To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Roger Dubuis is relaunching a restoration project entirely dedicated to the Hommage: Millésime collection. As part of this major undertaking, the Manufacture will restore a series of antique watch movement blanks using very old techniques updated to meet the contemporary specifications imposed by the Poinçon de Genève and create a limited edition collection. Each year, the Maison will launch a new creation, linked to the opening of a new flagship store: each one will include a perpetual calendar, alone or accompanied by one or more of the other three most sophisticated horological complications (minute repeater, tourbillon or chronograph). Symbolically destined for the new Roger Dubuis boutique in Geneva in June 2015, the first Millésime based on this collection of watch movement blanks is the calibre RD181, a late 19th/early 20th century ébauche that Monsieur Roger Dubuis himself had unearthed from an antique watchmaker. It is a pocket watch with a diameter of 60 mm. Those who buy it will be able to personalise the chain by replacing several links with a series of 5N pink gold plates on which messages can be engraved. The cover of the 'officier' case back is designed to accommodate a signature and personalised inscription at the customer's discretion. During the 24 months of development, the RD181 required 1950 hours of work, including 700 hours dedicated to the restoration of the calibre alone. During the restoration process, the perpetual calendar was modified to accommodate two retrograde counters, evoking the first perpetual calendar models developed and produced by the manufacture.
