Baselworld/SIHH

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*** SIHH 2012: Roger Dubuis ***

After last year’s revamp of the Roger Dubuis brand engineered by Georges Kern, the brand is proceeding to fill out its model range in four different segments. 2011 was the year of the La Monegasque, intended as a sophisticated dress watch. And so 2012 is the year of the Pulsion, a meaty sports watch with an aggressive design.

The Pulsion (who came up with that name?) case is well detailed and finished. Especially unusual the sapphire crystal screwed to the front, which covers the entire dial and bezel. It is engraved on the reverse with minute numerals numerals and those are then filled with Luminova which appears to be floating when viewed from the side.

The Pulsion chronograph has an open dial revealing the base plate of the chronograph. I find the dial too busy with the tachymetre, seconds markers and applied numerals competing for space on the outer rim.

The chronograph has a 44 mm case, available in rose gold, titanium or DLC coated titanium. It uses the in-house RD680 automatic chronograph calibre unveiled last year which features a micro-rotor and column wheel.

Also presented in the same 44 mm Pulsion case is the Flying Tourbillon Skeleton in titanium. This uses RD’s distinctive skeletonised flying tourbillon calibre with the star shaped bridge for the barrel. To match the case, the bridges are ruthenium coated and the screw heads are black PVD coated. Aside from the balance wheel and rubies, the movement is entirely black and grey.

While I do like the construction of the Pulsion case – the sapphire crystal is inventive and interesting – the overall design is a mish mash of elements seen elsewhere. And it seems to be trying much too hard to look like a sports watch. Not only are the hands shaped like swords, The integrated rubber strap has too many ribs and bands.

Last year saw a slew of new La Monegasque watches, this year one watch is added to the collection, the flying tourbillon in rose gold, which was previously only in white gold.

And finally the Excalibur range, which was mostly comprised of exceedingly large timepieces. It now has a smaller, slimmer line of automatics. These have 42 mm cases and are available in pink gold or steel, with various dials, with the option of a diamond bezel.

Notable are three versions with dials in lapis, black onyx and mother of pearl. The lapis dial with gold flecks is very attractive. In contrast the onyx dial is subtle, a deep, glossy black that can only be appreciated up close.

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