Roger Dubuis watchmaker latest creation, the Excalibur Spider is offering a watch just as exclusive and expensive as the new Lamborghini Countach. For $851,000 this exclusive timepiece offers the most complex double-flying tourbillon mechanism wrapped in mineral composite fiber, for those who value the most unique and exclusive time pieces.
This is not the first Lamborghini watch to come out of the Roger Dubuis atelier as the watchmaker is collaborating with Sant’Agata since 2017, where an Excalibur Aventador S was first introduced. A year later another Lamborghini Squadra Corse watch came out to celebrate the Super trofeo championship. And more recently a Excalibur Spider Huracán Black was introduced alongside the new Sterrato Huracan. All of these watch coming at eye watering prices.
So let’s see why this time anybody would want to spend almost a million dollar on a Countach inspired watch?
Craftsmanship without limits
The Excalibur Spider watch, with its double-flying tourbillon feature and white case, reflects high-end sophistication. The manufacturer of this watch used mineral composite fiber (MCF), a light material usually used in race cars to reduce weight and offer excellent structural integrity. When you see the size of the watch, you can also understand why they would want to save weight in any way possible.
Intricate Mechanisms
The watch features caliber RD112, a meticulously built, manually wound mechanical double-inclined tourbillon movement designed in-house. These dual-inclined tourbillon systems, connected via a differential system, promise increased accuracy over time. Unfortunately, these extremely complex mechanisms are very costly to engineer and produce. Tourbillion watches are always a sign of exclusivity.
Automotive-Inspired
The movement’s appeal imitates the Countach car’s rear window and the body design with a central bridge architecture that reflects the car’s slats. The automotive-inspired design may not appeal to everyone, yet the RD112 movement’s visual spectacle and craftsmanship are undeniable. Bearing the prestigious Seal of Geneva (Poinçon de Genève), the movement represents its manufacturing origin and the pursuit of aesthetic and performance excellence.
The watch bears minimal branding, without the Lamborghini logo and with the name ‘Countach’ subtly printed on the sapphire crystal case back—perhaps a deliberate design choice to sidestep the ‘car watch curse.
Five Things you don’t know about Roger Dubuis
- The brand was founded in 1995 by watchmaker Roger Dubuis and designer Carlos Dias, with the intention of creating distinctive and avant-garde watches.
- Roger Dubuis watches frequently feature the prestigious Geneva Seal, which the Geneva Watchmaking School awards to timepieces that meet strict criteria of craftsmanship and precision. The brand meticulously handcrafts each Roger Dubuis watch in limited quantities.
- In 2017, Roger Dubuis announced a partnership with Lamborghini, blending the worlds of high-performance cars and fine watchmaking. The collaboration has resulted in highly sought-after limited-edition timepieces that appeal to watch collectors and enthusiasts.
- Roger Dubuis’s first Lamborghini watch, the “Excalibur Aventador S,” was introduced in 2017. Priced at approximately $216,000 and limited to just 8 pieces in orange, it featured a forged carbon case sourced directly from Lamborghini. The watch also showcased bright color accents on the dial and straps, adding a touch of vibrancy to its overall dark design.
- A year later, after their collaboration with Lamborghini, Roger Dubuis became the main sponsor for the 2018 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship. To commemorate the partnership, they launched four limited-edition watches under the name “Lamborghini Squadra Corse,” which translates to “Racing Team” in Italian.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Huracán
In 2022, Roger Dubuis made quite an impression at Art Basel in Miami by unveiling the Excalibur Spider Huracán Black DLC Titanium watch in conjunction with the Huracan Sterrato. This watch takes a daring and unabashedly loud approach to design, juxtaposing vibrant hues of orange and yellow against a stark black background. An intriguing detail is the camouflage-patterned strap, a nod to the off-road prowess of Lamborghini’s iconic sports cars.
The design ethos of this timepiece veers decisively towards the ultra-contemporary, employing advanced materials like SMC Carbon for the formidable 45mm case. SMC Carbon, an incredibly lightweight composite material, is used in the fabrication of the Lamborghini Huracán’s chassis and body panels, affording a substantial weight reduction compared to traditional gold.
Roger Dubuis maintains an air of exclusivity around this watch by keeping its price under wraps. However, sources have suggested it carries an estimated price tag of a staggering $800,000. This undeniably places the timepiece in a luxury category that’s as much about brand prestige and craftsmanship as it is about its connection to the world of elite supercars.