The world of luxury is often filled with superlatives, because it is not enough for something to be well-made, beautiful to look at, delectably rare and priced into the stratosphere — it also needs to have a good story to tell. What happens when a story is repeated for years by many brands? What is left to say when all high-end watches are promoting history, craftmanship, a seamless mixture of tradition, innovation and craftsmanship?
Roger Dubuis’ answer was straightforward: he wanted to turn the world upside down and invent a new philosophy that would allow him to design the most outrageous tickers. That doctrine is what the brand now calls “Hyper Horology”, and it is as over-the-top and entertaining as it sounds.
Hyper horology is founded on the brand’s values of “pleasure, freedom and madness”. A supercar and a hypercar are obvious comparisons. This is the top of the range of motoring. It boasts cutting-edge technologies, sensational designs and performance that exceeds the requirements of an average driver. Hyper Horology as Roger Dubuis practices it is similar with horological innovation that pushes the boundaries of traditional watches, devilishly daring aesthetics, undeniable quality, and chronometric performance.
In fact, The two worlds are so closely aligned in their values that Roger Dubuis’ partnerships with Lamborghini Squadra Corse and tyre manufacturer Pirelli have resulted in an entire collection of motorsport watches. Models like the Excalibur Spider Huracan and Excalibur Spider Aventador are examples that were inspired by Lamborghini’s iconic automobiles. Pirelli’s influence is often seen in the watch straps, where the rubber inlays are taken from certified Pirelli winning tyres, though the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Monotourbillon (created for the tyre company’s 150th The anniversary edition features a bezel, crown, and strap that can easily be swapped out. This is inspired by quick pit stops in motor racing.
Urban culture is another realm Roger Dubuis aligns himself with when expressing Hyper Horology. Its “Urban Culture Tribe” includes disruptive creative minds like tattoo artist Dr. Woo, graffiti artist Gully, Chinese artist Liu Wei and Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama — all of whom have lent their radical styles to limited edition watches pulsating with attitude.
Even without input from its many collaborators, Roger Dubuis’ own design team is trained in the art of spectacle. From the rotating minute counter of the RD780 calibre to the “floating” power reserve indicator of the new Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph, traditional watchmaking elements frequently take on exciting new forms.
These designs, which are reminiscent of science fiction, are frequently paired up with high-tech materials. Roger Dubuis was not only one of the pioneers of the use composite materials in the watchmaking industry, but it also experimented with unusual case materials like cobalt-chrome. This highly corrosion-resistant alloy is used in everything from turbines to surgical implants.
But not all watches look like Autobots. Roger Dubuis still treasures the beauty of metiers d’art, most recently demonstrated in the extravagant Knights of the Round Table Monotourbiillon in 2022. The collection’s first tourbillon, the centrally mounted complication is surrounded by 12 knights serving as hour markers — each one hand-sculpted in pink gold and holding a different pose. The gold markers for the rotating minutes and hours are mounted on a double disc system decorated with pink or purple Murano blocks. This creates a beautiful interplay of movement and colour.
Roger Dubuis watches are unique, but some of the most radical designs still manages to surprise. That same year, the watchmaker released the Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon Glow Me Up which featured baguette diamonds set in grooves filled with multicoloured Super-Luminova such that the gems put on a light show in the dark — needless to say, that was a world first.
Hyper Horology is a circuit that includes the pursuit of firsts. In 2020 it achieved three firsts in one watch: the Excalibur Twofold Double Flying Tourbillon. The first being the use of the aforementioned MFC for the case, followed by the development of a new way to apply Super-Luminova to the plates and bridges and lastly, a strap made of a rubber material called FKM that was infused with Super-Luminova and dubbed “LumiSuperBiwiNova” technology.
It is only natural that the actual watchmaking adheres to the same manic philosophy. Tourbillons – arguably the most animated of complications – and special escapement architectures dominate these collections. Roger Dubuis’ Excalibur Quatuor was released in 2013. It featured four sprung balances that were positioned at a 90-degree angle to each other and linked together by differentials. This is the most spectacular design since Abraham-Louis Breguet created the tourbillon. It was a show of force, but it wasn’t a tourbillon. This watch came in gold but also in a special edition in silicon. This technical feat, and the silicon case that it came in were both world firsts. No other watch brand has ever attempted to achieve either feat.
Roger Dubuis is also a top performer in the department of quality control. The Poincon de Geneve (Geneva Seal) is a legendary stamp of approval for the industry. It’s only awarded to watches which are completely manufactured in Geneva. They must also meet several strict criteria regarding quality of materials and finishing. Only about 24,000 watches out of the 20 million produced in Switzerland each year bear the Seal. Roger Dubuis offers the seal on virtually all of its timepieces.
The brand is poised to achieve much more. It’s hard to believe it has accomplished all of this in less than 30 years. In recent years, the company has set up an incubator department called the “Q Lab” named after the fictional innovation laboratory in James Bond. All employees are encouraged to share their ideas and to be creative.
For clients, embracing Hyper Horology means embracing the essence of the “Hyper Life”. Roger Dubuis’ timepieces are a gateway to a wide range of experiences. What the brand does best is to immerse its customers in its fascinating realms.
The extraordinary lifestyle that the brand represents is reflected in exclusive VIP experiences at F1 races and events such as the Geneva Motor Show, Goodwood Festival of Speed and the prestigious Geneva Motor Show (where Roger Dubuis is proudly the Official Timing partner). Moreover, the provision of bespoke customisation services exemplifies Roger Dubuis’ take on savouring life in the fast lane.
The most extreme example of “hyper living” was when the owner of the Excalibur One-Off concept watch was treated to a different surprise every month for a year before the watch was delivered. The most extreme example of “hyper living” was when the owner of an Excalibur One-Off concept watch received a different surprise every month for a year before receiving his watch.
The spirit of Hyper Horology and all that we have seen and will continue to see has taught the world of watchmaking that anything worthwhile is worth going overboard.
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