The RD180 calibre,
an
ébauche from a pocket
watch acquired by
Mr Roger Dubuis himself
from antique watchmaking
experts and gifted to the
Manufacture,
is a rare
high-end calibre
.
Dating from the early 20th
century, it initially featured
three of the four major
complications that
are the pride of
Haute Horlogerie
:
a minute repeater,
a perpetual calendar and
a chronograph.
A unique perpetual
calendar
additional plate
is included in the RD180
movement. This Roger
Dubuis perpetual calendar
was developed at the
Manufacture in 1999.
Reflecting a continual
quest for excellence,
the technical challenge
of this movement was to
assemble a maximum
of central indications,
including bi-retrograde
perpetual calendar date
and days of the week
indications
.
770 components
restored using traditional
techniques and historical
instruments, some were
redeveloped in order to
comply with the original
construction of the
ébauche, the watchmaker’s
signature.
In the course of three full
years of development, the
model called for
3,500
hours of work including
2,000 hours of restoration
on the movement alone.
20 different forms of
craftsmanship
with
their own skill-sets were
involved in the decoration.
The timepiece was also
tested
according to the
technical criteria of the
new Poinçon de Genève
,
which involve a one-week
simulation of wear on the
wrist, with a tolerance
threshold corresponding
to a one-minute variation
in precision. A true feat,
since the test is even more
demanding on an over
one century-old pocket
watch movement.
RD180 calibre
RD180 calibre
History
