Roger Dubuis RD180 calibre User manual

“Restoration was more
than a revelation.
It became a vocation,
a mission to safeguard
history and these existing
crafts. The overriding
purpose has always been
to ensure that all of us
who are true devotees
of ne mechanisms may
continue to enjoy these
masterpieces – whether
new or historical creations
– and to pass them on in
our turn.”
“My character has been
forged through restoration”
Mr. Roger Dubuis

Central bi-retrograde
perpetual calendar,
chronograph with
instantaneous minute
counter and split-second

The RD180 calibre, an
ébauche from a pocket
watch acquired by
Mr Roger Dubuis himself
from antique watchmaking
experts and gifted to the
Manufacture, is a rare
high-end calibre.
Dating from the early 20th
century, it initially featured
three of the four major
complications that
are the pride of
Haute Horlogerie:
a minute repeater,
a perpetual calendar and
a chronograph.
A unique perpetual
calendar additional plate
is included in the RD180
movement. This Roger
Dubuis perpetual calendar
was developed at the
Manufacture in 1999.
Reecting a continual
quest for excellence,
the technical challenge
of this movement was to
assemble a maximum
of central indications,
including bi-retrograde
perpetual calendar date
and days of the week
indications.
770 components
restored using traditional
techniques and historical
instruments, some were
redeveloped in order to
comply with the original
construction of the
ébauche, the watchmaker’s
signature.
In the course of three full
years of development, the
model called for 3,500
hours of work including
2,000 hours of restoration
on the movement alone.
20 different forms of
craftsmanship with
their own skill-sets were
involved in the decoration.
The timepiece was also
tested according to the
technical criteria of the
new Poinçon de Genève,
which involve a one-week
simulation of wear on the
wrist, with a tolerance
threshold corresponding
to a one-minute variation
in precision. A true feat,
since the test is even more
demanding on an over
one century-old pocket
watch movement.
RD180 calibre
RD180 calibre History

Case
48mm, pink gold
Thickness
18mm
Dial
Black and white dial with
raised numerals
Pink gold counters
decorated with handcrafted
guilloché engraving
Lapis lazuli moon phases
with pink gold moon at
12 o’clock
Central retrograde date
(9 o’clock)
Small seconds
at 9 o’clock
Central week indicator
Central retrograde day
(3 o’clock)
Month and year at 6 o’clock
Instant minute counter at
3 o’clock
Strap
Black, genuine alligator,
hand-stitched
Clasp
Pink gold adjustable
folding clasp
Calibre
Hand-wound mechanical
movement, RD180
16 complications
Hours, minutes
and seconds
Minute Repeater
Hours, quarters
and minutes
Chronograph
Chronograph indicator,
instant minute counter,
split-second indicator,
mono-pusher
Perpetual Calendar
Retrograde date indicator,
retrograde day indicator,
moon phase indicator,
month indicator,
year indicator,
week indicator
Specications
Mr Roger Dubuis’ signature
hand-engraved
on the movement
Power-reserve of 32 hours
Finely adjusted in six
positions
Hand engraved
Poinçon de Genève
on the movement
770 components
40 jewels
Diameter: 17¾’’’
Thickness: 10.80mm
Frequency: 2.5Hz
(18,000 vph)
Timepiece and calibre
description
RD180 calibre DescriptionRD180 calibre Scale 1:1
Face Back
Top Bottom
Left Right

Setting the timepiece:
Position 1:Winding the timepiece
Your timepiece is equipped with a mechanical manually-
wound movement. Keep the crown in position 1 and wind
the mechanism fully without ever forcing it past the stop.
Turn the crown clockwise.
The power reserve is 32 hours.
Nonetheless,to ensure that your timepiece works perfectly,
we recommend winding it once a day.
Position 2: Setting the time
Pull the winding crown out to position 2. Turn the hands
counter-clockwise while moving past 12 o’clock to set the
time.If the date changes, it is midnight and if not, it is noon.
Once the change has been made, push the winding crown
back into position 1.
Using the perpetual calendar function:
Setting the date, month and year
In position 1, press the corrector at 7 o’clock using the
correcting stylus; 1 press equates to a change of date.
The month changes at the end of each month. (e.g. from
February 28th to March 1st)
Setting the day and week
In position 1, press the corrector at 11 o’clock using the
correcting stylus; 1 press equates to 1 day. 7 presses equate
to 1 week.
Moon phase setting
In position 1, press the corrector at 1 o’clock using the
correcting stylus; 15 presses equate to 1 moon phase.
Month and leap year setting
In position 1, press the corrector at 5 o’clock using the
correcting stylus; 1 press equates to 1 month. 12 presses
equate to 1 year.
Recommendation of use
Do not set the calendar of your timepiece between 6pm
and 3am, as this might damage the movement.
Operating instructions
RD180 calibre Operating instructionsRD180 calibre Correctors and push-buttons
Description
1. Crown position 1
2. Crown position 2
3. Chronograph push-button
4. Split-second push-button
5. Minute repeater slide
6. Day and week corrector
7. Moon phase corrector
8. Date, month and year corrector
9. Month and leap year corrector
5
6
8
4
7
9
1
2
3

Using the minute repeater function:
Push the slide at 9 o’clock to activate the minute repeater;
when you release the slide, you will hear three different
chimes using two notes sounding the hours, quarter-hours
and minutes.
Wait 30 seconds after the last chime before activating the
minute repeater again.
Warning: Do not set the time while your timepiece
is chiming.
Using the chronograph function:
Start the chronograph by pressing the chronograph push-
button on the crown at 3 o’clock;press the same push-button
to stop the chronograph and to reset the chronograph to zero.
Using the minute counter function:
Start the chronograph by pressing the chronograph push-
button on the crown at 3 o’clock. 60 seconds later, the
minute counter hand instantly jumps by one graduation.
The minute counter is stopped and reset to zero by pressing
the push-button on the crown at 3 o'clock.
Using the split-second function:
Start the chronograph by pressing the chronograph push-
button on the crown at 3 o’clock.
To measure a second time,press the push-button at 2 o’clock
to activate the split-second function.The split-second hand
will stop to measure the rst time.To reset the split-second
hand, press the push-button at 2 o’clock.
Important information on caring
for your timepiece:
Avoid extreme magnetic elds (magnets, loudspeakers,
etc.), major shocks (such as may be sustained during
manual labour, the practice of extreme sports, etc.), as
well as prolonged contact with moisture and exposure to
sunlight. The timepiece is not water-resistant, but is dust-
resistant.
Avoid operating the four major functions (minute repeater,
chronograph, split-second and perpetual calendar) at the
same time, since this may cause the timepiece to stop.
Guarantee extension:
Since Roger Dubuis undertakes to craft the highest quality
timepieces for its Clients, our Manufacture offers you an
additional 12 complimentary months of guarantee upon
online registration on our www.rogerdubuis.com website.
Operating instructions
RD180 calibre Operating instructionsRD180 calibre Indicators
2
Description
1.Week indicator
2. Date indicator
3. Chronograph indicator
4. Small second indicator
5. Month indicator
6. Moon phase indicator
7. Day indicator
8. Chronograph instant minute
indicator
9. Leap year indicator
3
4
1
5
7
6
9
8

Design
Creative Lab Roger Dubuis
Creative Director, Alvaro Maggini
Photographic Credits
Laziz Hamani, Paris © Roger Dubuis 2016
Photographic Retouching Credits
Studio 414, Paris
Producer
Cécile Parrot-Tauleigne, L’Atelier 2A, Paris
Texts
Susan Jacquet © Roger Dubuis
Printing
Printed in Italy by Grache Milani
Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA - Rue André-De-Garrini 2 - CP 149 - CH 1217 Meyrin 2 Geneva - [phone] - www.rogerdubuis.com