Roger Dubuis: history, models and value

Founded

1995

Founder(s)

Roger Dubuis, Carlos Dias

Headquarters

Meyrin (Geneva)

Owner / group

Richemont

Roger Dubuis: origins and founding

The brand was founded in Geneva in 1995 by the watchmaker Roger Dubuis and the Portuguese-born businessman and designer Carlos Dias. The company was first called SOGEM SA and was renamed Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA in 1999. The first collection, Hommage, was launched in 1996. The founders' early plan was to make only 28 pieces of each watch, all meeting the rules of the Geneva Seal.

Founders and family

Roger Dubuis (1938–2017) started his career at Longines in Saint-Imier in the late 1950s. He then spent about 14 years in the complications workshop of Patek Philippe in Geneva. In 1980 he opened his own workshop, restoring watches and developing complications for other brands, including a perpetual calendar with retrograde displays made with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. He stepped back from daily work in the early 2000s, stayed on as an ambassador and died on 14 October 2017. Carlos Dias was the designer and entrepreneur behind the brand's bold look.

Roger Dubuis history and milestones

• 1995: founding in Geneva.
• 1996: Hommage and Sympathie collections.
• 1999: first in-house movements; new company name.
• 2001–2002: a large manufacture is built in Meyrin, near Geneva.
• 2005: launch of the Excalibur collection and a double flying tourbillon.
• 2006: the brand counts 28 in-house calibres.
• 2008: Richemont takes a controlling interest.
• 2016: Richemont becomes the full owner.
• 2024: David Chaumet becomes CEO.

Famous Roger Dubuis models

• Hommage – round classic watches, the first collection.
• Sympathie – cushion-shaped cases, often with retrograde displays.
• Too Much, Much More, Follow Me, Golden Square and King Square – bold shapes from the 2000s.
• Easy Diver – the sports line from around 2008.
• Excalibur – the flagship, best known for skeleton movements and the star-shaped bridge seen on many models.
• La Monégasque (2011), Velvet (2012, for women) and Pulsion (2012, sporty).
• Knights of the Round Table – an art line with small sculpted knights on the dial.

Movements and technique

Roger Dubuis makes its own movements, which carry "RD" calibre names. Early calibres include the RD 28 hand-wound column-wheel chronograph and the RD 29 automatic. Later highlights include the RD01SQ double flying tourbillon (2005), the RD101 "Quatuor" with four balance wheels, and the RD780 flyback chronograph. The brand says it has developed more than 40 calibres. Its signature is the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal), which covers the finishing of the whole watch head, not just the movement. Most of its watches carry it.

Roger Dubuis today

Roger Dubuis belongs to the Richemont group and is based in Meyrin, in the canton of Geneva. It is a high-end luxury brand in the haute horlogerie segment, with a focus on big, bold Excalibur skeleton watches, tourbillons, carbon cases and partnerships with Lamborghini and Pirelli.

Roger Dubuis prices on the pre-owned market

Pre-owned prices for Roger Dubuis vary a lot. Early pieces from the founder's era, such as Hommage and Sympathie watches from small 28-piece series, interest collectors of independent-era watchmaking. Modern Excalibur skeleton models, especially tourbillons and limited editions, are the most traded. Like many modern luxury watches, standard models often sell well below their original retail price. What helps: complete box and papers, a Geneva Seal certificate where supplied, recent service with the brand and an undamaged case. Gem-set and very specific limited pieces may take longer to find a buyer.

How to recognise a genuine Roger Dubuis

Excalibur skeleton models are widely copied. On a genuine watch, the movement is finished to Geneva Seal standards: clean bevelled edges, no rough surfaces and the Geneva Seal stamp where it applies. Check that the calibre seen through the case back matches the reference. Fake skeleton movements often look flat and crude, and they may run with a visibly different motion. Engravings on the case back should be sharp and the papers should match the watch. Learn more in our guide on how to spot a fake watch, and for an expensive piece ask an authorized service center or an expert.

What is your Roger Dubuis worth?

Upload clear photos of the dial, the case back and any papers, and get a free watch value estimate online. For insurance, an estate or a sale between family members, a written watch appraisal is also available.

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