Roger Dubuis And Patek Philippe:A Tale Of Two Grand Complications
A grand complication is the Triathlete of the watch world. To qualify, it must achieve three major feats of watchmaking all in one package. That means it should have a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and either a chronograph or a tourbillon. Combining these functions in one super watch is a longstanding tradition in the world of high horology. Two examples of a grand complication, both introduced at Watches and Wonders earlier this month, demonstrate how modern design codes are changing a genre that has been around for more than a century. Roger Dubuis's Excalibur Grand Complication and Patek Philippe's Ref. 5308G perform similar functions, and both are contemporary expressions of the grand comp, but the similarity ends there.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5308G Quadruple Complication.
Aside from timekeeping, Patek Philippe Ref. 5308G has a minute repeater, a split seconds chronograph and a perpetual calendar. Patek Philippe is famous for all three complications, particularly chronograph/perpetual calendar combinations. The dial architecture of the iconic Patek Philippe chronograph/perpetual calendar was established in 1941 with the famous Ref. 1518, (versions of which now cost seven and eight figures at auction). It stayed much the same right up to its current perpetual calendar/chronograph model, the Ref. 5720, and most examples by other brands followed the traditional layout it established: day and month appear lined up side by side in windows at the top of the dial. Subdials at 9 and 3 provide chronograph hour and minute counters, and the date index surrounds the moonphase at 6.
The Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 set the design code for a perpetual calendar/chronograph.
The 5308G is not that. It modernizes the way we read those functions, with day, date and month set in windows that form an arc at the top of the dial. The chronograph minutes and hour counters occupy the 3 and 9 positions, but in reverse, and with a modern font, and the ice blue dial gives it a pure 2025 vibe. The dial color is the year's strongest trend in luxury watches. The 5308G also has a state-of-the-art movement with several patents, and because it adds a split seconds function to the chronograph, Patek counts that as a fourth complication, referring to it as a Quadruple Complication. It is not limited, but it is expensive, with a price tag (in Swiss francs) of CHF 1,050,000.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication.
The Roger Dubuis is another version of a grand complication that is even more aggressively modern, but also steeped in tradition. The first watch Roger Dubuis produced when he started his brand in 1995 was a a bi-retrograde perpetual calendar, the first time anyone had designed a perpetual calendar that way. The new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication revives the signature bi-retrograde display and adds a flying tourbillon and a minute repeater for a full-on high-watchmaking spectacle.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication.
The day appears on the retrograde index at left, and the date unfurls on the right side of the dial, with month on a disk at 12 o'clock and the flying tourbillon taking position at six. The dial is openworked, not just because of the modern aesthetic, but to demonstrate its high-watchmaking finish. It is made to Geneva Seal standards, which means every inch of it is finished and decorated in some way – with brushed surfaces, polished chamfers and something called coin rentrant, which means that inner angles of the bridges are beveled and polished to perfection, a task that takes years of training. Flip the watch over, where the finish is just as perfect, and you can see the gong and hammers of the minute repeater.
Caseback of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication.
Despite these very traditional nuances, the Excalibur Grande Complication has a completely modern look, with its crenelated bezel, triple lugs, skeleton hands and edgy rose gold and black color scheme. It will be made in a limited edition of eight pieces, priced at $691,000.
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New York Times
22-07-2025
- New York Times
100 Years On, Art Deco Still Influences Watch Design
'Patek Philippe as we know it today wouldn't exist without Art Deco influence,' said John Reardon, an expert in the brand's vintage watches. 'Sometimes it is subtle — it could be a flourish buckle, the crown, the lugs, the index shapes.' 'Other times more obvious," he noted, 'like with the new desk clock,' the Ref. 27000M, a green and gold addition to the brand's Grand Complications collection that was inspired by a 1923 design. Mr. Reardon, who founded the online education and sales platform Collectability, also cited the Patek Philippe Ref. 5101 P, introduced in 2003. 'With this towering watch on your wrist you feel like you are part of the New York skyline,' he said. 'And it has the salmon dial inspired from that era.' But as Art Deco marks its centennial this year, it is clear that Patek Philippe is not the only watch brand that has been inspired by the style's bold lines and architectural details. Consider Cartier's geometric designs, Jaeger-LeCoultre's linear Reverso or even the newly reimagined Mini DolceVita by Longines. In the watch universe, Art Deco has become an enduring inspiration. Art Deco was popularized in 1925, when millions visiting the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris saw the style showcased in its architecture and exhibits. Van Cleef & Arpels, for example, won the grand prize in the jewelry category for a set that included the Fleurs enlacées (entwined flowers) bracelet of red and white roses in brilliant-cut diamonds. 'This put us on the international map,' said Natacha Vassiltchikov, the house's heritage retail director. 'Diamonds in different cuts and platinum were the main materials. Sometimes contrasted with one color or onyx. These pure, graphical and elegant aspects are one of the reasons why Art Deco pieces remain so popular and work so well in combination with pieces from other periods.' Why has Art Deco had such a strong effect not only on watch and jewelry design, but also in the wider design universe? Some answers are likely to emerge from 'One Hundred Years of Art Deco,' an exhibition of more than 1,000 items ranging from watches and clocks to life-size interiors of the Orient Express that is scheduled to open Oct. 22 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. 'We will show the many facets of Art Deco,' said Anne Monier Vanryb, the main curator of the exhibition. 'Not only the geometric, streamlined, bold, refined and elegant aesthetic that combines modernity and preciousness. There are also many delicate, floral objects and exotic directions in Art Deco.' Ms. Monier Vanryb said the 1920s were known for technical innovations, the use of sensual materials and the development of a cosmopolitan clientele — references that also could apply to Cartier, which is to have more than 50 necklaces, tiaras, boxes, accessories and timepieces displayed in the exhibition. The pieces, lent by Cartier or already a part of the museum's collection, were chosen by Mathieu Rousset-Perrier, the museum's jewelry curator. 'The Art Deco development of wristwatches corresponds to the liberation of the silhouette of men,' he said. 'Men wore suits that were less rigid, they were living a more active, dynamic life. And they could not wear pocket watches anymore as they were not wearing waistcoats. Just look at the tonneau and square watches from Cartier and Jaeger-LeCoultre, the modernity — they are so current.' To Mikael Wallhagen, the head of watches for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Sotheby's Geneva, Cartier's timepieces defined the Art Deco era. And, he noted, 'I don't know if it has to do with the centenary of Art Deco — but at the moment, shaped vintage watches are very popular.' 'We recently sold watches from the bejeweled Cartier Tutti Frutti collection, sautoir watches, the Portico Mystery table clocks, Chrysler Building-inspired pocket watches. And, of course, early models of the Tank — they are always popular,' he said, citing a platinum Tank Normale from 1920 that recently sold for 96,000 Swiss francs (about $120,300). As for the most popular Art Deco-inspired watch, Mr. Wallhagen said it had to be the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. The rectangular watch allows the wearer to flip the case over and lock it in place, a feature originally envisioned as a way polo players could protect their watches' crystals during matches. At the headquarters of Jaeger-LeCoultre in Switzerland's Vallée de Joux, Jérôme Lambert, the brand's chief executive, explained why the Reverso had become such a hallmark of the company: 'Reverso is a story of style and modernity. And it is almost the only existing watch still in production true to its style since its creation in 1931.' 'The Reverso,' he noted in a follow-up email, 'embodied that aesthetic of Art Deco, a style rooted in geometry, symmetry and understated elegance. Its reversible case is not only a technical achievement but a design statement that remains relevant, modern and instantly recognizable.' Today, Jaeger-LeCoultre's designers have continued to reinterpret Art Deco's geometry and defined lines by incorporating such elements as mother-of pearl, enamel and precious stones. Consider the Reverso One Precious Colors, a limited-edition model in white gold and geometric enamel patterns, accented with bands of brilliant-cut diamonds (price on application). Yet, 'Art Deco was never just about design,' Mr. Lambert said. 'It was a cultural phenomenon, a worldwide artistic language. It transcended borders and disciplines, shaping architecture, fashion, design and watchmaking alike.' Its influence also has extended into more affordable watch brands, such as Longines, which this month debuted a steel and gold version of the Mini DolceVita, a quartz reinterpretation of a Longines timepiece from 1927 (starting at $1,700). 'Art Deco represents the fusion of modernism, design and artistic expression,' Giuseppe Miccio, the brand's head of product development, wrote in an email. 'It emerged during a period of great technological and cultural progress — an era when pioneers in aviation, transportation, architecture and industry were redefining the boundaries of possibility.' And to Mr. Miccio, Art Deco endures because it has captured a rare balance: 'That harmony between progress and elegance has a universal appeal, transcending both generations and disciplines.'
Business Insider
08-07-2025
- Business Insider
From Rolexes to a $73,000 Patek Philippe, celebrities are going all out with their Wimbledon watches
David Beckham wore a custom watch he got for his birthday to Wimbledon. Beckham is a brand ambassador for the Swiss watch company Tudor, which gifted him a custom timepiece for his 50th birthday in May, as the brand confirmed to Business Insider. On June 30, he pulled out the watch to accessorize his Wimbledon look, pairing it with a cream suit and sunglasses. Tudor did not release details on the watch, but Esquire reported it's a custom version of the brand's Black Bay Chrono. The steel Chrono retails for $6,050, but Beckham's watch features diamonds nearly everywhere, including the bezel and the hour markers. Given the custom details, the watch likely costs much more than the standard version. The same day, Eddie Redmayne rocked an Omega watch. Redmayne modeled in a campaign for Omega's Seamaster Aqua Terra, so it's no surprise he wore the $7,000 watch to Wimbledon. The face of his steel watch was red, offering a pop of color on Redmayne's neutral-toned ensemble. Molly-Mae Hague's gold Patek Philippe watch stood out at Wimbledon. Hague, a reality TV star, influencer, and mogul, has been wearing her Nautilus watch from Patek Philippe since 2021. On July 1, she attended Wimbledon wearing it with a Christian Dior dress. Most of the Nautilus is rose gold, but it has 56 diamonds on the bezel, adding a high-end touch to the piece. The watch retails for $72,806 on Patek Philippe's website. Nick Jonas accessorized his suit with a vintage Rolex. Jonas attended Wimbledon with Priyanka Chopra Jonas on July 2, showing off a gold watch when he clapped. The timepiece was a vintage version of Rolex's Day-Date watch, which Jonas was also spotted wearing in April. Made of 18-karat yellow gold, it had diamond detailing on the black face for a touch of glamour. Though pricing wasn't available for Jonas' specific watch, the modern Day-Date 40 retails for $102,750 on Rolex's website. Russell Crowe and Britney Theriot took their couple style to the next level with matching Rolexes. Rather than showing off their couple style by wearing the same color or pattern to Wimbledon, Crowe and Theriot both wore Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches. Crowe sported the turquoise iteration of the watch, which costs $37,400. Theriot wore the same watch with a black face and a gold band. It costs $48,400 on the Rolex website. Kobbie Mainoo made his look pop with a Rolex. The Manchester United player paired a yellow blouse from Loewe with trousers and a Rolex Day-Date on Friday. Mainoo's Day-Date 40 has an 18-karat rose gold band in Rolex's "president" style and a striking olive green face for a colorful and modern take on the watch. It retails for $47,500. An Omega watch peeked out from Glen Powell's sleeve at Wimbledon. Warren Alfie Baker styled Powell for his appearance at Wimbledon on Saturday. He wore a Brunello Cucinelli suit, which he accessorized with an Omega watch. Powell wore the brand's $10,600 Constellation watch, which has a leather strap and gold detailing on the bezel. Andrew Garfield accessorized his all-white look with an Omega watch. On Sunday, Garfield appeared at Wimbledon wearing Ralph Lauren head to toe. Baker also styled Garfield's look, which included a button-down, trousers, a sweater around his shoulders, and a ball cap. Garfield added an Omega De Ville Trésor watch to the ensemble. The steel watch costs $7,400 and has a black leather strap. The actor is an Omega ambassador, and he often wears the De Ville Trésor to events. Roger Federer sported a Rolex he debuted for the brand in March. Rolex released its Land-Dweller 40 in March, and Federer, a brand ambassador for Rolex since 2001, starred in the campaign for the watch model. Federer appeared to wear the same watch at Wimbledon on Monday. He has the white Rolesor version made with Oystersteel and white gold. Federer's watch costs $15,350, which is the most affordable version of the Land-Dweller. The Land-Dweller 40mm with diamond and platinum detailing retails for $118,050.
Forbes
18-06-2025
- Forbes
Tattoo Artist Dr. Woo Talks Time, Galaxies And Roger Dubuis Watches
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III Today, Swiss watch brand Roger Dubuis unveils the third watch in collaboration with tattoo artist and designer Dr. Woo. The new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III is a three-dimensional masterpiece with artistic engravings on everything from the case to the dial and even the movement components. It is the culmination of a distinctive thought process on behalf of both partners, as well as a highly technical mastery of the arts. The watch represents a journey inside deep space, and the artistic elements of it reflect Dr. Woo's single-needle style of inking. In fact, Dr. Woo, whose real name is Brian Woo, has made a name for himself in the tattoo art world thanks to his single-needle designs that have attracted celebrity clients like Drake, Miley Cyrus, and Cara Delevingne, among others. Dr. Woo Dr. Woo, though, considers himself a designer more so than a tattoo artist, which is just one faction of his multi-faceted work. He has had design collaborations with brands such as Converse, Sacai and Japanese brand Neighborhood. In a private interview, he said he enjoys the Roger Dubuis collaboration because it allows him to explore time. 'A lot of what I do in my design language has to do with a bit of the unknown mystery. I love space, I love the uncertainty. We know so much about everything, but we don't know a lot about the beyond and wonderment is something I feel like we lost with so much information and digital assets that we have access to,' explains Dr. Woo. 'And for this watch, I feel like we wanted to delve more into the unknown part of space and time, so it has a lot of different dimensions and black holes and it's a little bit wonkier and more distorted. It is more of an interdimensional idea' A look at the signature style of Dr. Woo tattoos. As mentioned, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III is the third in the partnership that witnessed the unveiling of the first watch in 2021 with a philosophical space flight executed on the Excalibur Monotourbillon with symbols that implied time is our most valuable asset. In 2023, they followed up with a ceramic Excalibur Monobalancier featuring a cosmic design of the sun, Earth, and moon, anchored by Woo's signature spider, rocket, and symbolic language. Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III is being made in a limited edition of just ... More 28 pieces. Now, these three elements – the spider, rocket and symbols – are once again taking center stage. In typical Dr. Woo style, the look is monochromatic and minimalistic – offering great geometry indicative of pen and ink sketching. Roger Dubuis and Dr. Woo drew inspiration from the Whirlpool Galaxy—a real spiral galaxy, also known as Messier 51a)—that is 31 million light-years away and is known for its dramatic, star-forming arms that were captured by the James Webb Telescope in 2023. This intriguing cosmic galaxy, which Roger Dubuis internally calls the Tourbillon Galaxy, serves as the creative backdrop for the newest Excalibur Monotourbillon timepiece, whose complex mechanical tourbillon is constantly in motion. The cat back of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III The signature rocket is on the sapphire crystal in pink gold metallized format, along with a 'We come in peace' saying etched into the trails of the rocket ship. Woo's spider, a signature not only in the Roger Dubuis collaboration, but also in his own art, is engraved at 10:00 and filled in with black ink to recall the artist's style. Then, beneath the surface of the crystal and positioned at 9:00, are three metallic nebulas or clouds of dust. Nestled neatly between 10:00 and 11:00 is a spiral-shaped laser-engraved object intended to represent a black hole. The caseback of the watch also reveals the same black hole, filled in with black ink and surrounded by a spiraling checkerboard motif. The objective: to combine the concepts of warped time and deep space. Surrounding the center motif on the case back are the words: 'Let's work together to uncover the mysteries of the cosmos and unlock the secrets of the universe. To whoever finds this message, know that we are seekers of knowledge and explorers of the unknown.' The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III retails for $180,000. For some, these words may just be a bit too much – too metaphysical. But Dr. Woo says that may be the result of the fact that he and Roger Dubuis are trying to capture something elusive. 'Time is the one asset you can never get enough of, and it's the only thing you can't put a value on. For me, balancing family and the creative lifestyle and more, time is definitely about distorted moments. My mind and body doesn't run on a singular path of time, so in some ways you so into a sort of hyper-transported dimension. It's really cool, and it's what we are trying to express.' The 42mm Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Dr. Woo Episode III watch is crafted in 18-karat pink gold and titanium. It boasts a bi-color bracelet whose center links are engraved with Dr. Woo's mystery symbols. Beating within the watch is the in-house-made mechanical RD515 caliber with flying tourbillon escapement (that compensates for errors in timekeeping due to the effects of gravity on the wrist). The lower cage of the tourbillon at 7:00 on the dial is crafted in titanium, while the bridge is shaped with three arms to recall the spiral inspired by the Tourbillon Galaxy. The movement consists of 193 individually hand finished and assembled parts and carries the Poinçon de Geneve (Seal of Geneva) Hallmark—attesting to its meticulous haute horology craftsmanship. Just 28 pieces of the watch will be made, each retailing for $180,000.
