Inspired by Merlin’s mythical crystal palace, the latest Roger Dubuis Knights of the Round Table timepiece is a veritable tableau of artistry
Watchmaking design is an arduous pursuit. The most inventive minds across the industry will testify to the hidden complexities—from the technical hurdles of engineering to the constraints of craft and material manipulation—that are all underpinned by the uncertainty of whether the final vision will resonate with collectors. So, when a design emerges, one that is unabashedly daring and grandiose, it commands a particular kind of respect.
In many ways, the latest addition to Roger Dubuis’ Knights of the Round Table collection embodies this sentiment. That being said, distilling the new Enchanter Merlin edition so simply would fail to do it justice. More than just another avant-garde design from the boundary-pushing maison, the timepiece is a sumptuous orchestration of materials and elements, rendered in a composition that pleases (and surprises) the eye at every turn.
Just like the Roger Dubuis Knights of the Round Table, The Omniscient Merlin edition from 2024, this new iteration presents a dial rich with architectural depth. While its predecessor drew from the rugged basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, The Enchanter Merlin shifts the focus to crystalline splendour. Drawing on the legend of Merlin conjuring a palace for the Lady of the Lake, the dial becomes a luminous landscape, its 56 hexagonal columns, in lustrous white enamel, Murano glass, pink gold, and subtly-set diamonds, ascending in stepped formation above a shimmering bed of ruthenium crystals.
It’s only right to pause and take stock of the sheer number of visual elements at play here. Beyond the technical know-how and hours of meticulous craft required to put it all together, the resulting visage has to achieve a delicate sense of balance. And while the glistening combination of ruthenium and diamonds threaten to disrupt that harmony, the exquisite gleam that’s achieved when the timepiece is hit by light is more than fair compensation.
Of course, no Knights of the Round Table timepiece from Roger Dubuis is complete without its guardians. Here, twelve intricate micro-sculpted knights in 18k pink gold encircle the crystalline composition. Standing just six millimetres tall, these miniature warriors are decorated by master engravers who spend two to three days etching fine details on each knight.
Complementing this crystalline tableau is an exquisite 45mm pink gold case. Here, the maison’s iconic Excalibur case, with its notched bezel, triple-lug design, and sword-guard shaped crown guard, balances the delicate dial with a sense of rugged masculinity.
Powered by the Poinçon de Genève-certified Calibre RD821, which delivers a 48-hour power reserve, the limited-to-28 timepiece packs serious horological prowess to boot, proving that creations of daring artistry can more than exist beyond the realms of myth.
