Roger Dubuis’s latest creation is truly something magical. The codes of passion, boldness, and commitment not only apply to chivalry but also how Roger Dubuis goes about making their timepieces. Their latest masterpiece is a tale of Legendary craft; The Knights of the Round Table. The modern-day knights depicted on the dial of this extravagant timepiece represent a group of individuals that hold themselves up to a high standard. Individuals who expect the best not only from themselves but their surrounding comrades too. This level of excellence not only rings true for these knights but also Roger Dubuis as a brand. Expect nothing but the best, create nothing but the best on their quest to represent the future of Hyper Horology.
The tale of the Knights of the Round Table is as old as time. This latest creation takes this legacy and displays it with artistic mastery on the dial. Keeping the idea of the past, the craftsmanship and creativity of the knights have been done with the future in mind, showing that the strength of the past can be used to forge the path of the future.
Design:
The Knights of the Round Table has been created with a 45mm pink gold casing, with pink gold and crystal sapphire bezel and pink gold and red Murano glass crown. The bezel has the signature Excalibur design with notches along with the three lugs that are iconic to previous iterations of this model. Without even starting to look at the dial we can see the amazing detail of the lugs of the case, bezel, lugs, and the design of the crown. The notches leading to the crown make it actually seem like a guard of a sword. Details like this are what makes this watch really special. And we haven’t even begun on the dial!
In forging the legendary myth of the Knights of the Round Table, Roger Dubuis has set the tone that the knights are simply not just sitting around the table, as per previous versions of this watch. In this timepiece, Roger Dubuis tells the tale that “The threat is real. The battle is on. In the mysterious depths of a forgotten place, twelve brave knights prepare to defend their kingdom against the power of gravitational force. The ground is fracturing, the broken earth begins to crack. Sensing danger, the knights position themselves against this invisible enemy. Will they triumph? The legend is very much bought to life in the most exquisite way possible.
Donned in 18K 750/1000 pink gold, each knight has then own unique pose, ever-ready to take on the battle ahead. Roger Dubuis states that this “hyper-expressive” craftsmanship took almost a year and a half to actually master. Through the art of micro-sculpturing, each knight comes complete with their own medieval armour, plates, shield, helmet, and individually customised weapons. Each knight is set against a transparent blood-red flange that has been developed from precious Murano glass. Murano glass has also been used for the black pieces on the dial. The black pieces are designed in a way to almost look like an open hole or crater where whatever lies underneath is about to come out and fight the knights. To depict such a tale on a watch dial with an amazing amount of detail is not only jaw-dropping but a rarity.
Movement:
The movement used to run this masterpiece is the automatic Monobalancier RD821 calibre. Roger Dubuis is all about maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship and excellence, which means that all parts of the 45mm movement are finished with meticulous care. The movement is created and finished according to the criteria of the Poinçon de Genève, which is one of the most exclusive stamps of certification in the world of watchmaking.
The open case-back reveals the oscillating weight, which has been completely redesigned to now feature two woven layers of tilted pyramid shapes which make up the appearance of castle-stained glass. Around the case back display Roger Dubuis has inscribed the famous oath spoken by the knights defending King Arthur “Around this table, the bravest knights will gather as equals. They will set forth in search of adventure, righting wrongs, protecting the weak, and humbling the proud.”
This timepiece is set on a black calf leather strap and is now the first Knights of the Round Table watch in the collection to feature the brand’s Quick Strap Release System. As the name suggests, this allows for quick interchangeability of the watch straps, letting the user complete the look to their taste. Although we have to say, that the black leather strap certainly helps the watch dial take all the attention, which in this case is exactly what you need it to do!
The hyper expressive timepiece that is the Knights of the Round Table is unfortunately limited to 28 models only. But with only a handful of these units in existence, it’ll certainly be a treasure that is well sought after.
Honouring the legendary tale of the Knights of the Round Table, the watch is now presented in a new light with a modern design. With the incredible detail presented on this latest feat from Roger Dubuis, it proves that they have the métiers d’art credentials, which is an honour reserved only for the few.
