The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Aventador S is a revved-up timepiece born from a brand collaboration made in heaven
November 15, 2017
Bold, brash, ostentatious, rare and wildly expensive… This description could just as easily be applied to any of Lamborghini’s red-hot hypercars as it could to an exquisite Roger Dubuis timepiece. So, when the two brands announced a new long-term partnership that’s set to run for at least the next five years, well, it just made perfect sense.
We’ve all seen brand tie-ups that don’t quite align (take the supercar marque’s previous partnership with Blancpain, for example, which never seemed the best fit…), but this deal sees the coming-together of two brands with such similar DNA, brand personality and even clientele, that the pairing really does seem to be a match made in heaven.
Measuring in at a not-inconspicuous 45mm diameter, the Excalibur Aventador S is certainly not the kind of timepiece that is content to hide discreetly under a cuff, peeping out only when its wearer deems necessary. Yet, despite its imposing size, thanks to a Lambo-style carbon fibre framework and skeletonised caseband and lugs, it feels remarkably light on the wrist. The 88-piece edition features yellow rubber accents, while the rarer variant is punctuated with orange rubber.
Much like the Lamborghini it is inspired by, the really important thing about this timepiece is what is under the bonnet. And in a sign of just how seriously Roger Dubuis is taking this collaboration, the Excalibur Aventador S is powered by a brand new movement — the Duotor Caliber RD 103SQ, which is skeletonised, regulated by two inclined sprung balances and features the first jumping seconds complication ever to appear on a Roger Dubuis watch.
“Like Lamborghini, we deliver ‘engines’ distinguished by their extreme quality and cutting-edge performance,” says Roger Dubuis CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué of the promising partnership.
“But like the owners of such exceptional Italian hypercars, our customers are above all interested in standout aesthetics that ensure instant recognition matched by ultra exclusivity and rarity. Combining our in-house talents to deliver exceptional timepieces and unique experiential value naturally implies shifting into high gear, our favourite mode of operation.”
"Like Lamborghini, we deliver ‘engines’ distinguished by their extreme quality and cutting-edge performance"
And if the first timepiece born from the collaboration is anything to go by, the next half a decade is going to be seriously exciting. Sold in two limited-edition versions (EX613, which is limited to 88 pieces, and EX624, of which only eight examples will be made), the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Aventador S is an achingly beautiful carbon fibre creation that takes its aggressive styling and design cues from Lamborghini’s roaring roadster.
Inspired by the engine bay of the Lamborghini Aventador, the movement runs at 4Hz and offers a generous power reserve of 40 hours, which, if you look closely, can be seen displayed on a horseshoe-shaped power reserve indicator between the one and two o’clock positions on the dial.
While the most obvious difference between the two variants is clearly the aforementioned colour variation, the other slightly subtler difference is the use of a piece of Lamborghini technology on the eight-piece EX624. Drawing on the Bologna-based carmaker’s expertise in carbon fibre, the timepiece uses Lamborghini’s award-winning C-SMC carbon composite to create a thin cover plate detail that sits on top of the power reserve indicator.
The other difference between the two versions (which will no doubt not make much odds to the average Lamborghini or Roger Dubuis buyer) is the price. The 88-piece EX613 over-moulded in yellow rubber retails at $185,000, while the rarer orange-accented piece with Lambo-spec carbon fibre will set you back $205,000.
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