SIHH 2018: Roger Dubuis revs up with the roar of Lamborghini and the fast-lane grip of Pirelli
How Grand Prix tyre changes put Roger Dubuis in pole position for supercar watch partnerships with Lamborghini and Pirelli
What makes some timepieces mere instruments for telling time and others precious watches?
Some watchmakers might say it is “the experience” they bring to the wearer, along with their materials, design and craftsmanship.
Critics might call this description a marketing jargon, but at least one Roger Dubuis collection was born from personal experience.
In 2016, the maison’s CEO, Jean-Marc Pontroué, was invited by Pirelli to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the Italian tyremaker’s trackside VIP area.
Watching the pit-stop action, Pontroué asked his host what would happen to the racing cars’ used tyres.
That discussion soon led to two limited-edition models from Roger Dubuis’ skeletonised Excalibur Spider range in the following year: the 47mm Double Flying Tourbillon, available in eight pieces, and the 45mm Automatic Skeleton, in 88 pieces.
The watches’ straps were made from the tyres from Lewis Hamilton’s Grand Prix-winning Mercedes AMG F1 racing car. The watches were later delivered at the 2017 Austin Grand Prix.
Their straps’ texture and colour echoed the watches’ black titanium DLC case and carbon components, while the Roger Dubuis-Pirelli brand collaboration reaffirmed the synergy between motoring and watchmaking.
That partnership eventually led Roger Dubuis to Lamborghini, and a brand collaboration on the Aventador S watch by Roger Dubuis, unveiled last September.
The timepiece features an all-new RD103SQ calibre that was inspired by the Lamborghini V12 engines in the Aventador S and the new Huracàn Super Trofeo EVO.