Roger Dubuis' "Homage La Placide" pays homage to the company's founder. A 30th anniversary model that returns to its roots.

Roger Dubuis will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025. Today, it is known as a talented brand that puts innovation at the forefront, but at its origins lies the "homage to our predecessors" that the late Roger Dubuis held dear. Respecting tradition and evolving design may seem different, but they are actually the same. This sentiment, which he expressed during his lifetime, has come to fruition in 2025, eight years after his death, with the help of his successors.

A timeless tribute to founder Roger Dubuis

　Roger Dubuis will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025. Since the W&WG event in April, the company has consistently released a series of models paying homage to its late co-founder, Roger Dubuis. The culmination of this series is the "Hommage La Placide," which could be called a return to its roots.

　Born in Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva in the canton of Vaud, Mr. Dubuis graduated from the Geneva Watchmaking School in 1938 and worked for Longines. In 66, he moved to Patek Philippe, where he was responsible for the Complicated Watches department. His early works, all of which were limited to 28 pieces, were praised for their resemblance to old Patek Philippe watches and are still highly regarded by watch enthusiasts today. Among these, the original "Hommage" collection, released in 96, is the very origin of Roger Dubuis. The name was intended as an homage to the predecessors who guided and inspired him, particularly the brilliant Geneva watchmakers. In an interview later in his life, he told me:

"Respecting tradition and evolving design may seem different, but they are actually the same thing. During my career as a watchmaker, many fields have advanced. However, my respect for handcrafted work remains unchanged. During the Industrial Revolution, Geneva watchmakers feared that their pride would be eliminated by mechanization. This fear led to the Hallmark of Geneva, and I respect the pride they tried to protect."

　The modern Roger Dubuis is known for its bold style that subverts preconceived notions of luxury timepieces, underscoring its "Hyperhorology™" philosophy. The modern Hommage, which has been revived, is a masterpiece that exudes a calm, classic atmosphere amidst modern detailing.

　The base movement is a reproduction of the RD14, the first in-house automatic movement released in 2004. The meticulous finishing of each component and the swan-neck regulator are eye-catching, but the gear train itself has been recalculated and even the axis arrangement revised, making it essentially a newly designed movement. The bi-retrograde continuous perpetual calendar module that is paired with this is based on the RD72, first released in 1999, but this too has been completely reworked. The reason for the significant improvements made to the base movement and module is that the Geneva Hallmark certification standards are different now than they were back then.

　The dial, while seemingly classical at first glance, features a multi-layered structure that exudes the modernity characteristic of Roger Dubuis. Dubuis's favored bi-retrograde day-date display (co-patented with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht of Agenault in 1989) is housed within a bold, oval-shaped "ecliptic counter." The month and leap year indicators are displayed on the same axis at 12 o'clock, while the moon disc features a lunar phase display crafted from 18K yellow gold aventurine. The edges of each counter are also broadly inlaid, creating a three-dimensional sparkle. The dial's blue, known as "Léman Bleu," pays tribute to Lake Geneva, which Dubuis would gaze upon from the train window on his way to watchmaking school.

　The founder's homage to past masterpieces is now being paid once again as a 30th anniversary model, and its overwhelming level of perfection demonstrates the height of Roger Dubuis' current brand.