An interview with Sadry Keiser – Roger Dubuis
Angus Davies interviewed Sadry Keiser, the Chief Marketing Officer of Roger Dubuis back in 2022. Recently, the two gentlemen caught up with one another near Rome and discussed Hyper Horology and the ultra high-end brand’s relationship with Lamborghini Squadra Corse.
Image – Sadry Keiser – Roger Dubuis
Quality-price ratio
The watchsphere is a congested place with many products vying for the public’s attention. Unquestionably dynamic, the industry frequently releases models that are worthy of comment as well as some that should be set aside due to their lamentable execution.
Personally, having identified a watch as potentially worthy of editorial comment, I always pause and consider the quality-price ratio. Price and virtue are inextricably linked. A watch costing £3000 may deliver a high quality-price ratio and be deserving of praise. However, should the same watch come with a £300,000 tag, it is unlikely to justify any column-inches.
Haute Horlogerie
In the rarefied world of Haute Horlogerie, price is secondary. A prestigious Maison will often select materials and embrace techniques with few concessions to cost. For example, a tourbillon may be employed to ameliorate the adverse influence of gravity, thereby aiding precision. Equipping a movement with a constant force device will confer excellent rate stability, irrespective of the waning force of the mainspring. Various forms of métiers d’art, including gem-setting, Grand Feu enamel and hand-guilloché are delightful enhancements to a watch, but once again are likely to heighten the overall cost.
If you look closely at an exemplar of Haute Horlogerie with a loupe, you will find the movement is finished to the highest order with no traces of machining in evidence. The array of decorative techniques adorning a movement are the product of much patience and an inordinate amount of skill.
Caveat emptor
The exorbitant price of some watches may suggest they also dwell in the same esoteric domain as said Haute Horlogerie timepieces; however, in some instances these watches are pretenders, lacking said refined execution. Six and seven figure price tags, numerous gems and brand associations with famous faces from the worlds of music, the silver screen and sport do not automatically make a watch a shining example of fine watchmaking.
Classical expressions of Haute Horlogerie
Those consumers fortunate enough to be able to acquire an über-luxurious watch often select a classical expression of Haute Horlogerie, opting for the tried and tested route to watchmaking excellence. Indeed, many well-heeled horophiles frequently opt for an Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, the so-called ‘Holy Trinity’ of Swiss watch brands. There are other comparable brands that occupy this rarefied space. Indeed, the likes of A. Lange & Söhne, F.P.Journe and Parmigiani Fleurier are all capable of meeting the desires of the most discerning collector.
However, if you want an ultra-modern timepiece, that is crafted to the highest standards, aka Haute Horlogerie, where do you go? I would suggest that you may wish to consider Hyper Horology.
Image – Angus Davies dismantling a Roger Dubuis movement
Hyper Horology
Roger Dubuis is a Manufacture known for its distinctive take on Haute Horlogerie, or as the brand prefers to say, ‘Hyper Horology’. Located in Meyrin, on the outskirts of Geneva, the Maison crafts beautifully finished, avant-garde timepieces.
Image – Lamborghini Squadra Corse
In 2022, following a visit to Manufacture Roger Dubuis, I published an article on ESCAPEMENT. In this feature, I made reference to the Poinçon de Genève and the fact that most of the firm’s products are subject to the independent scrutiny of the Geneva Seal. It is only after fulfilling the onerous requirements of the Poinçon de Genève that the company is able to stamp a watch and its movement with the prestigious hallmark.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina
Roger Dubuis upholds the no-compromise standards associated with Haute Horlogerie, while at the same time pushing the performance envelope of watchmaking by using new, contemporary materials (subject to the approval of the Poinçon de Genève) and embracing bold design. This unusual take on traditional Haute Horlogerie delivers a fresh-faced alternative to the aforementioned classical expressions of Haute Horlogerie.
Image – Lamborghini materials for car parts
Recently, I travelled to Italy to attend the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final as a guest of Roger Dubuis. The Genevan watch firm has a close working relationship with Lamborghini that also extends to the Italian car marque supplying some raw materials to the watch brand (see my behind-the-scenes look around the Manufacture). As well as spending time behind the wheel of a fire-breathing supercar, I also had the opportunity to strip a Roger Dubuis model under the close supervision of a highly qualified watchmaker. This latter experience served as a reminder that watchmaking is not for amateurs!
Image – Lamborghini sanding methods for car parts
During my trip, I met Sadry Keiser, the Chief Marketing Officer of Roger Dubuis. It is not the first time that we have met. Back in 2022, I interviewed Sadry together with other members of the firm’s management team. Whilst at the track, I grabbed the opportunity to catch up with Sadry and find out what was new at Roger Dubuis, a brand that never seems to stand still.
In conversation with Sadry Keiser – Roger Dubuis
Angus Davies (AD): At Watches & Wonders 2023, Roger Dubuis unveiled the Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph. Thereafter, the company released at least two flyback chronographs. Are there any more new chronographs likely to be unveiled in the coming months and can watch aficionados expect Roger Dubuis to revisit other complications that the firm has made in the past, eg perpetual calendars?
Sadry Keiser (SK): Yes, we will probably release new chronographs. However, I need to elaborate on this.
We are known for Haute Horlogerie. According to the Fondation (Fondation Haute Horlogerie), to be considered a Haute Horlogerie brand, you need to produce a tourbillon, a minute repeater, a split seconds chronograph and a perpetual calendar.
Currently, we offer a tourbillon… If you are thinking of adding a Roger Dubuis to your collection it should be a tourbillon, perhaps a double tourbillon (smiles). We also produce a minute repeater and, more recently, we released a split-seconds chronograph, a model with a construction that looks very interesting. However, there is one complication that we do not currently have in the range, a perpetual calendar. Returning to the days when Roger Dubuis ran the company, the perpetual calendar was an iconic complication for the brand.
It is a priority for us to show that we are masters in all four complications… the four pillars. Currently, we have three pillars in our collection, but our vision is to ensure that we offer all four, something we intend to achieve in the coming years.
Image – Roger Dubuis Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph
AD: Roger Dubuis has gained a reputation for working with new cutting-edge materials. I know that on at least two occasions you have released watches crafted in cobalt. I love the look of this material. Do you envisage Roger Dubuis devotees will see this material being employed on more models in the future?
SK: When we started playing with Cobalt Blue we found that it was a challenging to work with, but combining the colours delivered a fascinating aesthetic.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina
AD: Is it as difficult to work with as Grade 5 titanium?
SK: It is much more difficult as it is even harder.
AD: So, the machine tools wear out more quickly and the milling speeds have to be much slower?
SK: Exactly. As I said, it is difficult to work with, but we are always open to challenges. Now we have used the material on a number of references, we have gained an improved understanding of how to use it. It does have several interesting properties. It can be mirror polished and it is less magnetic than other metallic components. Despite the challenges of using Cobalt Blue, our Maison will continue to use it for both the aesthetic and technical benefits it offers.
AD: In terms of Grade 5 titanium, I notice that you are offering additional references in this lightweight metal. Do you still offer stainless steel watches?
SK: No, we no longer produce watches in stainless steel. Our entry-level material is Grade 5 titanium. We also work with ceramic, EON Gold, various treatments, etc.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Huracan Sterrato
AD: Recently, I looked at a couple of Roger Dubuis brochures from the past and was reminded of the many collections you once offered, eg Easydiver, Pulsion, Kingsquare, Goldensquare, Le Monégasque, etc. In recent years, the Maison has reduced the number of collections, focussing on the Excalibur, Knights of the Round Table, Hyper Watches and Velvet. Do you envisage releasing new collections in the near future?
SK: When I joined the company eight years ago, I looked at how many collections we had launched over a 20-year period. I counted more than 21. That was too many, making it difficult for the consumer to understand what the brand stood for. The first objective was to clean the room a bit, make sure that as a company we understand where we can really add value and where we can’t. This has made things clearer from both a marketing and a product development perspective.
I think we have now reached a good equilibrium. We are not launching new product families on a daily basis… it’s something you may only do every 5-10 years. I’m not sure that we are ready to do so at the moment. I’m not saying we will never launch new product families, but we are still cautiously finishing the cleaning and being sure that we offer the four pillars that we mentioned earlier. In fact, while most watch companies are playing with product categories, we prefer to think about complications. And the question is whether the complication suits an existing line.. does it make sense? Yes or no? If it’s a yes, there is no need for an additional line (collection). If it’s a no, then maybe we would consider a new line.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Revuelto Flyback Chronograph
AD: When I toured the Manufacture, I observed your craftspeople and watchmakers finishing movement components to an exalted standard. How do you convey the immense amount of time and effort that the Maison expends on finissage, for example?
I ask this as a layperson probably can’t comprehend how much time you spend mirror polishing a component, for example. So how do you address that? Do you specify the amount of time you spend on things? Do you do little workshops for collectors to show them what’s involved?
SK: There are numerous variables. We do invite some clients to visit the Manufacture and see the people and the processes. When you observe what we do in the Manufacture you begin to appreciate what goes into the making of a watch and the areas where value is added to each component. It would be easy to state the time it takes to perform one operation, but few people will truly comprehend what these numbers mean. It is only when you see the complexity of each process and the passion that underpins this that you are able to begin to appreciate the work that goes into making one of our watches. When clients visit the Maison they see that we are a true Manufacture, capable of making timepieces that sit at the pinnacle of watchmaking.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Flyback Chronograph
AD: Luxury cars and Haute Horlogerie often appeal to the same people, leading to some watch brands partnering with an automotive marque for marketing purposes. However, I know that the relationship between Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini Squadra Corse is very different. For example, there is a sharing of technical information especially when it comes to materials. Indeed, when I visited the Manufacture, I discovered that Lamborghini supplies your company with blocks of forged carbon. Can you elaborate further on your relationship with the Italian car marque?
SK: I am delighted that you can see that we are true partners with Lamborghini Squadra Corse. We have been working together for some time and we now share a common language. We exchange different ideas. This could be different technologies, it could be design ideas, it could be whatever comes to mind, because we both understand that we can really benefit from working together.
You mentioned forged carbon. What is very interesting is the scale Lamborghini work to is very different to our own. They have an autoclave … a bit like a large oven, allowing them to put a full chassis in the autoclave, a monobloc. It’s fascinating to see how they play with these huge, three-dimensional pieces of composite material. This has led to many discussions about the fibre, the composite and how they mix them to ensure they deliver the desired mechanical properties. This is highly beneficial, inspiring us to apply this know-how. It is a challenge for us to adapt some techniques to the scale we work at. For example, if we look to make bridges from plates of carbon, we have to think about how the fibres are arranged, the kind of composite we use, the temperatures, the pressure, etc. This cross fertilisation of ideas also speeds up our development process.
This exchange is not merely related to technical matters, sometimes it can influence the aesthetics of products, albeit we have to adapt ideas to the appropriate scale. One exercise we have done on several occasions is to look at the design of a car and a watch. Imagine that you design a watch measuring 50 mm in diameter and then you design a car that’s perhaps 5 metres in length. The designer of each product has to address various challenges and while the design language may be similar, the application is different. We have found that if we swap roles and imagine a watch is 5 metres in diameter, we can discover fresh ideas. From purely an intellectual perspective, if you remove all the constraints, you can design a bridge to be a particular shape because the scale no longer provides the usual constraints. Conversely, imagine that you are designing a car that’s a mere 5 cm in length. The approach of the designer, especially their sensitivity to the creative process, will be different. By sharing ideas, looking at the impact these will have on the aesthetics, we can help one another.
Technology and design are just two examples of how working with Lamborghini Squadra Corse delivers a transfer of expertise. It’s not limited to just one project.. we are not working together on just one model, it’s a long-term collaborative relationship.
Image – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon White Ceramic edition
Sadry Keiser – Roger Dubuis – closing remarks
After interviewing Sadry, I travelled to Leonard Da Vinci Airport (Flumicino, Rome) and reflected on our conversation. It is clear that releasing a perpetual calendar is high on Sadry’s agenda and, based on the Maison’s notable creativity, I suspect there are already several preliminary sketches lying on his desk.
It is obvious that the luxury marque has a clear focus of where it wants to be and is concentrating solely on those ideas that are consistent with the brand’s DNA.
It was also apparent that the marriage with Lamborghini Squadra Corse has delivered some incredible synergies. Both firms are independent of one another, but share a similar mindset. The result of this relationship has fuelled product development and allowed each firm to deliver additional benefits to its clients.
As I sat eating a bowl of pasta at the airport, I reflected on my conversation with Sadry. Over the years, I have worn Roger Dubuis watches, toured the company’s facilities, visited its boutiques and even dismantled one of its movements. I’ve examined several of the Maison’s models at close quarters and been able to discern the mechanical virtue of its movements as well as witness the peerless craftsmanship practised within the Manufacture. My chat with Sadry served to confirm what I already thought about the Swiss marque. The brand’s products may be bold, perhaps polarising, but make no mistake, Roger Dubuis exists in the rarefied heights of Haute Horlogerie or as they say in Meyrin, ‘Hyper Horology’.
Further reading
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