This is the year of the tourbillon for Roger Dubuis, with four limited edition models launched during Watches & Wonders 2024. Aa they put it, there are four key characteristics of a Dubuis torbillon – a large cage, large balance wheel, loud pallet sound, the shape of the cage (inspired by the Celtic cross), and their liking of flying tourbillons.

Of the four, the standout was the Orbis in Machina, with its central flying monotourbillon in a 45mm pink gold case with an 18k pink gold dial. The front is all about concentric circles in contrasting pink gold and grey set at different heights to reveal the skeletonised movement, and flying hands.

The multi-level dial displays hours, minutes and seconds alongside highlighting the monotourbillon. There is a grey double surface flange, satin-brushed, with transferred texts, and polished rose gold-plated hour markers with Super-LumiNova. The double surface disc is also grey, with a mix of satin-brushed and mirror polishing, with transferred texts and minutes markers. Then there is another satin-brushed grey disc with transferred texts and seconds markers. The open-worked hour and minute hands are brass rose gold-plated, satin-brushed, and have Super-LumiNova on inner faces, and fixed on a rotating disc.

Through the open case back can be seen the skeletonised manually-wound RD 115 which beats at 21,600 VPH and has a power reserve of 72 hours. It’s also about curves here, with rounder lines. There are shot-blasted and circular grained plates and bridges with NAC coating.

Coming on a calf leather strap with a triple-folding clasp with a pink gold cover and titanium blades, it has the QRS quick release system, it is limited to eight-eight pieces. It does appear big in both diametre and in heft, but it is comfortable on the wrist.

Even putting aside the technical achievements of the watch, it is also very attractive, but as is usual for watches of a particular type in terms of the design of the timekeeping hands, it will require a quick mental adjustment when looking at the watch as you scan for the hands.

Categories: Hands-on, Limited Editions, Roger Dubuis, Watch Profile, watches, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024

Tags: tourbillon