Roger Dubuis was founded in 1995 by Roger Dubuis and Carlos Dias, and is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland. Roger Dubuis has previously worked for Longines and Patek Philippe, while Carlos Dias was formerly a designer for Franck Muller. By 2016 the company was fully owned by the Richemont Group which also owns Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Panerai. Montegrappa was also owned by the Swiss holding company from 2001 to 2005.
Partnership with Pirelli
Roger Dubuis took an unconventional path into the world of Grand Prix racing. Instead of a role as an Official Timekeeper or a sponsor of a team or driver, the watch brand formed a partnership with Pirelli in 2017. This was initially sparked by Roger Dubuis CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué’s attendance at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix as a guest of the Italian tire manufacturer.
Excalibur Spider Pirelli: Automatic Skeleton and Double Flying Tourbillon
The first two releases were the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton and Excalibur Spider Pirelli Double Flying Tourbillon, featuring straps made from race-winning Formula 1 tire compounds. While not officially mentioned in the marketing, multiple sources mention that the rubber is known to have come from Lewis Hamilton‘s 2016 Monaco Grand Prix-winning car.
The Automatic Skeleton was available in the same red, yellow, and blue found on Pirelli F1 tires, with each color limited to 88 pieces. The more exclusive Double Flying Tourbillon was released as a limited edition of eight.
Single Flying Tourbillon
The Excalibur Spider Pirelli Single Flying Tourbillon was released in 2018, and straps made from an unspecified Formula 1 race-driven tire. The full set of interchangeable straps came in the entire range of Formula 1 tire colors. The model with the full set of straps was limited to 28 pieces, with additional units available in select boutiques.
A Pirelli Formula 1 Pole Position Award. (Photo: Peter Menzel, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Automatic Skeleton: 2021
A later version of the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton was released in 2021, and also included a quick switch mechanism for interchangeable bezels, crown, and strap. Inspiration was taken from the speed for Formula 1 pit stops.
Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT
The Excalibur Spider Pirelli MT was unveiled at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix to celebrate the Pirelli’s 150th anniversary. While the strap was also made of race-winning tires in “one of the most demanding motorsport competitions in the world”, the marketing materials stopped short of identifying Formula 1 as the series in question.
The exclusive Monotourbillon timepiece was limited to eight pieces.
Related Pages
References
https://www.thejewelleryeditor.com/watches/article/roger-dubuis-pirelli-rubber-watch-strap-collaboration/
https://www.watchtime.com/brands/armin-strom/second-life-nine-watches-featuring-upcycled-materials
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/roger-dubuis-excalibur-spider-pirelli-automatic-skeleton-watch/
https://monochrome-watches.com/roger-dubuis-excalibur-spider-pirelli-single-flying-tourbillon-price/
https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/life/lifestyle/design/excalibur-spider-pirelli-the-roger-dubuis-watch-that-brings-the-thrills-of-motor-sports-to-life-53493/
https://deployant.com/review-new-roger-dubuis-excalibur-spider-pirelli-super-quick-switcheroo/
https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/roger-dubuis-pirelli-150-anniversary-tourbillon-watch-1234756707/
https://escapementmagazine.com/articles/roger-dubuis-excalibur-spider-pirelli-mt/