Roger Dubuis La Monégasque Automatic Flying Tourbillon for Only Watch 2013

For the first time, Roger Dubuis integrated their automatic flying tourbillon movement, caliber RD520, in the La Monégasque collection. In a pièce unique for the Only Watch 2013 auction that will be held on September 28 in Monaco. How befitting! Compared to the Monegasque Flying Tourbillon with large date – with a manually wound movement – this adds a micro-rotor, one of Roger Dubuis’ signature features, to the dial side, creating a mesmerizing visual treat.

Until now this movement was only used in the Excalibur Automatic Flying Tourbillon, and now it is being used, for one time, in the Monégasque. Since the Only Watch auction is a Monegasque affair, it makes sense to donate a pièce unique from this very collection. The Roger Dubuis Flying Tourbillon is in my opinion one of the most beautiful tourbillons in the world and it is always a sheer joy to see the black polished “cross” of the tourbillon’s cage rotate.

This flying tourbillon and the three words at the bottom of the dial, are the two other signature features of Roger Dubuis. That’s because Roger Dubuis is the only watch maufacture that can stamp the Hallmark of Geneva on its entire production! The Hallmark of Geneva is one of the most demanding signatures in fine watchmaking  and makes a great starting point in a quest for excellence.

Hallmark of Geneva

Just some figures… Of the 20 million watches produced in Switzerland each year, only 24,000 bear the Hallmark of Geneva. Roger Dubuis is the only Manufacture of which the entire range is 100% Hallmark of Geneva certified. Each component of each section of the movement is individually finished and decorated by hand. And that really means all parts of the movement, from the mainplate to the smallest screw; all are hand-finished according to traditional techniques including polished chamfers, straight-grained sides, smoothed down or leveled faces, polished or circular-grained screw heads with chamfered edges. A movement bearing the Hallmark of Geneva requires an additional 30 to 40% extra work.

Printed on the crystal it reads “Only Watch Unique Piece” and the in gold rim around the crystal is engraved “01/01”, that once more underlines the uniqueness of this Roger Dubuis La Monégasque Automatic Flying Tourbillon.

Some specifications:

• Case: pink gold, diameter is 44 mm, water resistance to 50 meters
• Caliber RD520 self-winding mechanical movement, 15 ligne and 6.50 mm in height, 30 jewels, 21,600 vph (3Hz), 60 hours of power reserve, adjusted in six (!!) positions
• Finishing: rhodium-plated, circular-grained main plate, Côtes de Genève decoration on bridges, tourbillon carriage in the shape of a Celtic cross, Poinçon de Genève
• Pink gold ardillon buckle with a hand-stitched black alligator strap