There was a time, not so long ago, when the worth of a watch – and the man wearing it – was measured based on three things: how big was it; how many things could it do; and how much did it cost?
Thankfully (unless you have thighs for wrists, à la Arnie), things have moved on. While prices haven’t exactly dropped into pocket-money territory, the days of watches that look like power stations for the wrist are in the past, along with all-day lunch meetings and booze on the Tube.
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur 42 Automatic Skeleton – tongue-cripplingly long name apart – is a perfect example of high-end watchmaking’s new wave. It’s a relatively compact self-winding watch, with all the unnecessary bits cut away (there’s even a tiny micro-rotor), so you’re left with the achingly fragile-looking movement – and your hairy wrist.
Luckily, the whole thing’s encased in DLC-treated titanium to protect its contents from the brutal outside world. Trust us, that beats the (giant, armour-plated) alternative hands down.
Sorry, Mr Schwarzenegger.
For more info, visit rogerdubuis.com
