Roger Dubuis Reimagines the Watchmaking Aesthetics of the King Arthur Legend

In 2005, Roger Dubuis launched the Excalibur timepiece. This commanding 45mm model laid the foundation for the "Hyper Horology" philosophy the brand champions today; both its iconic aesthetic and its bold, avant-garde mechanical concepts first took shape in this watch. Meanwhile, the Knights of the Round Table collection stands as a masterpiece of the brand's exquisite craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from the legend of King Arthur, the collection features twelve lifelike, micro-sculpted gold knights seated around a green-and-white *Grand Feu* enamel round table, bringing the myth to life within the confines of the dial. Buy top clone watches online, buy replica watches at twatchclone.

This time, the narrative extends beyond the dial; the case itself tells the legend. The recessed area on the right side of the case features a hand-carved miniature relief depicting Merlin’s dual forms—as both a mortal man and a majestic stag. The left side of the case bears an engraving of a knight slaying a dragon at the center of the scene. Inside, twelve solid rose gold knight figurines stand guard. Each 6mm-tall figure is meticulously hand-sculpted by master artisans, capturing lifelike poses and unique medieval weaponry; at the 12 o'clock position, King Arthur presides over the assembly, wielding the legendary sword Excalibur.

The watch retains the commanding 45mm 18K rose gold case. A prominent sapphire crystal ring is set beneath the fluted bezel—a design element that contributes to the watch's 16.87mm thickness. This sapphire ring offers a panoramic side view of the dial’s magnificent tableau, revealing the intricate details on the backs of the twelve knight figurines. Complemented by a domed sapphire crystal, these multiple viewing angles allow light to flood the three-dimensional scene, creating a sense of depth and transparency. The crown and crown guards are sculpted to resemble a sword hilt, further reinforcing the watch's connection to the legend of King Arthur.

The "Merlin’s Metamorphosis" edition features a rich green palette inspired by the deep forests where Merlin, in the guise of a stag, was said to roam. The dial’s three-dimensional landscape is composed of 57 individual elements crafted from carefully selected materials, including polished rose gold, clear glass, and green CVD-coated glass; the base layer is inlaid with shimmering green-coated crystal inserts. Openworked rose gold hands, filled with green luminescent material, echo the golden hour markers on the surrounding ring, ensuring excellent legibility. 

 

The watch is powered by the in-house RD821 movement; its gold, open-worked 360° automatic rotor—inspired by the stained-glass windows of medieval castles—winds the barrel to provide a 48-hour power reserve. Produced in a limited edition of 28 pieces, it features a green calfskin strap with a rose gold triple-folding clasp and a quick-release system for easy strap changes.

Review Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog Watch

Inspired by Jeff Koons’ iconic 1990s sculpture *Balloon Dog*, the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog distills the artwork’s rounded, inflated silhouette and playful imagery into a 42mm timepiece. Originating from Koons’ *Celebration* series, the original sculpture—modeled after a dog twisted from a party balloon—transforms an everyday, whimsical object into a symbol of contemporary art through its mirrored metallic finish, rounded contours, and exaggerated scale. The work is instantly recognizable thanks to the striking contrast between its appearance—seemingly soft and weightless—and its actual composition of solid metal. This contrast highlights the most fascinating aspect of Hublot’s creation: the use of high-end watchmaking’s precision micro-engineering to compress the "inflated" aesthetic of a monumental sculpture into the compact form of a wristwatch. Buy top clone watches online, buy replica Hublot Classic Fusion watches at twatchclone.

The 42mm case eschews the slim profile typical of traditional round watches; instead, its rounded, voluminous contours evoke the visual effect of an inflated balloon. Both the case and dial undergo precision five-axis CNC machining followed by hand-finishing and polishing by artisans, ensuring that every curve flows with a sculptural continuity. The stainless steel version features a mirror-polished finish that highlights the texture of a metal sculpture, while versions in bright red and bright blue anodized aluminum offer colors that more closely mirror the visual impact of Jeff Koons’s original works. Limited to 200 pieces each, these editions retain the exclusivity characteristic of collectible art.

Interestingly, Hublot did not confine the *Balloon Dog* elements solely to the dial. The crown is crafted from metal encased in rubber, with a shape directly inspired by an inflation valve. A three-dimensional rubber "dog tail" is discreetly positioned at 10:30—where the case meets the bezel—serving as a hidden detail visible only when the watch is viewed from the side. This approach aligns with Hublot’s signature design philosophy: key elements need not be simply enlarged but are instead built up through a layering of materials, proportions, and details. The dial takes the "inflation" theme even further, featuring a three-dimensional structure paired with domed hour markers coated in 3D white Super-LumiNova for excellent legibility in low-light conditions. Even the central rhodium-plated, polished seconds hand receives special attention, incorporating a counterweight shaped like a relief *Balloon Dog*; as the hand sweeps across the dial, the dog figure moves with it, creating the watch's most engaging dynamic detail. Finally, Jeff Koons’s signature is printed at the 6 o'clock position, while a date window with white text on a black background sits at 3 o'clock, balancing artistic flair with the practicality required for daily wear. The strap follows this same design philosophy: Hublot uses a rubber base overlaid with metallic-finish embossed leather—visually echoing the inflated texture of the balloon—and pairs it with a stainless steel folding clasp featuring a color-matched anodized aluminum insert that completes the overall red or blue color scheme. In other words, this is not merely a collaboration piece where artwork is slapped onto a traditional case; instead, the design elements characteristic of *Balloon Dog* are meticulously integrated into every part of the watch that comes into contact with the wearer.

The Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog is powered by the HUB1710 automatic movement, which operates at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and offers a power reserve of approximately 50 hours. Through the transparent case back, one can see the movement's mainplate and bridges finished in anthracite ruthenium—a treatment that lends a more subdued, sophisticated visual tone compared to traditional silver-colored movements. However, the true highlight is the exclusive oscillating weight: its polished, rhodium-plated surface is sculpted to replicate the three-dimensional, voluminous texture of a balloon. This ensures the artistic theme remains unbroken when the watch is viewed from the back, transforming "art" from a mere visual decoration on the dial into an integral part of the entire timepiece.