Roger Dubuis Hats off to Roger Dubuis 重點致敬

腕表市場風生水起時，表款魚翁撒網沒問題，反正，你出10款，富豪大款可能苛索11款；隱約嗅到，近年大牌手段微妙轉型，撤回大堆頭、大包圍把戲，轉而經營重點，按不同階段，集中火力為特定系列進行洗腦式宣傳，猶如去年SIHH裡，我們只記得IWC有過Ingenieur；到了W&W時，Cartier的Tank也是無處不在的。

Roger Dubuis踏著了相若步伐，貫徹每年之星策略。前年，提拔La Monegasque玩味新星登場，鋪天蓋地把籌碼、輪盤滿布專門店；去年，Excalibur強勢出擊，大家都不會遺忘那隻飛鷹和盔甲武士；踏入2014年，或許要辛苦Roger Dubuis老先生了，品牌將會重推向他本人致敬的Hommage系列，創作交流、宣傳推廣，能少得這位靈魂人物嗎！

When the watch market was thriving, it was fine to see a mountain of models with different styles and functions. The affluent demanded more than what the brands offered anyway. Yet, these years many brands have put emphasis on the core ones at different stages instead of releasing scores of new watches. Just like last year’s SIHH, IWC underscored the Ingenieur line. Then in W&W, Cartier’s Tank was ubiquitous.

Roger Dubuis also follows the same rules – focusing on the year’s highlights. The year before last the playful La Monegasque debuted, building a casino on the dial. Followed by Excalibur last year, the armoured tamer as well as the live eagle flying in the booth in SIHH are still vividly remembered. This year, they decide to pay homage to their founder Mr. Roger Dubuis by relaunching the Hommage collection.

腕表市場風生水起時，表款魚翁撒網沒問題，反正，你出10款，富豪大款可能苛索11款；隱約嗅到，近年大牌手段微妙轉型，撤回大堆頭、大包圍把戲，轉而經營重點，按不同階段，集中火力為特定系列進行洗腦式宣傳，猶如去年SIHH裡，我們只記得IWC有過Ingenieur；到了W&W時，Cartier的Tank也是無處不在的。

Roger Dubuis踏著了相若步伐，貫徹每年之星策略。前年，提拔La Monegasque玩味新星登場，鋪天蓋地把籌碼、輪盤滿布專門店；去年，Excalibur強勢出擊，大家都不會遺忘那隻飛鷹和盔甲武士；踏入2014年，或許要辛苦Roger Dubuis老先生了，品牌將會重推向他本人致敬的Hommage系列，創作交流、宣傳推廣，能少得這位靈魂人物嗎！

When the watch market was thriving, it was fine to see a mountain of models with different styles and functions. The affluent demanded more than what the brands offered anyway. Yet, these years many brands have put emphasis on the core ones at different stages instead of releasing scores of new watches. Just like last year’s SIHH, IWC underscored the Ingenieur line. Then in W&W, Cartier’s Tank was ubiquitous.

Roger Dubuis also follows the same rules – focusing on the year’s highlights. The year before last the playful La Monegasque debuted, building a casino on the dial. Followed by Excalibur last year, the armoured tamer as well as the live eagle flying in the booth in SIHH are still vividly remembered. This year, they decide to pay homage to their founder Mr. Roger Dubuis by relaunching the Hommage collection.

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向宗師致敬
A Salute to the Master Watchmaker

這陣子，設計別出心裁、打著獨立創作旗號的單位宛如雨後春筍，其實，Roger Dubuis也堪稱身先士卒的先驅。上世紀八十年代，Roger Dubuis先生離開效命了14年的Patek Philippe，自立門戶專門生產複雜機芯；及至1995年，便與Carlos Dias創辦了Roger Dubuis品牌。

像Roger Dubuis般白手興家、開創一個品牌的表匠，沒千個也有數百，卻沒多少人，能夠媲美Roger Dubuis的遠見，意識到令品牌持續發展的重要性。在Roger Dubuis的掌舵下，品牌做對了兩件事：迅速建立自家廠房，以及讓日內瓦印記成為天字第一號家訓。1995年，品牌成立，才數年光景，在千禧年之前第一台自家機芯便手到拿來。2001年，品牌廠房落成；4年之後，擴建工程也竣工，整個廠房面積增至14,500平方米，生產機器超過120部，表匠數目逾百，開始呈現大牌子的規模了。最重要是，品牌不用再仰人鼻息，本身執掌了自家生產的所有技能，連許多品牌也要假手於人的零件如擺輪及游絲等，他們也可以自給自足，真正躋身高級腕表生產商的行列。迄今，他們造了逾30台自家機芯，有complication，也有basic movements；有傳統的圓形機芯，也有方形或長方形機芯，能夠針對不同腕表所需，製作專用的機芯形狀，發展非常全面。

除了拍板興建自家廠房，Roger Dubuis也頒下另一個影響深遠的決策：所有機芯必須通過日內瓦印記認證。可能，就是他老早洞察我們聽信名牌的思維，奶粉要買澳紐的、汽車要買德國的，腕表當然是瑞士出產才吃香，能夠掛上日內瓦印記的光環，絕對可為品牌名聲幫上一把。不說不知，由生產零件到獲發日內瓦印記，前後共需7個月時間，更甚的是，瑞士每年約有兩千萬枚腕表出籠，當中只有24,000枚符合印記的資格，可想而知，旗下出品清一色擁有日內瓦印記，是多麼的難能可貴。製作一台符合印記標準的機芯，會額外多花30%至40%的時間，當中用作哪裡？其一是零件的加工，機芯所有零件生產之後，大至基板，細至螺絲，其表面皆要以人手打磨處理，一來是為美觀，二來加工後可減低摩擦，延長零件的壽命；其二是接受一系列測試，確保腕表的完美品質。表匠組裝機芯之後，會花上一星期時間，考核機芯的精準度，以及各項功能是否運作無誤；然後，機芯會被裝進表殼，內部測試兩個星期；最後，又要到頒發日內瓦印記的機構闖關，接受長達一周的測試，檢視腕表的防水性、功能運作、準確度等，尤其是後者，該星期內的走時誤差必須少於一分鐘。

雖然，Roger Dubuis本人曾淡出了品牌一段時間，但從2011年開始，大師正式回歸品牌，身兼多重身分，是精神領袖、是技術顧問，也是宣傳大使，重新推出市場的Hommage系列，就是向品牌這位靈魂人物致敬之作。

 Over the past decade, independent watchmakers have sprung up like mushrooms. Roger Dubuis, indeed, debuted as an independent watchmaker. In the 1980s, he set up his own atelier after 14 years in Patek Philippe and specialised in making complicated movement. In 1995, Roger Dubuis gave his name to the Manufacture he co-founded together with Carlos Dias.Roger Dubuis started the company from scratch. Visionary, he knew the importance of brand continuity. Under Mr. Dubuis’ helm, the Manufacture made two right decisions: quickly building its own factory and stamping the Geneva Seal on each Roger Dubuis movement.

Roger Dubuis developed its first in-house movement before the second millennium. Then, the factory inaugurated in 2001 and finished the expansion in 2005. The building boasts 14,500 sq.meters with over 120 pieces of machine, having the scale of a top tier watch brand. Most importantly, it has become an independent manufacture. All the components including balance wheels and hair springs are produced in-house, propelling the brand to the rank of haute horlogerie manufacture. So far the Manufacture have developed over 30 in-house movements varying in different shapes for basic and complication models. Besides building the factory, Mr. Roger Dubuis also instigated a momentous policy of certifying all in-house movements with the Geneva Seal. The prestigious Geneva Seal surely helps build the reputation of the Manufacture.

It should be mentioned that from component production through to obtaining the Geneva Seal, it takes about seven months. What is more, the Swiss watch industry produces about 20 millions watches each year, among which only some 24,000 pieces are qualified for the Geneva Seal. It is absolutely a commendable achievement of getting the entire production certified. To obtain the certification, all the components, ranging from mainplates to screws, need to be finished or decorated by hand. The finishing performed on the movement parts gives a gleaming look, and reduces friction and ensures exceptional durability. A movement bearing the Hallmark of Geneva requires an additional 30 to 40% extra work.
After assembly by the watchmakers, each movement undergoes one week of precision and function checking.  The tested movement is cased-up before going through two more weeks of in-house testing. Last but not least, each watch will undergo a further week of tests (waterproof properties, functions and running precision) required for certification with the Geneva Seal hallmark. After the seven-day testing, the watch must not have varied by +/- 1 minute.Although Mr. Dubuis once left the company, he rejoined his namesake brand in 2011 as a brand ambassador and technical advisor. The latest Hommage collection is a homage to this great watchmaker.

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Guilloche 再演繹

Reinterpretation of Guilloche

乍看，大家可能還以為表面是品牌司空見慣的太陽放射紋，但實情是，他們特定重新拾起車床和雕刻刀，為此枚致敬作鐫刻了Guilloche飾紋。皆因早期的Roger Dubuis腕表裡，其實不乏Guilloche表盤的蹤影，以這種古老的修飾工藝，呼應大師早期作品的設計，致敬意味比任何一種工藝都濃厚。

Guilloche是十八世紀興起的雕刻裝飾工藝，主張平衡勻稱的紋理，製作時依靠一半人手，一半機械，在車床上，會以不同模版規範著雕刻刀的路徑和落點，然後表匠便以人手推動雕刻刀，在金屬表面刻出對稱的直線或弧線。既然Guilloche能夠刻出平衡的直線，用來打造太陽放射紋，不就是天造地設的一對嘛！
一般的Guilloche，都是刻在表盤的，但品牌這次另闢了蹊徑，直接刻在機芯的主夾板上。在表盤上雕刻，一不留神用力過猛，或路線歪了，最多整塊表盤報銷；但在主夾板下刀，稍有差池，便有可能破壞其他機芯零件，風險不可同日而語。創新，是要冒險的，一次還不夠，品牌再度向難度挑戰，在主夾板的右邊，加添了一塊小夾板，本來互不相干的，但正因為要呈現放射太陽紋，彼此的紋理必須順利交接，一旦其中一塊出了亂子，便有機會兩敗俱傷，同時報銷。

Guilloche有別於琺瑯彩繪，不能用顏色構成豐富層次，反而，是善用紋理切入面的光線折射，營造光暗交錯的對照。這次，品牌在飾紋深度裡著墨，刻刀會在刻痕上劃過4次，較慣常一次或兩次的做法更多，切入面變得更深，光暗對比格外鮮明。此外，Guilloche素來多以濕滑石粉來產生一種「乳化」效果，藉此遮掩在刻痕上不慎留下的微細劃痕，不過，Roger Dubuis選擇略過了這種「乳化」步驟，令飾紋的折射更富特殊效果。

由創立之始，Roger Dubuis已不斷告訴大家，他們是傳統和創新兼容並蓄的，傳統的陀飛輪，在他們筆下變成雙飛行陀飛輪；古老的Guilloche工藝，這次也重新得到演繹。

At first glance of the dial , you may think  it is just another ordinary sunray motif. But it is not. The Manufacture operates the guilloche engine-turning tool particularly for the Hommage collection. Guilloche is not a new face in Roger Dubuis family. As an age-old technique, it honors Mr. Dubuis’ early works better than other traditional crafts do. 

Dating back to 18th century, guilloche was a popular decorative technique. On the rose engine, a precise and repetitive pattern is etched into an underlying material with the finest detail. An artisan runs the machine by hand, engraving symmetric straight lines or arcs. The brilliant straight lines are perfect for engraving sunray guilloche.

Guilloche is normally engraved on dials. The Manufacture, however, directly engraves the guilloche on the mainplate of the new pieces. It is much riskier because any scratch would damage the movement components. To make the pieces more innovative, a small bridge is added on the right side of the mainplate, but nonetheless entailed its own difficulties, including ensuring a smooth, flawless transition. Separately guilloche working the two parts by hand implies that any unsightly scratches on the bridge would mean discarding both elements.

Different from enamel painting, guilloche does not form the layers by colours. Instead, guilloche catches and holds the light playing across the extremely accurate grooves. The hollowed guilloche work on the pieces also stands out by its impressive depth, exquisitely manually crafted by passing the tool across each notch or groove at least four times instead of the usual one or two. Furthermore, guilloche normally involves “cremage” with wet talcum powder so as to create a ground-down finish, serving as a means of concealing the inevitable tiny micro-scratches. Nonetheless, Roger Dubuis R&D team simply skips the cremage step to enable the light to play over the facets of the guilloche work and thus accentuate its dramatic visual impact.

Since its foundation, Roger Dubuis has brought the tradition and innovation in perfect harmony. It developed the double flying tourbillon from a tourbillon. Today, it shows us also a new interpretation of the age-old guilloche.

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Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon with Hand-made Guilloche

Specification：表殼：玫瑰金直徑：45mm機芯：RD100手上鍊機芯功能：時、分、雙飛行陀飛輪防水：30米

創立至今不用20年，Roger Dubuis已製作了比許多品牌都多的自家機芯，功能涵蓋四擺輪、三問、萬年曆、世界時間等，要數當中最富象徵意義的，不能不提雙飛行陀飛輪機芯。機芯於2005年問世，那個年代，是陀飛輪變天的年代，大家儼如軍備競賽，這個出雙陀飛輪，那個就出立體陀飛輪，競爭之競烈，好比今年英超戰況。當年，這台雙飛行陀飛輪的設計是出人意表的，機芯有兩個陀飛輪，以相反方向旋轉，藉著中間的差速器作橋樑，將彼此的運轉速度協調起來，理論上，誤差便能減至最低。很快，設計成為了品牌icon；也很快，型號化身長賣長有的無數部曲，有鉑金矜貴版，有鏤空表盤版，更有鑲鑽專門店特別版，鎮山之寶地位穩如泰山。

相比前作，新款式除了加入Guilloche飾紋，也改動了不少細節，最吸睛的，是以玫瑰金製成的時標，經過鍛面打磨，相反，玫瑰金表殼卻以拋光處理，物料雖同，色澤卻微細迴異。真的替機芯夾板揪心，Guilloche已經直接刻在夾板上，現在，時標也步其後塵，被鑲貼於夾板表面。還好，品牌沒有眼高手低，成功完成任務，並沒在鑲貼過程中產生難看的痕跡或瑕疵。翻往透明表背，由452塊部件組成、耗時1,200小時製成的RD100機芯便會映入眼簾，上方位置設有50小時的動力儲備顯示，小盤同樣以Guilloche修飾，而表鏡上則有Roger Dubuis先生的簽名印記。

 In less than two decades, Roger Dubuis has developed many in-house movements: four sprung balances, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, world time, just to name a few. The most symbolic movement probably is the exclusive double flying tourbillon launched in 2005. The avant-garde design of this timepiece is amazing. The twin tourbillons, rotating in opposite directions, couple the differential gear to average out the errors and ensure optimal performance. Since then, it has become the icon of the brand. And this model has extended to different versions, like in platinum, skeleton, as well as boutique edition with diamond setting. The double flying tourbillon becomes the pillar of the brand’s portfolio.Compared to its predecessor, the new piece has been given a new look in details and adorned with the guilloche. The most eye-catching part is the satin-brushed numerals and the polished case, both in rose gold, creating a subtle tone-on-tone nuance of shade. Apart from the guilloche on the mainplate, the numerals are also fitted directly on the mainplate, with a shiny and smooth finishing.The new RD100 movement composed of 452 parts, called for 1,200 hours of manufacturing, is visible through the sapphire crystal case back with the signature of Mr. Roger Dubuis. The 50-hour power reserve display on the top also picks up the same guilloche motif featured on the other side. 

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Hommage Chronograph

Specification：表殼：玫瑰金直徑：42mm機芯：RD680自動機芯功能：時、分、小秒、計時防水：30米

也許，去年La Monegasque系列的風頭實在厲害，悄悄把Hommage系列重生頭炮三問表的風采打壓下去；Roger Dubuis先生不用氣餒的，今年會還你一個公道，繼雙飛行陀飛輪型號之外，致敬陣營還有兩枚計時表和陀飛輪新作吶喊助威。計時表跟雙飛行陀飛輪一樣，擁有Guilloche飾紋，不過前者相對易辦一點，Guilloche不用膽戰心驚地刻在夾板上，在表盤完成便可以。羅馬數字時標也樂得輕鬆，簡單直接鑲貼於表盤。話雖如此，Guilloche畢竟是要求手穩、神定的工藝，表匠也要需時20至50分鐘方能完成整個雕刻程序。

作為致敬系列，過分誇張的設計可免則免，所以腕表色調和造型都是朝著低調典雅的目標進發，玫瑰金表殼，配襯銀色和碳灰色表盤，花俏的元素，還是留給La Monegasque玩家世界系列比較恰當；強悍的因子，也比較適合Excalibur系列，所以，大家眼前的Hommage計時表，和昔日品牌的計時表設計大相逕庭，賣相少有的清秀。不過，有兩點是可以向La Monegasque取經的：去年La Monegasque計時表搭載了全新設計的RD680自動計時機芯，又將計時按鈕改成長方形，今年悉數移植到Hommage身上。Roger Dubuis是其中一個不吝惜採用袖珍擺陀自動機芯的品牌，RD680機芯亦不例外，還備有導柱輪計時裝置。再不厭其煩說多次，由261塊零件組成的機芯，已獲日內瓦印記認證，表背同樣刻上Roger Dubuis本人的簽名式樣。

Last year, the La Monegasque collection drew much attention in the market, which perhaps played down the reborn of the Hommage Minute Repeater. No worry Mr. Dubuis. This year’s Hommage collection is much more spectacular, presenting a double flying tourbillon and two chronographs. 

Both the chronographs and double flying tourbillon are adorned with guilloche. The former has the numerals and guilloche motif on the dial rather than on the mainplate. And the dial takes between 20 to 50 minutes to be entirely engraved for the art of guilloche requiring extreme precision.

As a collection to pay tribute to Mr. Roger Dubuis, the watches are bestowed an elegant look – rose gold case mingled with silver and charcoal grey dial. Just leave the playful designs to the La Monegasque collection and the muscular looks to the Excalibur collection. This Hommage chronograph we are seeing is different with the previous chronographs’ design. It is pure and clean.Yet, the La Monegasque collection and the Hommage chronograph still have something in common. The newly designed RD680 automatic chronograph movement was housed in La Monegasque chronograph last year. The new Hommage chronograph is also powered by the same movement with a micro-motor and double-pusher column-wheel. The movement, without exception, is awarded the Geneva Seal and composed of 261 parts. The case back is also engraved with the signature of Mr. Roger Dubuis.

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Hommage Tribute to Mr. Roger Dubuis

Specification：表殼：玫瑰金直徑：45mm機芯：RD540手上鍊機芯功能：時、分、陀飛輪、動力儲備顯示防水：30米限量：208枚

If you are meticulous enough, you could notice that the limited editions are usually issued in 28 or 88 pieces. Why 208 for this one? Because the number 208 was the student registration number of Roger Dubuis during his time in Geneva Watchmaking School.

There is no denying that the double flying tourbillon is a classic of the brand. Back to 2003, Roger Dubuis created a flying tourbillon without bridge, greatly admired by watch aficionados. And now, two functions are added to the new piece together with the tourbillon. They are the double large date window at 12 o’clock and the 60-hour power reserve indicator at 4 o’clock. To the Roger Dubuis family, having the large date is rare. It first appeared last year in La Monegasque Flying Tourbillon. 

Unlike his two brothers of the Hommage collection, this piece, adorned with a rose gold bezel, has a white lacquered dial instead of adding silver guilloche work, while the Roman numerals are applied like the other two models. The RD540 hand-wound movement with its 293 hand-finished components called for 750 hours of work, of which 220 are dedicated to meeting the strict demands of the Geneva Seal.

心水清的話，大家不難發現品牌腕表的限量數目，泰半不是28就是88枚，為何這次改為208枚？原來，「208」就是Roger Dubuis本人最初在日內瓦製表學校求學時的學號，不知道他們的學號是否隨著累計就讀人數而遞增。果真如此的話，新一代表匠假以時日變成殿堂人物，又想故技重施的時候，限量數目會變成「2,080」，還是「20,800」……

不錯，雙飛行陀飛輪是品牌的經典，但沒有一，怎會有二！Roger Dubuis在2003年，便已發表了一台飛行陀飛輪，論歷史代表性，不會給雙飛行陀飛輪比下去。當年腕表誕生，叮走了傳統的搭橋，陀飛輪像凌空飛舞，不知令多少表迷心如鹿撞。如今，更有兩項功能陪著陀飛輪一起飛，包括12:00位置的大日曆，以及4:00位置的60小時動力儲備顯示。在Roger Dubuis腕表家族裡，大日曆是稀客，只在去年問世的La Monegasque Flying Tourbillon首度現身，事隔一年，便連同整台RD540機芯入籍全新的致敬腕表，相信Roger Dubuis先生也會老懷安慰，自己貢獻了飛行陀飛輪，門生回敬一個瞬跳雙窗大日曆，真正薪火相傳。

和其他兩枚Hommage新作有點不同，此表並沒用上銀色Guilloche表盤，改用白色漆面的簡約設計，映襯玫瑰金色圈環，風味截然不同，不變的是，羅馬數字時標緊守了崗位。內裡的RD540手上鍊機芯，由293塊零件組成，製作歷時750小時，其中220小時，就是應付日內瓦印記所需的工序。