Roger Dubuis puts the focus on skeletons

Roger Dubuis has been at the forefront of the contemporary Fine Watchmaking scene since 1995, creating timepieces that are firmly anchored in the 21st century, and bearing the mark of all the savoir- faire and expertise of the finest watchmaking mechanisms. Rich in mechanical detail, the collections are filled with an abundance of models suited for all tastes

Roger Dubuis is celebrating its ‘year of the skeleton’ with a charismatic line-up of Excalibur models that were featured at the start of the year in the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).  Day and Night magazine caught up with the Regional Brand Director, Jean-Sébastien Berland, at the Doha Jewellery & Watch exhibition that was held at the end of February 2015 for an exclusive chat.

This year, the brand focussed on skeleton watches for ladies. How did this concept come around as skeletons watches are primarily created for men?

The women’s skeleton watches are an extension of our existing collection. After the success of the double tourbillon, the feedback we received from clients demanded an automatic timepiece that was geared especially for women, so we looked at the possibility and the requirements needed as all our movements are built in-house and that takes a lot of time to design and test. The resulting timepieces were revealed at the SIHH 2015 and were a natural evolution of the first double tourbillon Skeleton Excalibur that was launched five years ago.

What was the feedback like from visitors at the SIHH exhibition?

The feedback was extremely positive and enthusiastic. Visitors loved the design of the booth and the uniqueness of the novelties showcased. The feedback of the new automatic watch was well received as clients loved the size, design, functions and price bracket. The non-tourbillon Automatic Skeleton comes in a choice of rose gold or black titanium with or without diamonds and features a skeleton movement. Roger Dubuis aims for a high standard of presentation and I believe we achieved that at the SIHH.

Was the merging of rubber with diamonds a successful decision?

Yes, it was, as the concept is in line with the DNA of the brand that is always looking for new materials to create unique timepieces in. Roger Dubuis clients expect new innovative designs and techniques and for that we need to take risks by merging polar opposite materials that contrast and work well together.

At the SIHH, the brand had a virtual reality experience where they were able to fly through a skeletonised movement inside a watch. Will this experience be incorporated at any of Roger Dubuis boutiques?

We would love to have that experience readily available at our boutiques. But first, we have to look at the feasibility in terms of cost and maintenance. When customers enter our boutiques, we want them to be engulfed in a luxurious experience and we believe that this feature would add that extra special touch when taking home a Roger Dubuis timepiece.

Are there any expansion plans for the Middle East?

We already have a boutique in the Emirates Towers, Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. Immediate expansion plans are underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where we are just about to open a new boutique there. Also in the future we want to have more boutiques in the Gulf, primarily Jeddah, Doha and Kuwait, whether they are in a mall or on the street, we don’t mind as long as we have a strong presence there.

What are the current challenges that Roger Dubuis is facing?

We would like to focus on strengthening our distribution network.  Currently, Roger Dubuis has strong partnerships in the Gulf that work well but ideally, we would like to open our own boutiques so that clients can come to us directly and experience the luxurious environment the brand has to offer. The challenging aspect of this is to find the right location at the right time and implement that branch under the brand’s umbrella.

Being part of the Richemont Group, how has this affected the daily running of the brand?

Being acquired by the Richemont Group has given Roger Dubuis an enormous boost and has laid the foundations to take the brand to the next level. Production knowledge, distribution strategies, marketing techniques and general support have been readily available and our staff are at ease knowing a small brand like ours has the support of a mega-company such as Richemont, that also guide other luxury watch-making brands similar to ours. Another benefit we receive is that we attract the most experienced people to come and work at Roger Dubuis as the Richemont Group are well-known and receive many CV’s that give the brand the option to be selective and employ only the best.

Where do the majority of your sales come from?

Asia is our strongest market but the Middle East is catching up with the tremendous growth we have experienced over the last few years. Our expansion plans will further strength the market in the Gulf by opening more doors and we look forward to what the future holds for Roger Dubuis.