As a Boy Scout, Roger Dubuis’s calm nature earned him a nickname: La Placide—the placid one. Thirty years after founding his brand in 1995, that name identifies a 28-piece limited edition: the Hommage La Placide, incorporating original movements from the 1990s—not reproductions, but restored originals.
The calibre RD1472 combines two historically significant movements: the RD14 automatic base from 2004 and the RD72 perpetual calendar module from 1999. Rather than manufacturing new components to vintage specifications, the workshop restored original movements, retaining balance springs and swan neck regulators from the founder’s era. Each movement underwent diagnostic evaluation to determine which components remained viable and which required replacement to meet contemporary standards.
Engineering From the Vault
The workshop evaluated each historic calibre individually, assessing gear trains, escapements, and regulation systems against modern precision requirements. Original balance springs proved viable, but gear trains needed recalibration. This demanded expertise in vintage restoration whilst delivering watches that meet Poinçon de Genève certification—the independent quality standard Roger Dubuis insisted upon. As a student, he’d already achieved this prestigious hallmark with a school project watch.
Three hundred and seven components constitute the movement, finished using fifteen distinct decoration techniques. Geneva stripes flow across bridges, perlage textures baseplate surfaces, and bevelled wheel edges catch light at oblique angles. Mirror polishing extends to functional steel parts invisible during normal wear.
The RD14 provides the automatic winding mechanism and base architecture, whilst the RD72 contributes day, date, month, leap year, and moonphase complications. This combination had been executed only once before in the brand’s catalogue. The perpetual calendar accounts for varying month lengths and leap years without manual adjustment until 2100. For this edition, the workshop remanufactured the mainplate, large bridge, and nearly half of all components—including levers, springs, wheels, and pinions. The 18K pink gold rotor is new as well.
The Biretrograde Signature
Roger Dubuis introduced the biretrograde calendar mechanism in 1996 with the first Hommage watch. The complication sent a shiver through the watch community—a mechanically dramatic way of displaying time that merged technical heritage with visual theatre.
Unlike conventional calendar displays that advance incrementally, the retrograde system employs hands that sweep across semi-circular scales before snapping instantaneously back to zero. This requires precisely tensioned springs and carefully calibrated cam profiles to ensure accurate reset without mechanical stress. The day and date displays operate independently, each occupying its own arc on the dial’s lower register, whilst the perpetual calendar’s leap year indicator and moonphase display occupy the upper portion.
The biretrograde display’s positioning creates an elliptical geometry. The two large hands, combined with bold typography, produce scales that widen toward the perimeter and taper toward the centre—a design true to the original 1996 layout. At each month’s end, the hands snap back to their starting positions with immediate precision.
The dial comprises five distinct layers combining mother-of-pearl, lacquer, and aventurine. The primary plate, finished in “Leman Blue,” references Lake Geneva. Blue aventurine forms the moonphase backdrop with subtle metallic shimmer. Two curved 18K yellow gold moons traverse its surface. Mother-of-pearl calendar segments form the second layer with hand-bevelled edges, whilst the outer flange features polished angles, circular brushing, and transferred numerals alongside a minute track.
The 38mm pink gold case—crafted in the Roger Dubuis workshop for the first time—maintains classical proportions. The interchangeable blue leather strap features the original Roger Dubuis emblem rather than current corporate branding, secured with the original triple folding buckle.
Market Position and Collector Appeal
Limited to 28 pieces and priced at £96,000 (€115,000, approximately $141,000 USD) before taxes, La Placide is intended for collectors who appreciate high complications and Geneva finishing. Roger Dubuis’ market position has evolved considerably since the founder’s era, and secondary market performance varies significantly depending on model and period.
The incorporation of restored historic movements adds a dimension rarely seen in contemporary limited editions. This approach demands greater investment in restoration and quality control, but delivers authenticity that resonates with collectors who value provenance. Each watch carries forward both physical components from the brand’s history and the technical knowledge required to maintain them.
The Poinçon de Genève certification provides assurance that vintage components have been integrated without compromising overall quality—addressing concerns that typically accompany watches incorporating historic parts. The brand’s offer of complimentary straps to original Hommage collection owners demonstrates ongoing engagement with its historical clientele, cementing La Placide’s status as a genuine heritage piece.
A Double Homage
The name carries layered meaning: the original Hommage collection paid tribute to the watchmakers who educated Roger Dubuis, whilst this piece honours the watchmaker himself. It’s a double homage celebrating the man known for his placid nature by resurrecting the movements he created during the brand’s founding decade.
The craftsmanship invested in each calibre, from restoration through final assembly, ensures that La Placide will remain relevant not merely as a commemorative piece but as a functioning example of Geneva’s horological tradition. Whether that translates to significant secondary market appreciation remains uncertain, but the technical merit stands independent of investment considerations. The watch sparks questions about what else from the brand’s early years might receive similar treatment—perhaps the Hommage Chronographs, or even the triretrograde calendar that Roger Dubuis patented in 2000.
