Roger Dubuis has always found kinship with those who dare to make a difference – and the Californian tattoo artist Dr. Woo is certainly one of those disruptive souls.
The first of a new trio of rule-breaking creatives to collaborate with the Swiss maison – Dr. Woo brings his imagination to life with the release of eight limited-edition Excalibur Dr. Woo Monotourbillon timepieces, reborn in his image.
For Woo the design inspiration for the piece originated with the iconic Excalibur Star. Using that as the launch pad, his creativity expanded to represent a galaxy of astrology, planets and geometrical shapes that for generations have been used to add meaning to the wonders of the cosmos.
The collab is a hugely exciting one and kicks off Roger Dubuis’ Urban Art Tribe initiative in serious style. With a client-list that includes singers Drake, Lenny Kravitz, Cara Delevingne and Kevin Durant, Dr. Woo has built an elite-level reputation on the back of his trademark style of hyper-realist, single-needle designs that straddle the line between the alternative and mainstream.
“I’ve worked very hard to make sure that what I create speaks louder than just the final product”
Dr Woo
“I’ve never worked with a company that has been so open and respectful of me, my art and my opinions,” Woo tells Esquire Middle East. “Roger Dubuis lent me its signature star to unleash my creativity and merge our two worlds into one unique masterpiece.”
As you would expect, intricate design flair is at the heart of the Excalibur Dr. Woo Monotourbillon timepiece, with clean cut lines on both case and movement creating the impression of a thinner look and heightening the sense of transparency and depth.
A strong visual identity is created with a signature two-line pattern – seen between the notch on the crown and bezel, the star’s arms, the tourbillon’s cage, the hour’s marking on the flange, the hands – all of which cleverly appear as though they will meet but never do.
The canvas of the collaboration is the innovative new Excalibur Monotourbillon, which was unveiled by Roger Dubuis earlier this year. The bold and extravagant timepiece, it demonstrates the watchmaker’s vision to shaking up the world of fine watchmaking by reinterpreting the levels of sophistication and flair using technical materials.
“Roger Dubuis lent me its signature star to unleash my creativity and merge our two worlds into one unique masterpiece.”
Dr. Woo
The piece’s showpiece RD512SQ calibre was also rebuilt from bottom to top in an architectural feat that sees the Roger Dubuis symbolic star now levitate freely above the barrel.
While the beauty of disrupters is that you never know what you are going to get, one thing is for sure, the new Excalibur Dr. Woo Monotourbillon will certainly move the needle.
For more information visit rogerdubuis.com
