SIHH 2013: Roger Dubuis - a true chronometric marvel [Live Pics!]

Ornatus-Mundi

Manufacture Roger Dubuis today lifted the veil on a truly remarkable new watch called the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor :

In short, the watch concentrates on the key tasks of a watch, that is to keep time as precise and as consistent as possible.

To this end, the Manufacture Roger Dubuis invested 7 years of research. The outcome is a pièce de résistance featuring:

4 complete escapements
16 Hz overall frequency
5 differentials to coordinate the escapements, barrels and power reserve
A simple but precise power reserve indicator
590 movements parts individually finished according to the requirements of the Poinçon de Genève

The overall goal was to balance the influences of gravity on the movement in real time. The four carefully positioned sprung balances work in pairs to compensate immediately for the rate variations caused by the changes in position. What the tourbillon achieves over the course of a minute, the Excalibur Quatuor achieves instantly.

Complementing its chronometric performance Quatuor also employs a sophisticated power reserve indication which displays the remaining autonomy with very few mechanical parts needed. The price to pay is actually that both power reserve hand and dial move in the same direction (something we have seen on Nomos watches, for example) giving a interesting twist to the display.

I will go through this with the help of the teasers I posted during entire January. For now here are the technical details.

Best,

Magnus

Technical Data:

Watch: Excalibur Quatuor

Case: 48 mm, pink gold
Dial: Anthracite interior flange, transferred white minute track, inscriptions: Roger Dubuis and Hallmark of Geneva (anthracite engravings), power reserve indicator in pink gold, exterior flange in satin-finish anthracite, appliques in pink gold
Water Resistance: 3 BAR (30m)
Strap: Genuine alligator leather, hand-sewn, brown
Buckle: Adjustable folding buckle in pink gold
Production: 88 pieces

Movement: Hand-wound movement RD101

Features: Hand-wound mechanical movement, 163?4’’’, 113 jewels, finely adjusted in five positions, rhodium-coated, circular-grained decor. Stamped Hallmark of Geneva
Specific features: Hours, minutes, power reserve indicator, 5 differentials, 4 Balance wheels, Power reserve indicator
Number of parts: 590
Thickness: 10.60 mm
Frequency: 4x4 Hz (28,000 vph)
Power Reserve: 40 hours

This message has been edited by Ornatus-Mundi on 2013-01-20 15:20:21 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2013-01-21 09:38:36 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2013-03-01 10:23:07

Comments:

Ornatus-Mundi January 19th, 2013-04:53

An exploit of an self-sufficient, vertically integrated manufacture... The impressive movement, featuring several innovations which have not been realised so far, was only possible because of the considerable technical capabilities of the manufacture. Today, Roger Dubuis not only manufactures movement plates, or pinions, whe...

Ornatus-Mundi January 19th, 2013-09:44

Four INDEPENDENT escapements... ... work in pairs to compensate immediately for the rate variations caused by the changes in position. What the tourbillon achieves over the course of a minute, the Excalibur Quatuor achieves instantly. They leave their traces on the back as well: I shall...

jmpTT January 21st, 2013-12:14

An impressive halo piece! Overkill done right. Finally, a complication as outlandish and impressive as the watch's case! Sure, the concept screams "overkill", but the path taken (four escapements with five(!) differentials) is quite a bit more interesting than the norm - multiple tourbillons. The watc...

aaronm January 25th, 2013-11:47

I wonder.... Noticing that Greubey-Fosey have a double-inclined balance this year, I wonder if there was some joint research between the 2. A ps to ei8htohms, theirs is freesprung

Ornatus-Mundi January 19th, 2013-09:57

The escapements are mounted in a 45° angle for real-time gravity compensation This is essential to fulfill the watch's overall objective, i.e. to allow gravity the least possible influence on timekeeping. As a result, at any given time there are two escapements on which gravity has exactly opposite influence. Thus, the watch achiev...

Ornatus-Mundi January 19th, 2013-11:12

4 escapements, 5 differentials, and 16Hz total frequency! The equalising properties of the four escapements need dedicated mechanisms to come into effect. In this case, differentials ! Roger Dubuis had already made headlines in 2005 by introducing a double flying tourbillon with a differential . This extraordina...

Dr No January 29th, 2013-13:17

I'm trying to wrap . . . . . . my decidedly nontechnical brain around the claimed resonant frequency, Magnus. The four escapements would have to be connected in series to effect the claimed 16 Hz resonance. This seems unlikely to my admittedly limited understanding. A parallel co...

Ornatus-Mundi January 29th, 2013-23:58

There is NO resonance!!! as this would as I understand defy the intended effect (and also require that the resonating escapements would be (1) linked appropriately to allow resonance and (2) beat simultaneously which would yield a summary frequency of 4Hz in this case). Thus, the...

Ornatus-Mundi January 19th, 2013-23:55

4 escapements, 16 Hz - this SOUNDS GOOD! When I saw the watch first I immediately thought WOW- this one really lives! As the four escapements beat asynchronously the sound is a very special one, unusual for a watch where one is used to the regular tick-tack. This one definitely has character (tu...

Ornatus-Mundi January 20th, 2013-00:19

Additional live pics and wristshots... For what it is, the design of the Quatuor is actually quite restrained. As the escapement require some vertical breathing space there was little choice than to open the dial (if you want to keep the watch reasonably 'thin'): Bold applications at 12, 3, 6,...

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Ornatus-Mundi

Roger Dubuis SIHH Teaser #5 - a special sensual quality

Ornatus-Mundi

after our previous teasers: Teaser #1: Declaration of Independence Teaser #2: Four-leaved Clover Teaser #3: Apollo 11 Lunar Module Teaser #4: Complicated Equation here comes teaser #5: a sensual quality (image taken from the web): No, this is neither the development team nor the intended target audienc e. It also does not show the production technology ;-) This image does invite you to listen ... (now this is a quite straightforward hint!)! Cheers, Magnus P.S.: On Sunday morning I will post the last of this ... .

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