Following the introduction of the same model (sans bracelet) in 18k pink gold last year, the new ‘cosmic blue’ variant of the Roger Dubuis (RD) Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar offers the brand’s signature retrograde day and date complication in a more accessible stainless steel package.

Initial thoughts

As a maker of big, bold, avant-garde watches, RD has found itself out of step with mainstream collector culture, which lately has favoured smaller, more elegant designs. The brand seems to understand the implications of these latent trends, and just last year introduced the Hommage La Placide, which was widely praised.

The new 40 mm Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar is another step in the right direction, bridging the gap between RD’s more flamboyant instincts and contemporary collector preferences.

In this context, the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar is clearly a watch designed to resonate more widely — the 40 mm stainless steel case paired with a blue dial is a commercially popular and almost universally appealing configuration. It works in part because the striking Excalibur design and unmistakeable biretrograde day and date functionality keep it from looking too much like anything else.

The stainless steel bracelet is also noteworthy. It’s not the first time the brand has offered a steel bracelet — and it has produced this same design in titanium in the past as well — but it might as well be new since the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar will probably appeal to a wider audience that may not be familiar with more niche references like the Excalibur Monotourbillon and the Monobalancier.

Despite the brand’s aggressive, often sporty styling, RD is a true haute horlogerie brand and even its ‘entry level’ calibres qualify for the Poinçon de Genève. The cal. RD840 clears this benchmark easily, and features a number of elegant details. It also features some technical upgrades, with a lightweight silicon escapement that helps boost the power reserve to a modern 60 hours.

The otherwise traditional Genevan manufacture started adding diamond-coated silicon escape wheels to certain references in recent years, so it’s nice to see this technology trickle down to a simple day and date model.

Case and dial

The Excalibur case design has been around since 2005 and has changed very little in its 21 years. Earlier models tended to be quite large — often in excess of 45 mm — but the design works just as well in the smaller 40 mm size.

The design is as expressive as ever, with its notched bezel, thick lugs, and bold angular details. The maximalist styling continues on the dial, which is built up of seven layers, and the exposed cams and levers of the retrograde indicators are richly decorated.

Then there’s the bracelet, which holds its own next to the bold case styling. While there are actually many ways to construct a bracelet, most reference the same handful of historical designs and end up looking generic as a result. The Excalibur bracelet is refreshing in its originality, even if it might not appeal to more classical sensibilities.

The angular multilink design won’t be confused for anything else, though the absence of built-in micro-adjustment is a mark against its ergonomics compared to contemporary bracelets from other brands.

For those who prefer a strap, the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar also comes with an additional calf-leather strap, which is easily interchangeable thanks to the built-in quick release system.

In-house biretrograde

Unlike RD’s first biretrograde modules from the 1990s, which were developed externally by Agenhor, the entire cal. RD840 has been developed in-house. While Agenhor is a well-regarded supplier today, the original biretrograde mechanisms were a product of an earlier era and had a penchant for getting stuck. The new platform benefits from lessons learned.

Notably, the inner workings of the biretrograde complication are revealed in the dial, imbuing it with a degree of technical dynamism normally missing from non-skeletonised designs.

Much of the finishing is evidently done by hand, and the movement easily earns the Geneva Seal that it wears proudly on the dial. There are some details — like the curb-pin regulator — that feel out of place in a modern high-grade movement but otherwise the cal. RD840 is executed to a standard typical of the industrial-haute horlogerie segment.

A charming Easter Egg that embodies RD’s particular philosophy is the cursive script around the periphery of the movement that translates as “This is a modern watch, inspired by but not bound by the past, projecting itself into a future that belongs to us.”

Key facts and price

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar
Ref. RDDBEX1209

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 11.25 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. RD840
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, retrograde day and date.
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with interchangeable leather strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: Roger Dubuis boutiques and authorised retailers
Price: CHF35,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Rogerdubuis.com