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Remember that child from school who used to rile the teachers with strange questions, bend the rules whenever he could and didn’t care about homework, but always aced the finals? If that child were a company or brand, he would be hailed as a ‘disruptor’ in modern corporate parlance. Highly upsetting for those who are wedded to the status quo, for sure, but recognised nonetheless for off-kilter ways that inexplicably spawn success.
In the world of horology, too, there are many watchmakers and brands who’d love to be that child. In fact, the truly successful have always been those with guts and gumption to go where no other brands dared; by creating new mechanisms, rethinking ways to display time and challenging design conventions. The old guards from the 18th century, especially, demonstrated the spirit of disruption with fearlessness and finesse. That many of them continue to flourish today is proof that fortune favours the brave.
But to be fair, those legacy watch brands started with carte blanche. They set new standards and wrote blueprints for a new age of horology when there were previously none. Modern watch brands have it tougher. After all, how many more ways can one reinvent a timepiece? And more crucially, who would dare take a chance on a watch that veers far beyond the tried and tested?
Hyper Horology
Roger Dubuis may not have all the answers, but it is not shying away from attempting them. A bona fide modern watch brand that was founded only in 1995—a fledgling compared to companies with centuries-old histories—Roger Dubuis has been a disruptor right from its inception.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Robb Report Singapore.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of Robb Report Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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