Roger Dubuis Pre-SIHH 2017 Novelties & Strategy

Taking advantage of my presence in Geneva for the GPHG, I had the chance to attend a pre SIHH 2017 presentation of several Roger Dubuis novelties at the boutique in Geneva with the presence of Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of the brand.

It was actually a true privilege since I could discover 3 pieces which are not under embargo. Jean-Marc Pontroué also gave us some important messages:

- the brand is in good shape thanks to its expertise on the Tourbillon field and its performance on specific segments (like over 100K euros). Roger Dubuis is now becoming a more credible player in the 50-100K segment thanks to the Excalibur Automatic Skeleton.
- Roger Dubuis is currently working a lot to make its communcation change and the biggest proof is the new signature: Dare to be Rare which replaces the good old "Horloger Genevois" which doesn't speak a lot to the customers. In fact, my feeling about this change is that it says a lot about the strategy of the brand. By moving from French to English, with a message less linked with the tradition and more "energic", Roger Dubuis expresses the will to attract new customers seduced more by the creative approach, by a contemporary design rather than by the classic message of a swiss brand. Roger Dubuis doesn't forget its roots but it is clearly focused on more contemporary backgrounds.
- We don't have to forget that Roger Dubuis is a brand which has a creative director, Alvaro Maggini in charge of, not only the design of the watches but also of the building of the brand image (boutiques etc...) and we can feel this consistency. Having a creative director allows to the brand to act a bit like a fashion brand even if of course, the mindset remains the one of a watchmaking company.
- Roger Dubuis will unveil around 20 novelties in 2017. But there will be a big change in the communication schedule: only a part of them will be presented at the SIHH. 2017 will feature 3 milestones: the SIHH, the Geneva Car Show and Pebble Beach. So you can guess that there are some partnerships with the car industry which are coming... Jean-Marc Pontroué didn't say anything about them except that they will be related to the world of supercars. Other partnerships will be developed but we need to understand that they will be more industrial partnerships than a pure story of putting a logo on a dial.
- Having said that, we can expect in 2017 a lot of creativity from Roger Dubuis and the SIHH Booth design will reflect it. Jean-Marc Pontroué showed us a picture during... a blink of an eye but I can tell you that the SIHH Booth looks very promising!
- Jean-Marc Pontroué also highlighted two pillars of the creative trend: disruptive materials and progressive complications. And one of the novelties is a live proof of this statement.

Let's discover these 3 novelties which will be officially launched at the upcoming SIHH even if they are not anymore under embargo:

The Excalibur Quatuor Cobalt MicroMelt is a new version of the famous and superlative Quatuor. It features a new material, an alloy made of chrome and cobalt created thanks to the MicroMelt technic.

I don't know if it is a tribute to France but the watch blends the 3 colors of the French flag: blue, white and red. To be more serious, the dominant color, blue, makes the watch more casual and also aesthetically "lighter". In this context, it is a good news since the case diameter remains large: 48mm.

The size is obviously mandatory because a large space is required to host the 4 balance wheels and the 5 differentials. I remind you that the aim of the watch, which is not a tourbillon is to find a kind of average and so stable and more accurate behaviour of the 4 balance wheels thanks to the 5 differentials. It is the reason why Roger Dubuis considers that the frequency of the watch is 4 times 4 hz. Even I tend to disagree on such assumption (for me, the frequency stays at 4hz), the watch is a true technical breakthrough. The power reserve is 40 hours what is a good performance considering the huge amount of energy which is required.





The watch is bulky but there is a feeling of lightness when we observe the dial and the balance wheels.




The visual rendering of the chrome&cobalt case is very nice and the properties of such allow are very promising: excellent corrosion protection and durability. I enjoyed to wear this watch despite its size and thickness (18,38mm)  thanks to the titanium folding clasp which efficiently maintains it on the wrist. Please note that 8 pieces will be produced.





The Excaliber Automatic Skeleton now comes in a 45mm Spider case. And I love this!

The watch finds a new energy and the beauty of the skeleton dial works perfectly with the Spider case.

Here again, you will find blue, white and red touches of color. When I told you that there is a tribute to France!





The titanium case makes the watch light and very nice to wear. Even if I'm a fan of the 42mm version, I have to confess that this more sportive design is a great addition into the collection. Who said that a Tourbillon is mandatory? This Excalibur Automatic Skeleton gives the proof that a "classic" balance wheel combined with a visible micro-rotor located dial side can offer a very enjoyable show!



This watch really seduces me and I consider it already as one of the key pieces of the Roger Dubuis 2017 collection, especially when we realize that its price is located in a strategic segment for the brand. The power reserve of the 4hz movement is 60 hours. 88 pieces will be produced.



The third piece of the pre SIHH is this lovely Excalibur 36mm with blue dial and bezel set with 48 blue sapphires. The case is made of titanium + DLC. The watch is powered by the automatic movement RD830 which has a 4hz frequency and a power reserve of 48 hours. This Excalibur, thanks to the character of the case and the large roman figures looks bigger on a lady's wrist than its actual size. A watch I appreciate a lot.



If we look at these 3 watches, we find a common thread: the use of the blue color. But Jean-Marc Pontroué insisted that it was more a schedule  coincidence than a true strategic move. The other pieces which will be unveiled later will offer a wide range of colors.

Thanks a lot to the Roger Dubuis team for the warm welcome at the Boutique.

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