With the Excalibur Lady of the Lake, Roger Dubuis does more than simply add a women’s watch to its Excalibur collection. It shifts the focus of the narrative. The Arthurian legend, often dominated by the male figures of the king, the knight, and the sword, finds its entry point here in Viviane, the Lady of the Lake—guardian of Excalibur and a figure embodying both wisdom and power.
This choice is not insignificant. In Arthurian legends, the Lady of the Lake is associated with the appearance of Excalibur and the upbringing of Lancelot; in Thomas Malory’s work, she dwells in an enchanted castle beneath the surface of a magical lake. Roger Dubuis draws on this literary motif not merely as decoration, but as a structural principle: the dial becomes a surface of water—layered, fluid, and almost topographical.
The Sylvan Green version, model number RDDBEX1198, embodies the essence of the design. The watch features a three-dimensional green mother-of-pearl dial arranged in wave-like patterns. Each fragment is lacquered in different shades of green and then set into wave-shaped recesses carved into the brass. The hand-polished, rose-gold-plated metal outlines trace a subtle map of the lake—one that is more structural than illustrative.
Surrounding this center, the double-surface flange serves as an architectural frame. CVD coating, an azure finish on the top, an opaline side, rose gold-plated polished hour markers with a lacquered center: Roger Dubuis creates depth through successive layers rather than mere decoration. At six o’clock, the small seconds hand is housed on a rotating disc of lacquered mother-of-pearl, accented with a moonstone cabochon. This detail might seem poetic; above all, it is mechanical, as the addition of a mineral indicator on a moving disc requires particular attention to weight, balance, and friction.
The 36-mm case in 750/1000 rose gold further highlights this tension between jewelry and a watch. Its 9.85 mm thickness, open case back, fluted bezel set with diamonds, and slanted lugs give the piece a jewel-like quality without overshadowing its mechanical presence. The technical specifications list 56 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 0.77 carats for reference RDDBEX1198, with a water resistance rating of 3 bar. The alligator strap with a pearlescent finish, interchangeable via pin-and-tongue clasps, echoes the green color of the dial without seeking contrast.
Inside, the RD830 automatic movement powers the hours, minutes, and small seconds. It beats at 4 Hz—or 28,800 vibrations per hour—offers a 48-hour power reserve, and features a 22-karat rose gold rotor. The technical specifications list 183 components and 27 jewels, with NAC-treated bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève. The choice of an automatic movement visible through the case back goes beyond mere feminine styling: the watch asserts that mechanics are an integral part of its design language.
Roger Dubuis, founded in 1995, has built part of its identity on expressive, often theatrical haute horlogerie, with in-house movement production and a long-standing relationship with the Geneva Seal. The Excalibur collection, launched as the brand’s narrative universe, takes on a less martial and more liminal character here. The sword is no longer merely brandished; it is guarded, concealed, and revealed at just the right moment.
This is undoubtedly where the piece transcends a mere exercise in feminization. The green of the mother-of-pearl does not soften Excalibur: it redirects its power. Viviane is not a muse superimposed on a dial. She becomes a method: that of power exercised from the depths, the mastery of the threshold, the art of appearing without revealing oneself entirely.
Cette publication est également disponible en :
