One of the latest models in Roger Dubuis' famous Excalibur collection has been inspired by the company's partners Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Pirelli. We are talking about the Excalibur One-off multi-complicated watch, which is modelled in design on the Lamborghini SC18 Alston supercar, the first hypercar created by the Lamborghini racing team and developed exclusively for circuit driving. Following the same design philosophy as Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the Roger Dubuis engineers have created a timepiece inspired by the aesthetic codes and aggressive style typical of the Italian company: clean, precise lines, great depth and gleaming bodywork. For its part, Pirelli, a leading tyre company, has been fitting its tyres on all Lamborghinis produced since 1963, and currently makes bespoke tyres specially designed to offer the best in terms of performance, grip and safety for the various car models of the Sant'Agata Bolognese company. Distinguished by an 'L', these tyres are developed with the aim of accentuating the car's performance while guaranteeing a unique driving experience, both on the track and on the road. The Excalibur One-off adopts a special strap with the 'L' symbol, featuring details reminiscent of Lamborghini's typical cooling vents, and is designed to maximise breathability and resistance. The structure of the strap is composed of nylon fibres, exactly like those found in the internal structure of Pirelli tyres. It is precisely the vast experience of Pirelli's engineers that has helped Roger Dubuis to improve the quality of the strap by providing it with excellent resistance to torsion and traction, which makes it possible to achieve a special skeleton effect through extensive perforation. The Excalibur One-off is powered by the third calibre specifically designed for a timepiece born from this triple collaboration, namely the RD106SQ mechanical movement with double flying tourbillon inclined at 90°. Built like a supercar engine, it reproduces the V-shaped geometry of Lamborghini engines. Roger Dubuis, a master of the intricacies of the regulating organs of mechanical movements, plays with three dimensions by placing each component on a different level and superimposing it on the others, and tilting the heart of the watch. The avant-garde flying double tourbillon is assembled on two planes inclined at 90° to each other and connected by a differential. At 12 o'clock, the Excalibur One-off features a double jumping hour disc with a jumping minute hand and a jumping hour counter (like on Lamborghinis, where a hand marks the number of revolutions and a counter shows the speed). The movement is framed by sapphire glass components reminiscent of a car's rev counter. Yet another homage to the Lamborghini SC18 Alston is the function selector (useful for changing the watch's settings - W = winding, S = time setting) reminiscent of the one found on supercars for changing driving modes - a novel and fun function for this new timepiece. A construction of such complexity required the redesign and adaptation of every tool used to finish the components to meet the standards of the Poinçon de Genève. Lamborghini Squadra Corse is renowned for its expertise in the use of carbon fibre, a material used in many of its creations and in particular in the SC18 Alston supercar, which has in fact also been called "Lamborghini's unrepeatable carbon fibre masterpiece". The Excalibur One-off's robust 47 mm case features SMC carbon within its structure and in that of the flange and bridge, as well as a carbon fibre fabric case middle. This choice reflects the well-known skill of both Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini Squadra Corse in using this material, known for its strength and lightness. Ceramic, another material linked to the automotive world and widely used for supercar brakes, is used in black on the bezel and in lacquer red for the minute markers.
