Representing a new era for the Roger Dubuis manufacture, the Excalibur Spider Flyback is an aggressively styled, motorsports-themed chronograph – boasting the impressive, high-spec RD780 movement with some unusual tricks up its sleeve, including an inclined balance.

While the Excalibur Spider Flyback harkens back to the brand’s early aspirations in terms of movement construction and ambition, it diverges entirely in style with its supercar-inspired lines. Limited to 88 examples in pink gold, it debuted at Monterey Car Week – Roger Dubuis is a partner of Lamborghini – this variant in pink gold and blackened titanium is a new iteration of a model originally available in carbon composite.

The RD780

Initial Thoughts

In its past life, Roger Dubuis raised a menagerie of ambitious – perhaps overambitious – movements. While the brand thinned the herd after the 2008 financial crisis, some of that spirit lives on inside the Excalibur Spider Flyback.

It attempts the dial-movement integration and three dimensionality mastered by some independent watchmakers like Greubel Forsey, though the construction is still fairly traditional, leading to some lost opportunities. The calibre is impressive – especially for a brand owned by a luxury group – but could be better. For example, the minutes counter could be inclined by 12° to mirror the balance and the imitation barrel bridge to be more convincing in terms of style and symmetry.

With its over-the-top-style, the Richard Mille RM 71-91 is the obvious point of comparison, though the Spider Flyback is still bigger, brasher, and more technically adept. Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Flyback is another alternative, and offered in a similar pink-gold-and-black livery.

The Spider Flyback sits firmly between the two, price wise, with plenty of space on either side. The Spider Flyback’s movement, however, is arguably more sophisticated than either of its direct competitors. Watches like this aren’t a value-focused genre, so I won’t hold the US$135,000 price tag against it, especially when you can spend more and get less.

Spider Like

While the Excalibur Spider Flyback is a few years old now, this is the first iteration in gold. It’s paired with black, DLC-coated titanium buttons and a matching quick-release rubber strap.

The case is large, 45 mm in diameter and 16.1 mm in height, and an evolution of the familiar Excalibur design. The bulk suits the aggressive and vaguely automotive styling; though the motorsport cues are more apparent from the back with an alloy wheel-inspired rotor.

The “Spider” label indicates this is a lightweight version of the Excalibur, hence the open-worked lugs and case flanks. Roger Dubuis first launched the Excalibur Spider design with a web-like, open-worked tourbillon movement to match the airy skeletonised lugs and crown. The chronograph takes a different approach, opting not to fully skeletonise the movement, only letting a sliver of daylight by the balance through.

Rather than openness, the Spider Flyback’s movement offers incredible depth, pulling you in rather than leaping out. The RD780 is pocket watch-sized at 16”’ (or about 36 mm) wide and 10.7 mm tall. For comparison, the famously bulky Valjoux 7750 is 13.25”’ (about 30 mm) wide by 7.9 mm.

Note the quick-release tabs facilitating quick strap exchange

Like all Roger Dubuis movements, the RD780 proudly bears the Poinçon de Genève. The chronograph is a spec-sheet darling with a column wheel and vertical clutch. The former is positioned at six o’clock for symmetry and lacks the traditional cap that Roger Dubious once employed.

The latter features the brand’s patented Second Braking System; this approach mounts the chronograph brake directly one of the vertical clutch pincers. I assume this is most beneficial when the reset hammers don’t sit against cams when zeroed, as is the case for most flybacks, though that is only speculation on my part.

Besides a chronograph, the enormous size accommodates two mainspring barrels for 72 hours of going, automatic winding with a central rotor, and, surprisingly, a date.

The latter is notable only because avante-gard watches like the Excalibur Spider often omit the otherwise ubiquitous calendar. Here, a stencil-style, calendar wheel displays the date in negative using a white segment at six o’clock for contrast. You can quick-set the calendar from the crown, a feature often taken as a given, but lacking on sport chronographs from fellow Genevois watchmaker Patek Philippe that employ a recessed pusher.

The assortment contains some interesting features of its own, including a diamond-coated silicon escapement and 12° inclined balance. Today, out-of-plane balances are most associated with Greubel Forsey, and often considered cutting edge, though such oscillators were first experimented with during the pocket watch era in the early 20th century.

The balance on the carbon variant.

An inclined balance exploits the way watches are typically measured, obfuscating differences between horizontal and vertical positions. In practical terms this reduces of difference between leaving the Excalibur Spider Flyback on its side and on its back. It also reduces the lateral space the balance occupies, though necessarily increases the thickness of the movement.

Dial

Turning to the dial, the Spider Flyback looks like a dial-less design exposing the movement at first. A closer look reveals a number of black and gold trim pieces, giving the illusion of a highly three dimensional movement. It’s most obvious with the jewel cut-outs on the faux barrel bridge when observed at an angle, but is well executed otherwise.

More notably, the Spider Flyback takes a creative approach to minutes tallying. While mechanically a normal minutes counter, the display of elapsed minutes is unusual.

The tri-spoke minutes hand carries the tens numeral for the minutes, while the single units of minutes are arranged on a stationary scale. Elapsed minutes in the same manner the time on a wandering hours display. It’s a surprisingly legible solution that fits the overall aesthetic well.

Outboard are a tachymetre scale and seconds track, with fraction of a second hashes properly calibrated for a 4 Hz movement, which is good attention to detail. And, unlike tonneau-shaped chronographs from a previously mentioned brand, the sweep seconds hand touches the scale at all times, making it quite practical.

Key facts and price

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph
Ref. RDDBEX1138

Diameter: 45 mm
Height: 16.1 mm
Material: Pink gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: RD 780
Functions: Hours, minutes, date, and flyback chronograph with 120° Rotating Minute Counter (RMC)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hours (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with folding clasp

Limited edition: Yes, 88 pieces
Availability: Only at Roger Dubuis boutiques
Price: US$135,000

For more, visit Rogerdubuis.com.