Just the One
Here’s a look at the watchmaking maisons who showcased at the renown watch trade show Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) this year from the 14th to the 17th January 2019. We’ve picked the showstoppers at the event and the next on our list is — the Roger Dubuis Excalibur One-Off.
You can find the full series here.
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur One-Off is already discontinued, for it lives up to its name: it is an utterly unique piece right down to the calibre, which will never be used again. This outlandish timepiece was created in collaboration with automotive icons Lamborghini and Pirelli, and was inspired by the Lamborghini SC18 Alston—itself a one-off hypercar, and on display at the Roger Dubuis booth for the duration of SIHH.
The Excalibur One-Off needed five years of R&D, and its design exuberantly references its muse. The single central hand indicates minutes and recalls a rev counter, while the jumping digital hours at 12 o’clock would look at home on a dashboard. Its hand-wound movement includes a double flying tourbillon, inclined at 90 degrees to each other. Instead of a push-pull operation, a selector lever switches the crown from winding to setting—this was a specially developed mechanism, and one of four patents filed during the manufacture of this watch. The 47mm case has a high-tech construction made from carbon, titanium and ceramic, while the two red accent pieces on the dial side are crafted out of ultra-thin sapphire.
This, unfortunately, is not something one can buy in a boutique—but it does confirm Roger Dubuis’ commitment to outrageous exclusivity and the sheer joy of over-engineering.
SIHH 2019 Recap
The 29th edition of Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) was another record-breaking one, counting 23,000 visitors over its four days. Geneva’s Palexpo convention centre was packed not only with people, but the latest about to be unleashed on the horological world from the 35 participating brands.
There were quite a few new beginnings and surprises. Ulysse Nardin reworked the iconic Freak, and Bovet’s debut introduced the fair to its historical pocket watch heritage. Vacheron Constantin and Hermes surprised with some truly innovative watchmaking, while Panerai showcased new limited editions that come with adventurous experiences attached. On their last appearances at SIHH, both Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille unveiled new collections—the former surprising with distinct and deliberate design, while the latter with a completely unexpected candy-themed range.
