The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium 42mm is a wrist-hugging paradox imbued with watchmaking finesse
Hear the word ‘Excalibur,’ the name of King Arthur’s fabled sword, and images of chivalry, kings, and knight errants immediately flit through the mind. The Arthurian myth—a saga Andrzej Sapkowski, author of the Witcher books, once described as the backbone of all fantasy literature—has been a reservoir of inspiration for many artisans throughout the centuries.
Yet, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium 42mm, the first Excalibur timepiece in a full titanium case and bracelet, seems to eschew any historical sentimentalities. If anything, the hyper-modern design of the skeletonised timepiece, characterised by sharp, straight lines accentuated by negative space, appears as though it’s straight out of a sci-fi film (directed by Michael Bay, presumably).
This, of course, isn’t anything new for Manufacture Roger Dubuis; the avant-garde sensibilities of the watchmaker has been well documented in recent decades, further reinforced in 2021 when the Maison redesigned its Excalibur line to feature the now recognisable star-shaped bridge.
The watchmaker’s newer timepieces like the Roger Dubuis Hyper Watches Orbis and Excalibur Spider Double Tourbillon further prove the point, and has resulted in fans of the Maison’s early, classically-inclined timepieces like the Hommage and Sympathie, lamenting the watchmaker’s current unabashed, almost larger-than-life design codes.
That being said, there’s little sense in judging a watch by its bridges, and even less so when the timepiece in question is packed with as much horological finesse as the Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium 42mm.
Polished to the hilt
The first thing one notices when handling the timepiece is its weight, or rather, its lack of it. Yes, “titanium is light,” is hardly a noteworthy assessment, but there’s something pleasantly incongruous about a sharp, 42mm, hyper masculine timepiece that can be easily lifted with a couple of fingers. The watch’s lightness (titanium is 33 per cent lighter than stainless steel) makes it a more than comfortable daily wear, although some may prefer a little more heft on the wrist when wearing a close to $100,000 watch.
Those with smaller wrists may be concerned about its 42mm size, but the watch is surprisingly wearable, even for this writer’s dainty wrists. The timepiece’s wearability isn’t owed to just its size and weight; the grey, almost monochromatic combination of its titanium case and brushed bracelet adds some much needed softness and subtlety to its extravagant dial, preventing the timepiece from being overly stimulating.
That balance is, perhaps, the biggest achievement here, especially when you consider the high amount of visual intrigue being offered. The bezel, for example, is notched and highly polished, contrasting elegantly with the timepiece’s matte surfaces. Despite its high polish, prominence, and rugged allure, the bezel doesn’t detract from the skeletonised dial, acting as a complementary frame that accentuates the dial’s negative spaces instead.
A bridge to behold
The crowning glory of the timepiece is, of course, its skeletonised dial. While the dial can more than catch the eye from wrist-checking level, it’s best to use a loupe to get a deeper appreciation for the details. Sporting a layered arrangement of matte-finished gears and bridges, the dial boasts a pleasing level of depth and nuance, further embellished by the contrasting polished surfaces found on the outer rim of its skeletonised micro-rotor and the chamfered edges of its star-shaped bridge.
This level of finesse, perhaps, should be of little surprise for a timepiece bearing the Poinçon de Genève, or the Geneva Seal. One of the most prestigious certifications in haute horology, the seal requires watchmakers to adhere to a rigorous set of criteria, including hand-finished components, strict accuracy tests, and traditional techniques—all completed within the Canton of Geneva.
What is most impressive here is how the dial appears harmonious and legible, even if those qualities are balanced on a razor’s edge. The paradoxical combination of its monochromatic, almost brutalist-like bridges and refined level of decoration results in a timepiece that is measured yet ostentatious. Completing the effect are its matte-finished, semi-openworked hour and minute hands and a flange adorned with polished hour markers and a minute scale.
Those more classically inclined may remain skeptical of the Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium’s avant-garde styling. We, however, believe the timepiece—powered by the Maison’s automatic RD720SQ calibre that boasts an impressive 72-hour power reserve—achieves just the right amount of finesse and sophistication to captivate even the staunchest traditionalists.
