Roger Dubuis Hawthorn: I like the flower more than the diamonds

The little flower turning at six o'clock is the part of this Roger Dubuis I like best. That is a enjoyable way to show the seconds, and I would spend more time watching it than admiring the diamonds. The rest of the Lady of the Lake Hawthorn is much further into jewelry than my own watch taste normally goes.

This is the Hawthorn execution, reference RDDBEX1196, in a 36 mm pink-gold Excalibur case. White mother-of-pearl flowers, red sapphire berries and a crimson alligator strap give it a very deliberate color scheme. I like the red against the pale flowers. The branch shapes also make the decoration feel connected, rather than a collection of expensive materials dropped onto an empty dial.

A lot happening in 36 millimeters

Roger Dubuis identifies 147 diamonds on the pink-gold dial center and another 95 around the case, bezel and lugs. It also describes seven sculpted mother-of-pearl flowers and 13 red sapphires. The result looks dense in the photographs, but the case is compact enough that it reads as one piece of jewelry. I would not judge its actual legibility or how those raised details catch the light without seeing it in person.

My hesitation is personal. I tend to get pulled toward numerals, instrument-like layouts and casework I can imagine wearing every day, so a diamond-covered garden has a fairly steep hill to climb. The flower seconds display gets my attention because it gives the decoration a job. I still find the surrounding sparkle distracting, especially when I try to picture reading the hands quickly.

Inside is the RD830 automatic, with 183 components and a stated 48-hour reserve. The maker specifies an openworked 22-karat gold winding rotor visible through the sapphire back. That is enough mechanical substance to make turning the watch over worthwhile, though the movement doesn't change my reaction to the front. I haven't handled this exact reference, and the checked product material does not establish its thickness or an edition quantity.

An inquiry, rather than a dollar price

The official Canadian-locale page confirms the exact Hawthorn watch, and November 4 introducing coverage supports its current release. I haven't verified the original manufacturer announcement day, US availability or a dated US price. There is no basis here for converting a different market's quote into an American retail number, so it stays off the priced chart.

I'm giving it 62 out of 120 bezel clicks. I like the red, the sculpted flowers and that moving small-seconds flower. I would still choose a much less jeweled watch for myself, and I would want to see the hands against this dial before deciding how much the design costs in readability.