Roger Dubuis Introduces the Excalibur Sorayama Monobalancier
Having made it a point to collaborate with contemporary artists – last year the brand recruited tattooist Dr Woo to design a watch – Roger Dubuis has now turned to Hajime Sorayama. Best known for his mirrored, metallic female robots – which were the centrepiece of Dior’s 2019 men’s collection – the Japanese illustrator applied his aesthetic to Roger Dubuis’s signature time-only wristwatch to create the Excalibur Sorayama Monobalancier. The Excalibur is perhaps the quintessential face for the Roger Dubuis of today. Skeletonised and sharply sculpted, the watch – as well as its movement – have been reworked by Mr Sorayama in the manner of his trademark robot drawings. Both the watch case and movement gain the rounded, mirror-polished finish that define Mr Sorayama’s work, which extends to depictions of Mickey Mouse and dinosaurs. A typical Sorayama work: Untitled, 2018. Image – Art Basel Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis’ current offerings are ultra-modern timepieces that are done well in both construction and finish, but they are often overshadowed by their traditional predecessors. That’s a shame because watches such as the Monobalancier are amongst the better examples of a sporty, skeletonised watch. Already original and creative in both the movement and case, the Monobalancier is now made more appealing with the Sorayama touch. The artist has given the watch a makeover that’s subtle yet significant, reshaping some elements and giving most of t...
Time+Tide
