Among the latest Roger Dubuis releases presented this year at Watches & Wonders Shanghai 2024 are three new Excalibur models that prominently feature the tourbillon complication. Alongside two gem-set Excalibur Monotourbillon watches in white and rose gold (plus a new iteration of the Orbis in Machina Central Monotourbillon clad in diamonds and rubies), is the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome, which is a 28-piece limited edition that features a case crafted from a cobalt-chrome alloy originally developed for the automotive and aerospace industries.

At a quick glance, the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome (ref. RDDBEX1109) is the twin-tourbillon version of the original Excalibur Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome that first debuted in 2021 as an 88-piece limited edition. While both models feature a skeletonized design that showcases a blue and silver colorway (which serves as a nod to the natural color of the element cobalt), the new Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome expands upon the concept of the original Monotourbillon version with an additional flying tourbillon that is linked to the first with a regulating differential. Although both Excalibur Cobalt Chrome models feature a similar overall aesthetic with the brand’s signature skeletonized star-shaped bridges visible through both sides of the case, the orientation of the movement has been updated to accommodate its dual-tourbillon design, with the twin flying tourbillon cages occupying the entirety of its lower display.

For the case of the Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome, Roger Dubuis uses a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy (formally known as “CarTech® Micro-Melt® BioDur® CCM®”) that was originally created for use within the automotive, aeronautic, and aerospace industries. Roger Dubuis has been using this alloy in its pieces since 2017, most notably for the upper bridges of its tourbillon cages, and the metal offers a brilliant luster, along with being both highly corrosion-resistant and non-magnetic. Although the cobalt-chrome alloy used by Roger Dubuis is more scratch-resistant than gold, it is also heavier than stainless steel, and materials like carbon fiber or titanium would likely be better suited for performance-oriented applications. That said, Cobalt Chrome offers a brighter shine than stainless steel or titanium, and it is a material that you rarely encounter within the watchmaking industry,

While most of the brand’s Excalibur Monotourbillon watches (including the original Cobalt Chrome model from 2021) are 42mm watches, the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome is a bit larger, and it measures 45mm in diameter by 14.66mm thick. The case offers the same overall shape and design details that characterize the other models from the brand’s Excalibur collection, including its signature notched bezel and three-pronged lugs. Sapphire crystals are fitted to both the dial side of the watch and its screw-on display caseback, while a signed crown sits between two guards at the 3 o’clock location, and despite being a high-horology timepiece, the Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome still offers 100 meters of water resistance to protect against moisture contact.

Just like other Excalibur models, the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome foregoes a dial entirely to create a highly open-worked display that showcases its internal movement. A pair of centrally-mounted skeletonized hands made from 18k white gold with luminous inlays tracks the time against a minute track and luminous hour markers that appear along the angled chapter ring under the crystal. Meanwhile, the entire lower half of the display is occupied by two flying tourbillons, and the upper half prominently showcases the movement’s star-shaped bridge, with the skeletonized mainspring barrel visible directly below. Since the Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome doesn’t have a dial, its signature cobalt blue colorway instead appears on its outer chapter ring and on the star-shaped bridges of its movement, which Roger Dubuis colors blue using a CVD treatment process.

Powering the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome is the brand’s Caliber RD108 manual-wind movement, which features a highly skeletonized design and two flying tourbillons linked by a mechanical differential. Consisting of 319 individual components, the 32-jewel Roger Dubuis Cal. RD108 operates at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours, and owners can enjoy an entirely unobstructed view of the open-worked movement through both sides of the watch. Since the Caliber RD108 accounts for a significant portion of the watch’s overall appearance, Roger Dubuis goes the extra mile when it comes to its decoration and the Cal. RD108 showcases 17 distinct finishing techniques, which are executed to Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal) standards.

Fitted to the three-prong lugs of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome is a blue calf-skin leather strap, and the brand specifically opts for calf skin over something like alligator or crocodile due to its non-exotic leather policy (something that an increasing number of brands are starting to adopt throughout the industry). The outer surfaces of the blue leather strap offer a three-dimensional segmented structure that is somewhat reminiscent of what you might find on a molded rubber strap, and the ends form an integrated appearance with the “split” design of the case’s three-pronged lugs. Completing the strap is a triple-folding deployant clasp made from titanium, and both the case and clasp include an integrated quick-release system to facilitate tool-free strap changes.

According to Roger Dubuis, it takes the brand approximately twice as long to assemble and adjust one of its Double Tourbillon models compared to a Monotourbillon equivalent, and this is very much reflected in both the pricing and output of the new Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome. With an official retail price of $296,500 USD the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome (ref. RDDBEX1109) is more than twice the price of the single-tourbillon Cobalt Chrome model from 2021, and it will be produced as a limited edition of just 28 examples, which represents a significant reduction in volume compared to the 88-piece production run of the original Excalibur Cobalt Chrome watch. That said, Roger Dubuis is hardly a brand for price-sensitive buyers, and this new Double Tourbillon version represents an even more extravagant expression of what was already a statement-worthy watch. For more information on the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Cobalt Chrome, please visit the brand’s website.