It’s Exactly What We're Able to Deliver, aka Hyper Horology™: Sadry Keiser of Roger Dubuis

Every Roger Dubuis creation stands out for its one-of-a-kind bold and daring approach to watchmaking. This year’s launches stay true to that ethos as well. In a conversation with GMT India, Chief Marketing Officer Sadry Keiser opened up about the values that remain at the core of Roger Dubuis, the coining of the term Hyper Horology™, and recent launches. Excerpts from the interview:

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GMT India: Your journey with Roger Dubuis spans over eight years. From then to now, how has the brand evolved?

Sadry Keiser (SK): Even though eight years is a long period of time, Roger Dubuis is still a young brand. I like to believe that we are young adults. So, our evolution has sort of been like being in your 20s and moving towards the 30s; those 10 years count for a lot. For the first 20 years, we did a lot of exploration until we reached a point where we finally discovered who we are, the philosophy that drives us, and how we express ourselves to the world. I’ve had the chance to see this evolution closely over the past eight years. Now, we are committed to making sure that our audience, our partners, and our clients understand who we are, what makes us unique, and how we can be of interest to them. 

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‍GMT India: The term Hyper Horology™ is now synonymous with Roger Dubuis. Tell us more…

‍SK: The roots of the term can be said to date back to founder Carlos Dias and Roger Dubuis himself. Both dynamic visionaries, they were deeply passionate about fine watchmaking and high complications. As the brand grew, the question that came up was how could we be perceived as a unique Maison with an identity that clearly differentiates us from others while still paying tribute to traditional fine watchmaking and its mechanics; Hyper Horology™ emerged as a result. In terms of definition, it comes down to three things that Roger Dubuis, as a brand, has emphasised on since day one: fine watchmaking, expressivity, and a contemporary appeal. 

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‍GMT India: The Excalibur Sunrise Double Tourbillon, unveiled at Watches and Wonders, is instantly recognisable as a Roger Dubuis creation. Tell us more about the watch. How would you say it stays true to the bold and extravagant spirit that the brand has come to be known for? 

‍SK: This specific timepiece represents Hyper Horology™ and the brand’s vision and philosophy. Let’s keep four things in mind, with the first being the Poinçon de Genève certification that guarantees not just the provenance and reliability of the watch but also attests to the rich craftsmanship and the specific story we’re telling. The second and third keywords are “skeletonised” and “complication”. The double flying tourbillon is one of the brand’s most iconic complications; additionally, it’s skeletonised. All in all, a feat that almost no other brand has managed to achieve. Thing number four that’s crucial is exclusivity ― this model is limited to only eight pieces. If you put all four things together, it represents what Roger Dubuis stands for, as a brand, and the Sunrise Double Tourbillon perfectly embodies that.

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‍GMT India: The Orbis in Machina also stands out for its unique appeal. What would you say sets it apart?

‍SK: This goes back to the brand’s roots as well. As you know, Roger was a big fan of the tourbillon. He always found ways for us to interpret the complication differently. We would put the complication at the centre of the watch and then use our technical expertise to create something astonishing in terms of aesthetics. So, in a nutshell, right from the early days, we have been incorporating our own style while respecting the importance of the complication. The Orbis in Machina, with its new kind of construction, highlights a very expressive way of paying tribute to the complication and denotes a next step for the Maison in terms of how we would like to add a sense of play to high watchmaking.

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‍GMT India: As a marketeer yourself, if you had to briefly introduce the brand to somebody new to the world of watches, how would you do it?

‍SK: I would say it's the best of two worlds: the tradition of fine watchmaking and what the future could be. All Roger Dubuis creations are inspired by the past, but definitely look towards the future. And I think it's exactly what we're able to deliver, aka Hyper Horology™. There’s a distinct uniqueness and exclusivity that forms part of the Maison’s core philosophy.

GMT India: The luxury market in India has been expanding at a rapid pace, including a fast-growing demand for luxury watches. Keeping this in mind, are there India-centric expansion plans in place?

‍SK: It’s very interesting to see the fast growing demand and expansion of the market, including in India, and it’s beautiful to see how the watchmaking industry is able to adapt to it all. I suppose the question to be considered is how, as a little Maison, we can remain sensitive to such evolution and connect with the specific market, and develop it over the coming months and years. I can’t give you an answer right away, but it’s something under discussion.

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