The Excalibur Bi-Retrograde Calendar by Roger Dubuis

This year, Roger Dubuis celebrates its 30th anniversary, and for the occasion, the company pays tribute to its co-founder’s favourite complication: the bi-retrograde display.

This function, previously featured in the Excalibur Grande Complication alongside a dozen other highly complex mechanisms, takes centre stage once again. The Maison has also introduced a less complicated, more classic edition to further honour the bi-retrograde display.

Also referred to as “the ecliptic counters” by the Maison a nod to their elliptical shape and distinctive role in indicating the months and date the design showcases a symmetrical dial layout. Enhanced by refined detailing, it pays homage to the Maison’s early creations from 1996.

Glossary

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Glossary
sandwich dial

sandwich dial

It is a type of watch dial design distinguished by its three-dimensional layout and multi-layered construction, enhancing both aesthetics and time readability. It typically consists of two main layers: The bottom layer, often coated with luminescent material, features perforations for hour markers and numerals. The top layer, which contains the hour markers and numerals, is usually solid and opaque.

The luminescent material on the lower layer shines through the cutouts in the upper layer, creating a strong contrast that makes the watch face highly visible, especially in low-light conditions. This design was originally developed by the brand "Panerai" for its military watches to improve visibility during underwater and nighttime operations.