The Perpetual Motions of the Roger Dubuis Orbis in Machina Central Monotourbillon

Modern watches made by Roger Dubuis are the antithesis of understatement and always manage to deliver a compelling mix of traditional horological content with a dash of extravagant, expressive design. This year’s releases focused on the flying tourbillon, culminating in the Orbis in Machina model with its rare, centrally mounted regulator (only a few can be named, from Omega – which first patented it in 1995 – Haldimann or Bulgari). The key word here is Orbis, referring to the revolutions of the tourbillon that are replicated at different speeds by the rotation of the minute and hour discs. Clad in hefty rose gold armour, the Orbis in Machina has two distinctive faces. The dial reveals a dynamic, multi-level, rotating construction, while the reverse presents a far more classical face of watchmaking.

A fully integrated manufacturer based in Geneva, Roger Dubuis has produced over 40 calibres since its founding in 1995, all certified with the coveted Poinçon de Genève quality seal. Long associated with producing in-house tourbillon movements and skeletonisation, the latest Orbis in Machina is described as a monotourbillon to distinguish it from the brand’s double tourbillons.

The powerful armour of the Excalibur case – home to the brand’s renowned Arthurian-themed Knights of the Round Table series – bristles with scalloped notches, triple claw-like lugs, and mighty crown guards. Crafted in pink gold, the hefty case of the Roger Dubuis Orbis in Machina has a 45mm diameter and a thickness of 14.41mm. Considering the sapphire crystals on the front and back of the case and the delicate tourbillon regulator, the 100-metre water-resistance rating is exceptional. Details like the circular-brushed coronets of the crown contrasting with the polished interior reveal the extreme attention to detail regarding finishings.

A centrally mounted tourbillon produces a tighter, more symmetrical, and restrained aesthetic. But it also means that the traditional position of the hour and minute hands is disrupted. The dial’s architecture is built around a central tower suspended in space with skeletonised areas. Dominated by the central flying tourbillon, everything ripples outwards from the centre in a series of concentric grey and pink gold rings.

By mounting the rings bearing the seconds, minutes and hours at different heights, the dial offers a veritable 3D multi-level spectacle. Although the seconds are indicated via a gold-tipped hand placed on the tourbillon cage, the hour and minute hands have to circumnavigate the tourbillon and rotate on discs powered by a patent-pending planetary gearing system.

To highlight legibility, the hour and minute indicators have an internal streak of Super-LumiNova, as do the polished pink gold hour markers applied to the peripheral ring. The time indications are labelled to avoid confusion – a questionable solution that might be jarring to some. Again, the finishings are excellent, with circular brushing applied to the rings and mirror polishing on the upper part of the tourbillon cage.

As one of the first brands to use transparent casebacks across all its collections, there is an unrestricted panoramic view of the in-house, manual-winding movement. An ode to classical watchmaking, the calibre RD115 is decorated following Poinçon de Genève standards and features 19 distinct finishings. From the small, rounded finger bridges with Geneva stripes and polished angles to the radial-brushed surface of the massive barrel, the movement’s finishings are haute horlogerie through and through. For a watch with so many rotating components, the 72-hour power reserve is impressive.

Presented on a necessarily thick calfskin leather strap with a quick-release system, the Orbis in Machina is attached to the wrist with a triple folding pink gold buckle.

Availability & Price

The Roger Dubuis Orbis in Machina Central Monotourbillon is a limited edition of 88 pieces and retails for CHF 180,000 or EUR 200,826 (all prices excl. taxes) For more information, please consult rogerdubuis.com.