To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Roger Dubuis wraps up the La Placide trilogy with the HommageSilent Night Sukoon Al-Layl watch. This one-of-a-kind masterpiece made its debut at the Dubai Watch Week, inspired by the serene atmosphere of desert nights and paying homage to the brand’s founder, Mr. Roger Dubuis, known for his expertise in astronomical complications. The name is derived from the Arabic words Sukoon (calm) and Al-Layl (night), reflecting the gentle and tranquil side of this maestro’s character.
This timepiece features a 38mm platinum case with a thickness of 11mm, complemented by a full platinum bezel, case back, and crown. The accompanying deep blue calfskin strap is intricately stitched with platinum thread, while the buckle is also crafted from platinum, bearing the brand’s original logo. The dial showcases a five-layer structure, representing an evolution of Roger Dubuis’ early design style. The edges are made from high-gloss polished mother-of-pearl, embellished with polished metal dot markers, and the calendar display area also utilizes mother-of-pearl, framed with hand-finished chamfered edges.
The main dial features a wavy guilloché pattern inspired by early designs from the brand, mimicking the natural textures formed by wind on sand dunes. The dial is finished with a deep blue lacquer treatment, creating a visual depth that shifts with the light. Time is indicated with hour and minute hands made of 18K white gold, while the retrograde function utilizes lacquered brass hands to help reduce inertia and enhance the stability of the bouncing action. The dial is adorned with four Arabic numeral hour markers, reflecting the design’s nod to Middle Eastern cultural influences.
The lowest layer displays the lunar phases, set against a backdrop of blue sandstone, featuring two 18K gold micro-arc moons embedded within it. This golden element is the only one that appears throughout the entire watch, symbolizing a tribute to the brand’s early perpetual calendar creations. The overall materials and craftsmanship build upon each other, allowing the dial to showcase a visually dynamic and deep three-dimensional effect, while staying true to the brand’s signature language of merging complex functionality with dramatic aesthetics.
When it comes to the movement, the HommageSilent Night is powered by the RD1472 automatic movement, certified by the Geneva Seal, which serves as a universal standard for every piece from the brand. This movement merges the RD14 base caliber developed by Roger Dubuis in 2004 with the RD72 double retrograde perpetual calendar module introduced in 1999. During its recent remake, the RD14 underwent structural adjustments, which included recalibrating the gear arbors’ positions to enhance power transmission efficiency and gear meshing angles. The design of the bridges maintains the classic pocket watch aesthetic, featuring a swan-neck regulator and traditional finger-style bridges. The oscillating weight is a brand new design in 18K rose gold, enhanced by 15 different decorative processes.
The RD72 module is a collaboration between Roger Dubuis and Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, featuring a unique design that showcases the day of the week and date through a double retrograde display, rather than the traditional four-dial perpetual calendar layout. The month and leap year indicators utilize a coaxial design, allowing both elements to be presented within the same circular window with dual hands, creating a compact and streamlined aesthetic. As the brand has no original module parts in stock, this time around, they had to recreate the main plate, the bridge, and about half of the components, including levers, springs, and gears, all completed at the brand’s manufacturing facility.
The completion of HommageSilent Night is not just a watch; it stands as a testament to enduring tradition and innovation. It brings together the early reverence of Roger Dubuis for classical watchmaking, a dramatic design aesthetic, and a profound quest for mechanical excellence. Even by the end of 2025, it resonates with the spirit that the brand’s founder left behind in the contemporary watchmaking world. Reference price: HKD 1,150,000.
