Roger Dubuis recently released the Hommage La Placide, limited to just 28 timepieces. The watch commemorates three decades of expressive watchmaking in a style that’s somewhat polarizing in the watch community but appealing enough to make the brand successful. The watch bridges the maison’s early years with its present-day status.
This anniversary piece turns the original Hommage concept inward. It honors Mr. Roger Dubuis' calm “Placide” (his nickname) persona, and the philosophy that shaped the brand.
The Hommage La Placide has a 38 mm 18K pink gold case paired with a blue interchangeable leather strap featuring an intricate Roger Dubuis emblem on the buckle.
The dial, which some may find rather busy, is actually on the muted side when you compare it to most watches in the Excalibur Collection. Speaking of Excalibur watches, the Excalibur Monobalancier Biretrograde Calendar (launched at Watches and Wonders Geneva), like this timepiece, puts emphasis on the Maison’s apparent love affair with the biretrograde display.
The first Hommage watch was made in 1996 as Mr Dubuis’ tribute to people who had an influence on his career, one way or the other. In line with this, the design of this watch borrowed ideas from the original, but this time paying tribute to the founder.
The watch’s dial displays a perpetual calendar with retrograde displays for days of the month and days of the week, centered around 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock respectively. At the top, you have a subdial showing the months and a leap year indicator. A circular-brushed flange with rhodium coating and polished angles frames mother-of-pearl calendar segments.
At 6 o’clock, you have a moon phase with curved 18K yellow gold moons in blue aventurine carrying the signature Roger Dubuis lettering. All these are on a “Leman Blue” lacquer background framed by red and black indices on a white background.
Powering the watch is the Calibre RD1472, a movement that fuses original and remanufactured components to meet today’s Poinçon de Genève standards. It combines the brand’s RD14, the first in-house automatic caliber from 2004 with the 1999 RD72, renowned for its perpetual calendar.
Put these together and you have a perpetual calendar with retrograde displays and moon phase. The caliber comprises 307 components and features 15 distinct decoration techniques. These include wheel-bevelling, Geneva stripes, perlage, and frosting.
Reviving the RD14 required a re-evaluation. Extensive diagnostics and quality control were done on each caliber, with wheel axes repositioned after a full recalculation of the gear train. However, the original Roger Dubuis balance springs and swan-neck regulator were retained.
For the RD72, the brand remanufactured key elements in-house. These include the main plate, large bridge, and about half of the components, with the goal of delivering a smooth month and leap year display using two star-shaped wheels with 12 and 48 teeth.
Put together, you have an impressive timepiece which while muted by the brand’s standards, displays elegance that the man himself would likely be proud of.
All existing Hommage owners should note that Roger Dubuis is offering a complimentary Hommage strap for their original timepiece. The brand states that it is a gesture of gratitude that can be claimed by visiting any Roger Dubuis monobrand boutique.
