WORLDTEMPUS - 23 January 2012
Carlos Torres
Monday, January 16: the first day of the 22nd SIHH in Geneva and I was about to meet Jean-Marc Pontroué, who after more than a decade as executive vice president of Montblanc, had just recently relieved Georges Kern at the helm of the Roger Dubuis manufacture. Montblanc owes much of its ever-increasing standing in the field of watchmaking over the last decade to Pontroué´s actions as second-in-command of the house of the six-pointed star. So it's fair to say that there was some expectation toward Roger Dubuis's appearance at this year's SIHH.
When Pontroué first arrived at Roger Dubuis, he expected a dusty manufacture with a lot of creative restraints according to the traditional manner of conceiving and manufacturing mechanical watches. What he found instead was a Silicon Valley sort of atmosphere with a group of very young people thinking outside the box and asking themselves one thing over and over as part off their creative process: why not? The result is a remarkable flow of new ideas that had to be slowed down because, as Pontroué puts it, “We have enough on our plate right now.”
Pontroué is very clear about where he wants to position Roger Dubuis in the future. The business model is simply understood, not easy to implement, and places Roger Dubuis at the top of the haute horlogerie pyramid: 100% independent and autonomous and producing everything in-house without the necessity for outside suppliers. The resulting products are than sold by 200 of the best points-of-sale around the globe, including 13 exclusive brand boutiques.
The world of the diva
Touching on the present worldwide economic situation, Pontroué had no doubt in saying that he is rather optimistic about the world of the future. Roger Dubuis believes in long-term developments and wants to become the reference in the haute horlogerie sector. To fulfill this objective, the brand chose to differentiate itself from others, both in terms of design and movements. “Roger Dubuis does not follow trends,” says Pontroué. “Our creative people are much more like Apple or Bang & Olufsen people. How to be different without being totally out of business is the daily challenge we have to meet.”
There are two lines the brand considers “historical”: the Excalibur, which is the most emblematic of the brand, and the other – though only three months old – is the Monegasque. These two pillars existed until the fair, when Roger Dubuis launched two new concepts, or worlds, that will help the brand achieve its main purpose: to sell dreams. The first of these two new worlds is for ladies and called “The World of the Diva.” This is a creative choice Pontroué easily justifies, “There is a business opportunity with sophisticated mechanical ladies' watches. Pieces that are not only nice to look at, but that also have content. We believe that a sophisticated woman will want to associate strong design with relevant technological content.” Velvet is the name of the new Roger Dubuis line, which is exclusively feminine and composed of seven models, including its own mechanical caliber. Developed by the brand's own designers, this line reinterprets the jewelry watch, and is therefore only offered in set versions; in short, a classic model with a touch of extravagance. The launch of this line is part of a wider strategy that will see the reintroduction of a jewelry line in the future.
A world of adventure
The second world is an outdoor concept, a world of adventure and exploration called Pulsion. This is a line of five casual-chic models (two flying tourbillons and three chronographs) with the particularity of having a thick sapphire crystal secured by six screws to fully cover the dial and replace the bezel. The numbers are engraved directly underneath the surface of the glass and filled with SuperLumiNova allowing this watch with a diameter of 44 mm to boast excellent night readability. This is simultaneously a feature that gives the Pulsion line an openness that contributes to the ambitioned strategic differentiation that the brand seeks. Finally, the rubber strap and mix of polished and satin-finished surfaces contribute to the casual-chic feel of these adventurous timepieces. According to Pontroué, “All these elements make this watch slightly different to what exists in the market.” Among the group of movements available for the Pulsion line, chronograph Caliber 680 originally launched for the Monégasque stands out with a micro rotor that provides as much energy as a classic central rotor. Roger Dubuis is presently the only manufacture to produce a chronograph movement with a micro rotor, a particularity that allows the movement to be visually appreciated without having the central oscillating mass covering half of the beautiful work done by the brand. Pontroué also reveals that the future will see additional models for the Pulsion line, among them the necessary diver's models that will fully justify the philosophy of adventure and exploration promised by the line's marketing.
With these new two worlds taking their places alongside Excalibur and La Monegasque, Roger Dubuis unveiled its new face at the SIHH 2012, where even the logo was retouched. The gambler, the warrior, the adventurer and the diva will now respectively inspire the brand's La Monégasque, Excalibur, Pulsion and Ladies lines.
Despite all this, Roger Dubuis had another surprise prepared for this year's SIHH, even tough it was announced several weeks before the show. The return of Roger Dubuis himself, one of the founders of the manufacture, is intended to bring that little extra dash of soul and awareness of the brand's history to customers potential clients. Regarding the now-revamped Seal of Geneva, the most prestigious and oldest Swiss watchmaking certification process will remain one of the reasons that the brand can set itself apart from other makers, and that ultimately justifies the value of each watch produced. Closing the pleasant interview, there was still time for Pontroué to reveal that next September, the manufacture will be presenting a key innovation in the world of watchmaking for 2012. A new and working model – already beyond the stage of concept watch – that will add up to the extraordinary number of 31 proprietary in-house movements produced by Roger Dubuis.
