The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Just for Kings is a watch thats lineage and price of admission more than justify it's name. Simply put, everything about it is majestic!
Few 'new era' watch brands ever rise to the level of manufacture. Far fewer make this commitment in just under 4 years. Roger Dubuis has achieved both and since then has developed and produced twenty eight different mechanical calibers. Not content with just meeting the standard; Dubuis actually produces almost all of the individual parts and components that make up their movements in house.
Since the launch of Roger Dubuis in 1995, the Geneva-based watch house has compiled a collection of haute horologie that now spans more than 7,000 references. Originally a collaboration between Carlos Dias, the current president; and Roger Dubuis, it's namesake who's now retired; Dubuis now employs over 450 people and is famous for it's extremely limited production of individual designs (some limited to as few as 28 pieces).
My review of the Excalibur Just for Kings is limited since I haven't had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with one. I can tell you though that the aura of this watch, in person, is quite a thing to behold and something that doesn't leave you quickly. Of course, as in all things Dubuis, the design elements are both original, entirely unique, and often not altogether practical. In his penchant for departing from the expected, Dubuis has always been at the forefront of new concepts and designs in watchmaking and certainly isn't shy about making a statement. Often times design elements pioneered by Dubuis have quickly found their way into other brands. In fact, several of the names given to early editions in the Roger Dubuis line were the result of Roger's tongue-in-cheek attempts to call out other manufacturers who were plagiarizing his designs (ie. follow-me).
Clearly the design team at RD both knows their way around the extremes of technical possibility and, just as importantly, doesn't take itself too seriously. The 'Just for Kings' is, at it's heart, a flying one-minute tourbillon (prominently displayed at 9 o'clock). While for many the tourbillon represents the height of mechanical complicaton, in the 'Just for Kings', things get even more complicated with the addition of a chronograph function controlled by a single 'button' and featuring two 'retrograde' counters (all, of course being so much easier to say than to do). Then there's the subsidiary seconds that occupy a very elite piece of dial real estate - the airspace right on top of the tourbillon cage. Finally, there's a large date display at the 3 o'clock position to somewhat balance the attention vacuum created by turbo window on the other side.
The RD JFK has an exhibition back, of course; and the finishing and attention to detail of the movement is stunning. The case itself is big - 45mm in diameter and almost 16mm thick. If you have royal taste (and a kings ransom... somewhere in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million sheckles to be exact), you can acquire a Just for Kings in either rose or white gold. Some monarchs may require one of each flavor - variety being the spice of life and all. Only 28 will be made - so drop everything and head down to your local authorized retailer where just a small deposit will secure your spot in the kingdom.
