Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar

Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar Lavishly layered.The Roger Dubuis (RD) Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar is something of a bridge across eras for RD, combining the brand’s seminal biretrograde calendar format with the 2000s-era Excalibur case, executed in RD’s current lavishly layered house style. The revised perpetual calendar module brings plenty of haute horlogerie finishing to the dial side, and should prove more reliable than past iterations as well. Initial thoughts The Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual is a new model, but it feels like a watch that has always been around, combining several familiar Roger Dubuis elements. Chief among them is the biretrograde format, which has been a staple of the brand since its founding era. When the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar debuted last year, we speculated that a perpetual version was likely in the pipeline, and we didn’t have to wait long to find out. In terms of design, it’s pure RD through and through. The brand has offered glimpses of a return to its roots — the Hommage La Placide was well-received by neo-vintage enthusiasts — but it’s clear the brand remains committed to this bolder, more flamboyant vision of haute horlogerie that it has been championing since the launch of the Excalibur in 2005, albeit at a smaller size. Of course, the design won’t appeal to everyone, but that might be a good thing. Taste convergence favours the classics, but the polarising Excalibur aesthetic will appeal to those who appreciate traditional watchmaking but are bored by traditional designs. From that perspective, there’s a lot to like about the Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual, inside and out. The retail price of US$109,000 puts it in line with other Geneva-made perpetual calendars from the likes of Piaget and Vacheron Constantin. Of course, the 188 potential buyers of the Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual are probably not cross-shopping such disparate designs. It won’t win converts on the basis of value alone, but the specific tactile delights of RD watches are not easily found elsewhere. Lavishly layered The decadent multi-layer dial is embellished four large inlays of “Astral Blue” mother-of-pearl that grace the dial flange, the day and date scales, as well as the month disc and moon phase indicator. The muted blue colour blends into the dial, but prominent gold markings mask much of the texture. The one place where the mother-of-pearl really shines is the finely wrought moon phase indicator, which looks like a storm cloud over the the laser-engraved 18k pink gold moon disc, which is slightly domed for effect and affixed to a backdrop of aventurine glass. Beyond the somewhat exotic palette of materials, the exposed snail cams for the day and date displays are attractively finished in a manner that befits their prominent placement. The tangible quality of execution is a quantum leap above that of Dubuis’ first biretrograde perpetual calendar mechanism, which he and Jean-Marc Wiederrecht developed for Harry Winston in the early 1990s. For example, the racks and cams now pivot in jewelled bearings, supported by dedicated bridges with polished bevels and wide, bowl-shaped countersinks. More than just an aesthetic upgrade, the revised calendar system should prove more reliable than its predecessor. Roger Dubuis remains one of the leading proponents of the Poinçon de Genève, alongside its Richemont stablemate Vacheron Constantin. Part technical commitment, part geographical indication, the “Geneva Seal” is a big part of RD’s historical identity. As such, the hallmark itself is given pride of place above the moon phase aperture. The substantial 18k pink gold case has been downsized to 40 mm, but it hasn’t lost its character or its 100 m pressure rating, which instills confidence in the robustness of the design. It still wears large, even though it’s only fractionally larger than the Patek Philippe Retrograde Perpetual Calendar ref. 6159G — less than 1 mm in any direction. That feeling is probably due to the the most controversial aspect of the case: the third lug. While this design precludes the use of nearly all generic third-party straps, RD’s own quick-change system makes quick work of swapping one (proprietary) strap for another. Otherwise, case is thoughtfully detailed, with a deeply relief-engraved crown and four symmetrical correctors for adjusting the calendar indications and moon phase. On the right-hand side of the case, the correctors for the month and moon phase flank the crown, and at first glance could pass for small crown guard bolts. A serrated bezel matches the turret-like engraving on the crown itself. Tradition, upgraded Most mass market automatic movements are architected for the ever-popular central seconds format, with a directly driven fourth wheel in the centre of the movement. Though it’s an all-new calibre designation, the Biretrograde’s RD850 movement belongs to an older tradition, with a conventional gear train that naturally places the fourth wheel at the six o’clock position. The movement is clearly of the industrial-haute horlogerie variety, on par with similar calibres from Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. This means many major finishing operations are carried out by machine before the components are decorated by hand. The overall quality of execution is much higher than what the brand was capable of in its early days, thanks to improved tooling and industrial processes. Take note of the machine-engraved text throughout the movement. The “RD850” designation and other markings are engraved with remarkable clarity and precision, even replicating the tiny serifs of the brand’s corporate typeface. This seems like an obvious thing to do, but it’s still uncommon. The elegant script on the ring spacer is another example, and is legible enough to read the brand’s informal manifesto which translates as “This is a watch of today, inspired by but not bound to the past, which looks ahead to a future that belongs to us.” The “Geneva Seal” requirements are easily achieved by a brand like RD, and the small details are done well. Take the polished tips of the locating pins at the foot of each bridge — they uniformly reflect our photographer’s camera, illustrating their mirror polish. The perpetual calendar module has been revised for improved reliability — the beefy racks and cams visible on the dial should inspire confidence —but it still operates according to traditional principles, with a “grand lever” mechanism and push-pin correctors for each indication. The setting sequence is a bit nuanced, and asks the user to adjust the date and day to the previous day, before walking them forward using the hands. Of course, like almost all other perpetual calendar mechanisms, the date should not be adjusted during the “dead zone” between 8PM and 1AM to avoid damaging the movement. Despite its traditional roots, the movement offers a modern 60-hour power reserve, likely due to the diamond-coated silicon escape wheel first seen in 2023. Key facts and price Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar Ref. DBEX1178 Diameter: 40 mm Height: 12.25 mm Material: 18k pink gold Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 100 m Movement: Cal. RD850 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with retrograde day and date, and moon phase. Winding: Automatic Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz) Power reserve: 60 hours Strap: Calf leather strap with 18k pink gold folding clasp Limited edition: 188 pieces Availability: Exclusively at Roger Dubuis boutiques Price: US$109,000 excluding taxes For more, visit Rogerdubuis.com Back to top.