In Roger Dubuis’ ongoing series of Arthurian legend-themed watches, this is the second dedicated to the magician character known as Merlin—famously, the architect of King Arthur’s acquisition of the sword Excalibur via the Lady of the Lake. Many versions of the Arthurian legend also describe a romance between Merlin and the Lady of the Lake; in some of these stories, he builds her a lakeside castle crafted out of shimmering crystal. It is part of the tale that has inspired this timepiece, known as Excalibur Knights of the Round Table, The Enchanter Merlin.
It follows up on last year’s release, suffixed The Omniscient Merlin, which had a distinctive dial that played heavily in three dimensions—a basalt-inspired collection of 56 hexagonal columns, all cut to different heights and angles in a moody, black-and-gold setting. The Enchanter Merlin flips the script by embracing a white-and-gold theme—one with extra sparkle, at that. The columns rise from a pink gold base plate: 29 are in white enamel, polished or matte; nine in glass fashioned in the time-honoured Murano method; nine in polished pink gold; and nine in rhodium-plated gold. The latter are topped with a hexagonal diamond, a seldom-seen cut, and mark the first time that Roger Dubuis has used an invisible setting.
At the base of these columns is a new, cutting-edge application of metal crystals, crafted out of ruthenium. Chemically and aesthetically similar to platinum with its silvery-white shine, it affords an intriguing, textured shimmer that taps into the watch’s inspirations—whether crystal castle walls or a rippling lake under the sun is up to the viewer. And, of course, the titular knights stand vigil, as hour markers—meticulously cast in gold in their dynamic, raised-weapon poses, before being engraved and slightly patinaed.
The in-house, Poinçon de Genève-certified movement is the icing on the cake. Delivered in a 45mm pink gold case with a quick-release white leather strap, some of the finer touches of its structure include the sword guard-shaped crown protector, and a sapphire window beneath the bezel to let extra light into the dial. It is an intriguing timepiece, with an extremely unusual and compelling dial—one that combines sculpture with a geometric pattern that plays heavily with geometry, depth, and deeply contrasting textures. Watches are mechanical, not magical, but the way the various facets and textures of this timepiece play under the light can definitely set the imagination going. It is limited to 28 pieces.
