Roger Dubuis is loud and in your face. This is the first thing one must accept at face value to understand the appeal of Richemont?s most nonconformist brand. The second thing is to realize that design language and watchmaking are two separate things that exist independently of each other. You may not love the design, but you have to respect the watchmaking. That said, I recently visited their new boutique at South Coast Plaza in Southern California, and in that visit got to check out their latest release, the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier.

Roger Dubuis refers to the Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier as ?hyper excessive? and I?d have to agree, though I suppose it applies to most of the brand?s offerings. It?s hard not to draw parallels Richard Mille, another brand that embraces brash designs and cutting edge materials. 
I have always had a fondness for Roger Dubuis and here?s why: design is subjective but watchmaking is not. Like every Roger Dubuis watch produced, the Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier bears the Poinçon de Genève aka the Geneva Seal. Recognized by the horological cognoscenti as being the premier certification in watchmaking, the Geneva Seal has been around for over 135 years. Historically, the Geneva Seal was limited to movement finishing, but in 2011 became more stringent in taking movement performance and case finishes into account. According to Roger Dubuis, ensuring that their watches meet the Geneva Seal standards equates to 40%...