Luxury watchmaker Roger Dubuis has showcased a stunning titanium monotourbillon at Watches and Wonders.
We got hands on with one of the sportiest offerings from the brand yet.
When it comes to the best watches, there are really two tiers to the discussion. The first is the moderately attainable. Those are watches which – while still not cheap – are certainly attainable for normal people.
Then, there is the other half. The unobtanium with a six figure price tag and a spec sheet with more precious metal than Mr T's jewellery box.
Roger Dubuis are a brand who definitely fall into the latter half. Their watches are exquisite, with beautiful craftsmanship on display across their range.
At Watches and Wonders 2024, the brand placed particular emphasis on their use of the tourbillon. For the unaware, a tourbillon is a centuries old complication which looks to defy the effects of gravity. That suspends the hairspring of a watch in a cage, in a bid to keep more accurate time.
These days, the tourbillon is much more of a show piece than anything else. Technological advancements mean that accurate timekeeping is already possible, making the complication little more than the mark of a quality watchmaker.
Here, it is simply exquisite. Offset within a heavily skeletonised dial, the tourbillon spins proudly at the 7 o'clock position. That's neatly offset by the star shaped bridges at 1 o'clock. The result is a pleasingly balanced composition which is just lovely to look at.
That sits inside a 42mm case. That's a titanium case, with a matching titanium bracelet. And yes, you did read that right. In spite of the design of much of their back catalogue, this model employs a beautiful metal bracelet.
The result is a fantastic sports watch vibe, which is markedly out of sorts with the dressier vibe seen elsewhere from the brand. On the wrist it's just sublime, with a weightless feel thanks to that titanium construction.
Even the 42mm case feels rather slight once on the wrist. The whole thing is really just superb, and successfully ditches any sense of being from a dressier background.
That's likely thanks to the bracelet construction. The end links droop straight down from the case, making it devilishly comfortable – even if you have smaller wrists, like me.
Still, don't expect an easy ride if you're looking to snag one of these. Limited to just 28 pieces and priced at an eye-watering £128,500, you'll need to be quick with deep pockets to pick one up.
