Roger Dubuis Specialists

The house began in 1995 in Geneva, with Roger Dubuis and Carlos Dias as its founders. The company originally operated under the name SOGEM and became Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA in 1999. The brand's early collections, the round Hommage and the unusually shaped Sympathie, were presented in 1996, and they showed the range of styles the house would later combine.

The first in-house movements came in 1999, and the brand says they were certified to the Poinçon de Genève. Excalibur followed in 2005 with a fluted bezel, triple lugs and skeletonized movements, and it became the collection that defines the brand's identity. Richemont acquired a controlling interest in 2008, and the brand has said it would operate as an autonomous maison within the group. The history matters to an owner because the design and the movement were developed together.

Roger Dubuis is known for movements that are part of the watch's design. The RD820SQ, introduced in 2015, is an automatic skeleton caliber with an openworked micro-rotor, around 60 hours of power reserve and a 4 Hz beat. It was published with 35 jewels and a Geneva Seal finish. It is a different movement from the RD01SQ, which is a manual skeleton with two flying tourbillons.

The RD821 is the brand's in-house automatic with hours and minutes, with a 48-hour reserve and 33 jewels, finished by hand to Geneva Seal criteria. It is used in several collections, including Velvet. Knowing the caliber family helps a specialist plan the work, because a skeleton, a tourbillon and a finished hours-and-minutes movement each need different handling.

The Poinçon de Genève is a certification, and it should be understood as such. It covers provenance, craftsmanship and performance, and it does not mean the watch is covered for life. Ask any shop to confirm the caliber and finishing before work begins, so the certified finish is respected during servicing.

For maintenance or a warranty claim, the brand says to start with a Roger Dubuis boutique or authorized retailer. They can arrange service through the authorized service-center network, so there is no need to organize shipping yourself. This is the safest first step for any watch still in warranty, because the work is recorded against the watch and the guarantee card.

A complete service covers dismantling, cleaning, lubrication, replacement of worn components, adjustment, gasket replacement and final performance checks. The brand publishes an approximate turnaround of six to eight weeks for recent collections, and up to six months for restoration work. It recommends a water-resistance check every two years at an authorized center, and it sets no universal overhaul interval, because the right timing depends on how the watch is used.

After a complete overhaul the brand offers a 12-month service guarantee covering the work and the replaced parts. Intervention by a non-authorized center voids that guarantee, which is a strong reason to check where the last service was done before you buy a pre-owned watch or accept a quote from an independent.

Keep a copy of every invoice and service record with the watch. The brand's guarantee is only as useful as the record behind it, and a complete file makes it easier to show what was done and when, both to the brand and to a future buyer.

Start with the papers. The original guarantee card is required for any claim, and the caseback reference, the serial number and the box should all match. A watch whose documents don't match the movement, or whose caseback has been opened without a record, is a reason to ask more questions before you negotiate.

Look closely at the case, the crystal and the bezel. Excalibur cases have distinctive edges, and polishing can soften them. Check the exposed skeleton for dust, scratches and any sign that parts have been replaced. A skeleton movement shows its work, so a repair that looks neat from a distance can still be wrong up close.

Ask for a written inspection report from an independent before you pay, and make sure it names the caliber and covers the seals. The brand's guarantee depends on authorized work, so a watch that has been repaired outside the network may cost you more later, even if it runs well on the day you buy it.

The authorized service network is the lowest-risk route for any watch under guarantee, and it is the right choice for complicated pieces, skeletons and anything with the Geneva Seal. For older watches out of warranty, a specialist who regularly handles Swiss skeleton and tourbillon movements can be a good choice, provided the shop can source the parts and explain how it will protect the finishing.

Get the quote in writing, with the movement, case, gaskets and strap or bracelet listed separately. Ask whether the work will be done to the brand's standards, whether the old parts will be returned, and whether the shop will confirm the caliber before it begins. A shop that answers those questions plainly has likely handled the brand's watches before.

A specialist who knows Geneva Seal movements will also know the difference between a certification mark and a warranty. Ask what the mark promises on your particular watch before you assume the work carries it.