Roger Dubuis
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Roger Dubuis is a Swiss watch manufacturerer, currently one of the Specialist Watchmakers of Richemont.
Founded by Carlos Dias and Roger Dubuis
Through the cooperation of the watch engineer Roger Dubuis and the Portuguese watch fan and businessman Carlos Dias in 1995 the company SOGEM SA arises. Roger Dubuis had already worked at Patek Philippe and there gained valuable experience. The two decide to produce only 28 copies of each watch to ensure or even to enhance the exclusivity of each model. In addition each watch has to meet the requirements of the Geneva Seal and is delivered with this official award.
In 1996 the series Hommage is launched. In 1997 the brand is successfully launched in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand.
In 1999 the distribution is also expanded to North America. In the same year SOGEM SA is renamed to Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA.
A whole line of Manufacture Movements
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As the name already says: Roger Dubuis is a purebred watch manufacture. There is a whole series of in-house produced manufacture movements (of which the first four by the year 2002):
- The caliber RD 28, a hand winding column wheel chronograph with comfortable single-pusher control,
- the caliber RD 98, a manual winding movement with small second at the "9",
- and the similar calibres RD 8230 or RD 8231 as tonneau-shaped form movements with 8 days power reserve.
- In addition, as a further in-house development, comes the RD 10 module: Besides the usual hours, minutes and seconds from the center also calendar weeks, day and date are represented by hands from the center, two of them are retrograde indications. With the chronograph model, there is even a sixth cental hand.
- Furthermore there is also a movement with [automatic]] winding: the calibre RD 29.
The company is one of the very few who are able to produce a complete oscillating system almost entirely in-house (from 2003). In addition to the movements also the cases are self-produced; for this purpose the firm entertains an own case production in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
In 2001 one moves to the new headquarters in Meyrin near Geneva. The participation at the Geneva Salon SIHH turns out to be very successful. The four calibers as well as the further developed collections attract general attention.
In 2005 a second building is put into operation, in which 500 people are employed on 14,500 square meters. A machinery of 120 manufacturing equipments enables autonomous manufacturing of the inhouse calibers.
In the same year, the manufacture presents a double tourbillon, which is housed in the case of a completely new model, called Excalibur.
In April 2006 at the Geneva SIHH six more in-house calibers are presented. Three of them are world firsts. Overall, the company now has a total of 28 own manufacture movements, each of which is provided with the Geneva Seal.
A particular Style
The brand identity of Roger Dubuis is determined by a unique synthesis of two seemingly opposite poles: unusual, extreme, even uninhibited and "crazy" design style on the one hand, and a return to the traditional values of the high Geneva art of watchmaking as the other part (keyword: Geneva Seal). That means unusual looking watches with outstanding mechanical inner value. To name only one typical example, even the ladies watches are all equipped with mechanical movements, moreover, from in-house production - this claim even Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex cannot comply, and Cartier anyway!
You can also call this style "overboarding" joie de vivre. It is very befitting that the brand has also expensive jewelry on offer.
Continuing with Richemont
On September 17, 2007 it is announced that Roger Dubuis' component manufacturing becomes part of the Richemont group. First managing Director is a native of Augsburg, Matthias Schuler (formerly at IWC). The luxury group acquires a controlling interest in the company on August 11, 2008.
The earlier model series FollowMe, Hommage, Sympathie, TooMuch and MuchMore around 2008 are replaced by a new concept basing on vier collections: Excalibur, KingSquare, EasyDiver and GoldenSquare (more on this below).
The small series of only 28 copies are now joined by the "normal series" with 888 copies per model. The Eight as a sign of harmony and completeness is chosen as happiness and success symbol for the brand.
The newer models continue the "special style" of the brand mentioned above with even greater consequence: there are tourbillons also with strikingly masculine sport watches, movements skeletonized to the extreme are to be found in youthful fresh cases, and for colors, shapes and materials there are no restrictions. Rarely has such a young brand occurred as sovereign.
Expansion into Europe and overseas
Branches can be found not only in Geneva and Madrid, but now also in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Similar to other brands the sales network is supplemented by own flagship stores.
Model ranges
Each of the four model series covers a special division of the offering and represents a specific temperament: Excalibur = demanding complications, KingSquare = rectangle architectural design, EasyDiver = Sports watches, GoldwnSquare = jewelry watches / women's collection.
Excalibur
- Flying Tourbillon
- Double Tourbillon
- Triple Time Zone
- Column-wheel Chronograph
KingSquare
- Flying Tourbillon
- Column-wheel Chronograph
- High Jewellery
EasyDiver
- Flying Tourbillon
- Column-wheel Chronograph
GoldenSquare
Video portrait
- Roger Dubuis company portrait video, 6:46 (engl.)
Address
Manufacture ROGER DUBUIS
2, rue André-De-Garrini - CP 149
CH-1217 Meyrin 2 (Genf)
Tel. +41 (0)22 783 28 28
Fax +41 (0)22 783 28 82