The expansion of Manufacture Roger Dubuis is downright phenomenal. Whether in terms of the factories built on the outskirts of Geneva, the growing number of personnel employed there in all specialities of the watchmaking, or the diversity of the movements developed and the models on offer. Among the impressive line-up of new launches presented this year, the GoldenSquare Tourbillon in Titanium was the object of this test.

The Exterior
One of the reasons behind the success of Roger Dubuis undoubtedly lies in the watch exteriors. Sophisticated, meticulous, fashionable and daring, they have overturned many principles to which the competition had previously held fast. Initially observed with a critical eye, they have since proved a definite source of inspiration. The dimensions of the case of the GoldenSquare are exceedingly reasonable, at 40 mm. Nonetheless, when transposed into a square shape, the impression of size is supported by the reality of its imposing volume. The watch case that was tested is in titanium. A wise choice for such a watch. If its weight had been in gold, the resulting volume would have made the watch far more vulnerable to shocks, inevitably leaving scratches and knocks on the surface. The volumes are highlighted by the alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces. The black is in lacquered black mother-of-pearl. While this treatment attenuates the mother-of-pearl veins, the enchanting reflections of this noble material subsist and create a fine visual effect, enhanced by an elegant squared structure. The large white painted Roman numerals are both highly legible and attractive. The superb equilibrium of this authentic “squaring of the circle” is achieved by placing a large date display at 12 o’clock, the power reserve at 4 o’clock and the tourbillon at 9 o’clock. The date is adjusted by a pusher that is co-axial with the crown. The wide perforated crocodile leather strap is both visually pleasing and extremely comfortable, complemented by an original and well designed folding clasp. In my view, only its “western” style decoration might be debatable…

The Movement
The watch is driven by Calibre RD03, a hand-wound movement with a 60-hour power reserve. While carrying the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, the choice of mechanisms composing it and their finishing details go well beyond the requirements of this precious seal of approval. Its geometry has clearly been designed to balance the positioning of the indications on the dial. The aperture at 12 o’clock consists of a single large opening. Driven by a concern for extreme quality, the date units disc is hollowed to house the tens unit in this recess. It thus becomes difficult to perceive the separation between the two discs and no separation is necessary. The date is corrected using a pusher located in the centre of the crown, making it easy to handle and avoiding any water-resistance problems. The flying tourbillon is placed between 7 and 8 o’clock. The upper bridge of the carriage features a design and proportions entirely in harmony with the watch as a whole and enables one to admire the finesse of each of its components. Revolving in just one minute, the tail of the blued index is arrow shaped and thus serves as a second hand. As one would expect for a model of this quality, the surfaces of the steel parts are polished and the flanks hand-drawn with a file, while the bridges are rhodium-plated and decorated with “Côtes de Genève” motifs.

The Tests
Chronologically speaking, the model subjected to this testing bench was first wound and set to time, operations that are simplified by the size of the crown and the precision of the mechanisms thus set into motion. It would be hard to imagine an easier or faster date corrector, its only disadvantage being due to the size and shape of the case which may lead to an “accidental” adjustment of this function. The GoldenSquare proves very comfortable on the wrist, to the extent that one soon forget its generous volume. The maker’s stated 60-hour power-reserve measurement was always comfortably exceeded. Nonetheless, after 48 hours of running, the remaining amplitude no longer guarantees stable rating, although the amplitudes are perfectly correct up until that point and the variations in rate are absolutely remarkable! Between 0 and 48 hours in operation, the variations fell within the range of –1 to +3 seconds per day. The difference in amplitude between horizontal and vertical positions is indeed quite large (around 50°), but this is fairly normal for a flying tourbillon and entirely acceptable in light of the rating results. The water-resistance was tested at 3 ATM according to the maker’s instructions and could not be faulted, which is remarkable for a shaped watch of this size.

By way of Conclusion
The GoldenSquare Tourbillon Titanium is ready to play in the major league. It is an uncompromising prestige watch with no false pretences. No comments are required to convince anyone that we are in the field of Haute Horlogerie: the watch itself speaks volumes. Add to that the daring design which is truly comparable to Milanese styling and you will grasp just how elegant this model is. While accustomed both by my work for this column and my watchmaking profession to wearing exceptional watches, never had any of them drawn so many covetous gazes, including from pretty girls.

Needless to say, I truly appreciated this marvel, both for its mechanical engineering and for its seductive powers!