Roger Dubuis Archives - Who Sells Best Mens Uk Replica Watches Online

Early this year Roger Dubuis announced a new limited edition Excalibur model called the ‘Brocéliande’, a skeletonised flying tourbillon that was to be the first part of a trilogy of limited editions of the same name. A 42mm pink gold replica watch with 3.44 carats of stones, it is characterised by the use of semi-precious stones in autumnal colours set as foliage into the skeleton, and a vibrant matching red strap. The skeletonised tourbillon movement used for this piece is the Calibre RD505SQ.

At Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 not only was this stylish replica watch on display, but accompanying it were the two remaining parts of this special three-piece limited edition series.

With ivy decorations entwining the skeletonised movement, all three models differ in their decoration : brilliant-cut diamonds, semi-precious stones for an autumnal feel, or mother-of-pearl leaves. The third of the trilogy has an additional sixty brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel and 157 on the flange.

We took a closer look at one of the three. With bezel and lugs both with baguette-cut diamonds, it shares a similar base to other Roger Dubuis models such as their diamond-set rubber replica watch from earlier this year which also uses the same movement – the RD505SQ flying tourbillon skeleton movement. Manual-wind, it beats at 21,600VPH and has a power reserve of sixty hours.

In this new model there are pink and purple leaves composed of brilliant-cut diamonds and semi-precious stones along slender gold wire diamond-set ivy branches. It comes on a matching pink alligator strap which has a clasp paved with 32 baguette-diamonds. It’s also worth noting that there is a rose-cut diamond set on the crown.

So what actually is ‘Brocéliande’? Well it has a link to Arthurian legend and hence, the ‘Excalibur’ theme.

Brocéliande is the name of a legendary forest in France, probably Brittany, in which Merlin’s tomb is purported to lie. Its first mention in literature dates back to 1160 and a history of the Dukes of Normandy called the ‘Roman d Rou’ in which it is called ‘Brecheliant’ and the Brittany area is mentioned. It is also referred to in other early texts dating back to the 1100s and its links to Arthurian romance date back to ‘Le Chevalier au lion’ (Chrétien de Troyes) in the the 1170s and 12th and 13th century poems. It is even mentioned by Alfred Lord Tennyson in ‘Merlin and Vivien’ from ‘Idylls of the King’.

Ivy grows in a rather healthy fashion in the forests of Brittany, and it is this that Roger Dubuis have chosen to use as their decorative touch. It is good to see a movement not being restricted specifically to men’s pieces; the skeletonised Excaliburs are replica watches with a very strong presence with a clear aesthetic, so this is their attempt to soften their look for some haute women’s pieces.

Each of the three Brocéliande models are in a limited edition of twenty-eight pieces.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

Nowadays when we think of Roger Dubuis we visualise slightly outrageous replica watches involving spiders, rubber and diamonds bezels, and half a million dollar pocket replica watches. However, if we go just a few years back we are reminded that they put out some more classically-styled lines that are a far cry from the uncompromisingly distinctive timepieces of today. One of these was the Much More, which was a curved rectangular case that came in various sizes and in a variety of mostly simple dials (e.g. Roman or Arabic numerals on single-coloured dials).

However, there was one notable exception – the limited edition Much More painted enamel dials. Most often seen amongst these were those with maps and images from continents ranging from the Americas to Asia, Africa and even Australia but there were other more whimsical ones, including one of a man with a hat and this example, the Japanese Geisha Tarot.

Made in a limited edition of 28 pieces, the miniature paintings of the two women are highly detailed.

Miniature painting is the most elaborate form of enameling, which encompasses a variety of techniques including cloisonné, plique-à-jour, and champlevé. For those unfamiliar with the process, an enamel painter uses an extremely fine brush to apply enamel color compounds and oil on a white enamel or mother-of-pearl surface, creating a scene, layer by layer, working from light to dark colours, with firing in between, to create the final picture. Each trip to the kiln may slightly alter the colour, so it’s as much about experience (with regards to creating the colour powder, understanding the colours and how they will change, temperature and timing) as miniature-work skill.

With the large number of colours on this dial, the grand feu enamelling process of painting and firing over and over again is not only more lengthy and complex but more susceptible to bubbles, cracks or discolouration as a consequence of so many firing steps.

The ends of the dial are ever-so-slightly curved to match the overall curvature of the replica watch. A flat enamel dial is difficult enough but a curved one? Imagine the number of dials that may have been rejected or not been up to standard before this was completed.

I believe that this particular design came with two different types of automatic movements depending on where they were in the limitation sequence – one with a Lemania-based RD Calibre 57 and the other (i.e. this one, which was made sometime between 2007-2008) with an in-house movement, but really, it’s all about the dial for this replica watch.

It is difficult to tell in photos, but this rose gold replica watch is large – 52mm x 34mm. The curvature makes it more wearable to some extent if one pushes it up the wrist a bit and it is surprisingly comfortable, but there’s no getting around the fact that it is too large for many (if not most) people. That all being said, it is a dial that one appreciates the longer one looks at it, especially under a loupe, so perhaps in a sense one treats it more like a miniature work of art that one occasionally puts on one’s wrist. If you do choose to wear it, it comes on a sporty perforated black alligator strap with a matching rose gold pin buckle.