Roger Dubuis Excalibur

The 2005 design and why it stuck

Excalibur arrived in 2005 with a fluted bezel, triple lugs and skeletonized movements, and its look is still easy to recognize. The fluted bezel and lugs give the case a strong profile, and the movement is designed to be the centerpiece rather than something hidden behind a dial. That combination set the brand's identity for the next two decades.

The line grew in several directions. Spider versions added a more sporting, skeletonized case, and the skeleton concept spread into automatic models as well as complicated ones. An owner should look at the case design, the bezel and the movement together, because a watch that looks similar on a photograph can be quite different in construction.

The RD820SQ and the complicated pieces

The RD820SQ arrived in 2015 as the brand's first automatic skeleton movement. It has an openworked micro-rotor placed around the 11 o'clock position, which keeps the view open, and it is published with about 60 hours of power reserve and a 4 Hz beat. The movement has a raised star-shaped skeleton structure and a Geneva Seal finish, and it is the feature that sets the automatic Excalibur apart.

The double-tourbillon pieces are a separate category. The RD01SQ is a manual skeleton with two flying tourbillons, and it is not a faster version of the RD820SQ. Some Excalibur Spider tourbillons are rated to 50 meters, while the 42 millimeter automatic skeleton was rated to 30 meters. Check the reference before you assume water resistance from the collection name.

Servicing a skeleton Excalibur

A skeleton movement collects dust, oil and fingerprints in places that a solid caseback never exposed. A complete service should include cleaning and lubrication of the visible parts, careful handling of the openworked bridges and the rotor, and a check that nothing has loosened during use. The brand's complete-service description covers these steps, and it adds gasket replacement and final performance checks.

Because the movement is visible, ask the shop to photograph the exposed components before and after the work. A good watchmaker will be glad to do it, and the photographs give you a record of what was done. The water-resistance check every two years is worth keeping, since the case is opened more often on a skeleton than on a sealed movement.

Ask which lubricants the shop uses and why, and which parts it replaces routinely compared with the ones it only cleans. A clear answer shows that the watchmaker has thought about the design of a skeleton movement rather than applying a standard service to it.

Buying a pre-owned Excalibur

Identify the reference first. Brand references for Excalibur often begin with RDDBEX, and the number tells you whether you are looking at a three-hand skeleton, a Spider, a tourbillon or a limited piece. Compare the reference with the caseback, the papers and the movement, because a Spider and a standard Excalibur can look alike in a photograph.

Look at the exposed movement under good light for missing or replaced parts, scratches on the bridges and any sign of an amateur repair. Check the rotor, the hands and the bezel, and ask for every service record. Work done outside the authorized network can void the guarantee, which affects the value of the watch as much as its condition.

Ask whether the case has been opened at any point and whether the gaskets were replaced at that time. Skeleton watches are often opened for cleaning, which is a good thing when it was done properly, but an unrecorded opening is a reason to ask for a pressure test before you accept the watch as sealed.

Living with an Excalibur

Excalibur owners tend to notice the watch every time they check the time, which is part of the appeal. Keep the crystal and the bezel clean, and avoid heavy knocks on the lugs, because the exposed movement is more vulnerable to shock than a closed case. A soft cloth is enough for most cleaning, and a dedicated service is the right answer for anything beyond that.

Straps and bracelets wear out like any other part. Check the attachment points on the lugs regularly, and replace leather or rubber before it fails. Keep the original box and papers with the watch, because they matter when you sell it and they help any future watchmaker confirm the reference.

What to check on a Roger Dubuis Excalibur

• Experience with openworked skeleton movements and the rotor and bridge work they involve
• Photographs of the exposed movement before and after service
• Confirmation of the exact Excalibur reference, including whether it is a Spider or a tourbillon

Common questions