Roger Dubuis Delivers a Calm but Killer Finale
A serene platinum creation concludes Roger Dubuis La Placide series with a poetic tribute to night, heritage and calm craftsmanship.
Roger Dubuis unveiled the final chapter of its poetic La Placide series during Dubai Watch Week.
The Hommage Sukoon Al Layl is a unique creation that closes the Maison’s year-long tribute to its founder with an exquisite meditation on serenity, heritage and the quiet power of night.
For collectors who appreciate the deeper dialogue between horology and art, this one-of-a-kind piece stands as both an ode to tradition and a contemporary expression of watchmaking mastery.
A Tribute to the Spirit of Mr Roger Dubuis
The Hommage line has always been a personal expression for the Maison. When Mr Roger Dubuis launched the first Hommage in 1996, it honoured the teachers and watchmakers who shaped his craft.
Nearly three decades later, the honour is reversed. La Placide celebrates the founder himself, known for his calm presence and unwavering gentleness, qualities captured in the Arabic term sukoon.
Sukoon Al Layl translates to serenity of the night, a fitting title that brings together Mr Dubuis' passion for astronomical complications with the vast stillness of the Middle Eastern desert after dusk. The result is a watch that feels meditative, contemplative and quietly powerful.
Platinum Radiance and Lunar Elegance
The Hommage Sukoon Al Layl is housed in a 38 millimetre platinum case, with the bezel, crown, case back and even the triple folding buckle crafted in the same noble metal.
The choice of platinum is purposeful. Its cool lustre mirrors moonlight cast across sand and, under low light, the watch seems to glow rather than shine.
The watch is paired with an Astral Blue calfskin strap, stitched with a rarely seen platinum thread. It is a subtle detail that only the most attentive collector might notice, yet it elevates the entire composition.
A Dial Inspired by Desert Nightfall
The dial is a masterclass in layered craftsmanship. It features:
Mother-of-pearl elements
Used for the flange and calendar indications, the mother-of-pearl displays an iridescent radiance that enhances the watch’s nocturnal theme.
Roger Dubuis was one of the first to introduce mother-of-pearl to men’s watchmaking, and its return in this piece feels both historical and contemporary.
Guilloché main plate
Decorated with waves recalling wind-shaped desert sand, the plate is finished in Astral Blue with a lacquered sheen. Light seems to shift across it like dawn approaching the horizon.
Arabic numerals and white gold hands
A refined tribute to Middle Eastern culture and a discreet alignment with the watch’s thematic origins.
A celestial moonphase
A blue aventurine sky holds two slightly domed moons in yellow gold. These are the only yellow gold elements on the watch and recall the Maison’s earliest perpetual calendars.
The depth of the dial, achieved through its multi-layer construction, gives the watch a sculptural presence on the wrist. It is expressive without being flamboyant, poetic without becoming wistful.
A Movement Revived with Purpose
At the heart of the watch lies the RD1472 calibre, a union of the Maison’s first in-house automatic movement from 2004 and the revered biretrograde perpetual calendar module introduced in 1999.
The movement features:
- Original and remanufactured components from the historical RD14 calibre
- Swan neck and pistol bridges inspired by pocket watch traditions
- A meticulously reworked biretrograde perpetual calendar with day, date, month, leap year and moonphase indications
- An 18-carat pink gold rotor visible through the platinum case back
- Fifteen decorative finishes
- A total of 307 components assembled to meet Poinçon de Genève standards
The revival of this calibre is an act of preservation and respect for the Maison’s early innovations, brought forward with updated precision and care.
A Concluding Masterpiece
The Hommage Sukoon Al Layl is a window into the soul of Roger Dubuis, a celebration of calm beauty in a world that often values noise over nuance.
For collectors who recognise the poetry in mechanical timekeeping, it offers something rare. A moment of serenity. A story of heritage. A timepiece crafted not simply to be worn, but to be contemplated.
It is a fitting conclusion to La Placide and, perhaps, one of the most quietly profound creations the Maison has produced in recent years.
