this one of a kind piece.
Limited to one piece – Excalibur One-Off
In return, he receives a high-tech watch made of carbon-titanium-ceramic, more precisely it’s C-SMC carbon and DLC titanium, which are also used for the sportscars. The in-house calibre RD106SQ – that was by the way built exclusively for this one piece – is equipped with two powerful flying Tourbillons that are inclined at an angle of 90 degrees. It improves its accuracy by further reducing the impact of gravity. They are linked by a differential to regulate the power reserve. The watch has a Geneva seal that involves some strict criteria. For this, Roger Dubuis devotes 40% longer production times.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracán
Roger Dubuis also presents two additional novelties from the collaboration with Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse that appear little less strident, however the same noteworthy. The Excalibur Huracán and the Excalibur Huracán Performante. Both watches are equipped with the in-house movement calibre RD630 self-winding, that has also exclusively been designed for these models. The balance at 12 o’clock has been inclined at a twelve degrees angle and helps to take up a more horizontal position, as we tend to wear our watches in a vertical position that affects the balance and hence the accuracy caused by gravity. The watch runs without ‘fuel’ for 60 hours, thanks to the power of two barrels. Looking onto the back of the watch you can spot a rotor that is shaped like the sportscars rims.
No limitation – Excalibur Huracán (left)
Limited to 88 pieces – Excalibur Huracán Perfomante (right)
The Excalibur Huracán is not limited and appears with a Bi-material strap with black rubber base and grey Alcantara-leather inlay. The Excalibur Huracán Performante has been equipped with some more features from the car. The yellow elements remind of the distinctive colour code of Lamborghini. Also, the air intakes that are worked into the skeletonized dial are enhanced by a grid. It is limited to 88 pieces and only available at Roger Dubuis Boutiques. The back of the Alcantara-leather strap features the Pirelli tyre rubber and pattern, which is also used on the Lamborghini sportscars.
