Elysium
With HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL, Roger Dubuis closes the “La Placide” chapter with a single, ultra-refined statement piece. Unveiled at Dubai Watch Week as a unique piece, this 38 mm platinum perpetual calendar takes the quiet strength of Mr Roger Dubuis’ personality and translates it into a serene, nocturnal watch that links Geneva haute horlogerie with the landscapes and astronomical heritage of the Middle East.
The watch is officially presented as Hommage “Sukoon Al-Layl” RDDBHO0611, and can be explored in full detail on the brand’s page for HOMMAGE “Sukoon Al-Layl” 38mm RDDBHO0611.
A Final Chapter in the “La Placide” Story
The Hommage collection, launched in 1996, began as Mr Roger Dubuis’ personal tribute to the master watchmakers, teachers, and friends who shaped his journey. This year, the direction is reversed: the Maison pays homage to Mr Dubuis himself, and the “La Placide” series has been dedicated to his calm, gentle personality and his lifelong fascination with astronomical complications.
The nickname “Placide” – meaning calm, unflappable – followed him from youth through his entire career. In HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL, that character is expressed through the visual language of a nighttime desert: moonlit dunes, deep Astral Blue skies, and the quiet glow of platinum.
- “Sukoon” translates to serenity
- “Al-Layl” translates to night
The name is therefore a direct evocation of “serenity of the night” – a poetic bridge between Arabic astronomy and Geneva-made high watchmaking. It’s also the perfect canvas for Mr. Dubuis’ favourite Perpetual Calendar with biretrograde display.
Platinum Case: Moonlight on the Wrist
The HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL case is deliberately classical at 38 mm in diameter and 11 mm thick, echoing the proportions of early Hommage pieces while delivering the reassuring weight of platinum.
- Case material: Platinum (case body, bezel, crown, case back)
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Thickness: 11 mm
- Water resistance: 3 bar / 30 m
- Caseback: Sapphire, open, showcasing the RD1472 calibre
Platinum is chosen for more than its intrinsic value. Its silvery radiance mirrors moonlight – perfectly aligned with the “serene night” concept – and its discreet presence on the wrist fits the silent luxury attitude of both the Hommage line and Elysium987’s philosophy.
The watch is delivered on an Astral Blue calfskin leather strap, stitched with a rarely seen platinum thread and secured by a platinum triple-folding buckle. Both the buckle and crown carry the heritage Roger Dubuis emblem, the Maison’s original logo, reinforcing the sense of continuity and respect for the founder’s legacy.
A Five-Layer Dial Inspired by the Night Desert
The dial is where HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL becomes truly architectural. It is built across five distinct levels, each with its own material, texture, and finishing method. The result is a dial that feels sculpted rather than printed, with real depth and volume on the wrist.
Level 1 – Mother-of-Pearl Flange
The outer flange is cut from mother-of-pearl, a material Roger Dubuis was among the first to champion in men’s watches. Here it is:
- Polished to a high lustre
- Printed with a transferred minute track
- Enhanced with polished angles for extra shine and contrast
This luminous ring acts almost like a soft halo, illuminating the perimeter of the dial and framing the more complex elements within.
Levels 2 & 4 – Calendar Segments and Counters
The calendar segments and counters also use mother-of-pearl, providing a subtle contrast between bright indications and the darker Astral Blue base:
- Transferred day, date, month, and leap-year texts
- Hand-bevelled sides for crisp light reflections
These segments structure the biretrograde calendar layout, a signature visual code of the Hommage collection.
Level 3 – Guilloché Main Plate in Astral Blue
The main plate is decorated with guilloché waves, an emblematic motif from early Roger Dubuis creations, reimagined here as wind-shaped desert dunes. It is coated in an “Astral Blue” lacquer, capturing the stillness of the sky just before dawn.
Highlights on this level include:
- A deep Astral Blue lacquer that constantly shifts with ambient light
- Transferred texts and lunar month information
- Four Arabic numerals as hour markers, honouring Middle Eastern culture
- 18K white-gold hour and minute hands, satin-brushed and polished for legibility and refinement
The interplay of blue lacquer, pearly highlights, and Arabic numerals gives HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL a distinctive identity within the Hommage line.
Level 5 – Aventurine Moonphase
At the base of the composition sits the moon phase, built on its own dedicated layer:
- A blue aventurine disc representing a star-filled night sky
- Two slightly domed 18K yellow-gold moons – the only yellow-gold elements in the watch, referencing the Maison’s earliest Perpetual Calendars
This combination ties the watch directly to celestial observation – a subtle homage to Mr Dubuis’ love of astronomical complications and to the long tradition of Arabic astronomy.
RD1472: A Modern Revival of a Historic Architecture
Inside HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL beats the RD1472 calibre, a movement that literally embodies the brand’s 30-year journey by merging past and present.
Origin of the Movement
RD1472 is built from two historic pillars of the Manufacture:
- RD14 – the first in-house automatic movement from 2004, here upgraded and rebuilt using a mix of original and remanufactured components.
- RD72 – a Perpetual Calendar module with biretrograde display first used in 1999, combining indications for day, date, month, leap year, and moonphase.
Key visual signatures – such as the swan-neck regulator and pistol bridges reminiscent of pocket watches – pay homage to classical Swiss horology, underscoring Mr. Dubuis’s affinity for traditional movement architecture.
Technical Specifications of RD1472
According to the official reference for HOMMAGE “Sukoon Al-Layl” 38mm RDDBHO0611, RD1472 offers:
- Type: Automatic, self-winding with 18K pink-gold rotor
- Complication: Perpetual calendar with day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase
- Display: Biretrograde layout for day and date
- Frequency: 4 Hz / 28,800 vph
- Power reserve: 48 hours
- Components: 307
- Jewels: 33
- Dimensions: 12½ ” lines in diameter, 5.3 mm thick
The calibre is finished to the standards of the Poinçon de Genève, including 15 separate decoration techniques such as wheel- and tool-bevelling, circular graining, snailing, Geneva stripes, mirror and tip polish, perlage, internal and external drawing, frosting, and burnishing. The movement is regulated and tested over time to comply with the chronometry requirements added to the Geneva Seal in 2012.
The result is a movement that is both historically meaningful and technically modern – a true in-house revival, not a cosmetic reissue.
Strap, Buckle, and Wearing Experience
While the movement and dial provide much of the theatre, the wearing experience of HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL is carefully tuned:
- Strap: Astral Blue calf leather, echoing the dial’s pre-dawn tones
- Construction: Interchangeable thanks to spring bars with spurs
- Buckle: Platinum triple-folding clasp with heritage Roger Dubuis emblem
On the wrist, the 38 mm case and relatively slim profile make the watch surprisingly discreet, especially for a piece with such visual depth. It’s a watch designed to be appreciated up close – by the wearer, not the room.
Why HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL Matters for Collectors
For seasoned collectors, HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL hits several strategic notes at once:
- Unique Piece Status
There is only one example. In a world of limited editions and micro-series, a genuine piece unique in platinum with a signature RD complication is positioned for long-term desirability. - Foundational Hommage DNA
It carries forward the biretrograde perpetual calendar architecture that defined early Hommage references, while updating the aesthetics and movement manufacturing to 2025 standards. - Narrative Depth
The watch isn’t just technically impressive. It tells a layered story:
- 30 years of Roger Dubuis
- Mr Dubuis’s “Placide” nickname and character
- The brand’s relationship with the Middle East and Arabic astronomy
- 30 years of Roger Dubuis
- Poinçon de Genève Assurance
The Geneva Seal remains one of the strictest standards for combined origin, finishing, and chronometry. RD1472’s certification is a strong signal to collectors who prioritise craft and performance, not just aesthetics. - Alignment with Modern Tastes
In a market that increasingly values compact sizes, meaningful complications, and genuine heritage rather than loud design experiments, HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL feels perfectly timed.
Key Specifications: HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL RDDBHO0611
- Model: Hommage “Sukoon Al-Layl” – La Placide series
- Reference: RDDBHO0611
- Status: Unique piece
- Case: Platinum, 38 mm, 11 mm thick, 3 bar water resistance
- Dial:
- 5 levels: mother-of-pearl flange, mother-of-pearl calendar segments and counters, guilloché Astral Blue main plate, aventurine moonphase with 18K yellow-gold domed moons
- Arabic numerals and white-gold hands
- 5 levels: mother-of-pearl flange, mother-of-pearl calendar segments and counters, guilloché Astral Blue main plate, aventurine moonphase with 18K yellow-gold domed moons
- Movement: RD1472
- Automatic with 18K pink-gold rotor
- Perpetual calendar, biretrograde display, moonphase, leap-year indication
- 4 Hz, 48-hour power reserve
- 307 components, 33 jewels
- Poinçon de Genève certified, 15 decoration techniques
- Automatic with 18K pink-gold rotor
- Strap: Astral Blue calf leather, interchangeable
- Buckle: Platinum triple-folding buckle with heritage Roger Dubuis emblem
Discover More
For official technical details, imagery, and brand context, you can explore:
- The Maison’s home at Roger Dubuis
- The dedicated model page for HOMMAGE “Sukoon Al-Layl” 38mm RDDBHO0611
From a collector’s standpoint, HOMMAGE SUKOON AL-LAYL is not just another high complication; it’s the quiet closing line of a chapter that started in 1996 – and a powerful signal that classic, expressive Geneva watchmaking is very much alive.
