The history of Roger Dubuis is rich and complex. Dubuis started his career in the 1950s working for Longines, before moving on to Patek Philippe’s complications department, then breaking away to start his own workshop in the ‘80s. Initially restoring watches for clients and developing his own movements, eventually, in 1995, Dubuis would launch his eponymous brand with the help of businessman Carlos Dias
This watch is distinguished by its striking ultramarine dial, which makes use of perlage beneath a lacquered surface to provide a marbled effect, with guilloché decoration on the sub-dials that further highlight the beauty of the design. The daring colour of this dial speaks to the philosophy that many of these early Roger Dubuis pieces possess – melding classic, traditional complications with an emphatically contemporary style.
Two references to Dubuis’ past work and admiration for Patek Philippe will not escape the eye of the discerning collector. The first is the flared finish of the pushers that invoke the Patek Philippe reference 1463 "Tasti Tondi", while the second is the use of the Lemania 2310, the ébauche famously used in multiple of Patek Philippe’s perpetual calendar chronographs, and can be found here as the base of the calibre RD 56.
Each variant of the Hommage series is part of a limited series of 28, a number chosen following the suggestion of a collector based in Asia, where the number 8 is considered to bring good luck. Rather unusually, this particular example has the "15/28" numbering engraved on the left hand side of the case, a feature which is rarely ever seen on these pieces.
A Collected Man will be donating an amount equivalent to the total selling price of the highest-performing watch to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
If sold within the United Kingdom, this Roger Dubuis Hommage Chronograph H40 560 will be subject to 20% VAT.