Roger Dubuis first shared with us their collaboration with famed tyre-maker Pirelli in January during the 2017 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. The first product offerings arising from this partnership were Excalibur models, specifically the sporty openworked Spider case design.

There was a double tourbillon — the famed twin rotating escapements of the brand — and a time-only automatic, with the micro-rotor that features in so many Roger Dubuis movements. These pieces were paired with straps made partially of rubber taken from race-winning Pirelli tyres, and bright blue accents on the crown, dial-crystal gasket, dial flange, barrel bridge and hands.

Now, I know zero things about cars and motorsports in general, but I asked Google and it told me that Pirelli tyres are colour coded and blue specifically identifies its range of Formula 1 tyres that are specifically for wet weather. That blue should be the colour chosen to distinguish the first Roger Dubuis Pirelli watches is entirely appropriate to me, since the Excalibur Spider represents the same kind of powerful yet stripped-down engineering principles that go hand-in-hand with high-performance racing tyres.

In any case, did you know that Pirelli now offers colour customisation for its road tyres as well, so you can match your wheels to your ride? I did not know that until literally five minutes ago. I mean, it was just introduced at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, so it’s not like I’m totally out of the loop or whatever. (To be honest, though, it’s not something I would know anyway.) Unlike the professional range of tyres, the coloured road tyres don’t correspond to any particular class of performance one way or another. They just look cool.

Now, Roger Dubuis have released another two models in partnership with Pirelli, swapping out the blue accents with yellow or red — the two colours that make up the Pirelli logo.

The Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton Yellow and the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton Red are being launched right now at the 2017 Run To Monaco, which takes place from May 23 with Bordeaux as an origin point and culminating at the Monaco Grand Prix.

What I really want to know, however, is whether we can expect to see the watches featured in the next Pirelli calendar. Fine watches and gorgeous women — that’s something to get the pulse racing. We at Revolution know one or two things about that.

Technical Specifications

Case: Skeletonised, 45mm diameter, 14.02mm height, titanium black DLC case, fluted titanium black DLC bezel with tone on tone markings, titanium black DLC crown overmolded with red or yellow rubber. Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. Titanium black DLC and sapphire crystal case back. Water resistant to 50m.

Dial: Black skeletonised flange with red or yellow accents, rhodium-plated indices filled with white luminous Super-LumiNova, 18k gold hands with black PVD treatment and red or yellow transfer, tipped with white Super-LumiNova

Strap: Bi-material strap with black rubber base and Pirelli winning motorsport tyre rubber inlay, red or yellow stitching. Unique Pirelli tyre profile on the inside of the strap.

Clasp: Black DLC Titanium cover on titanium adjustable folding clasp

Calibre: Automatic Skeleton with micro-rotor, RD820SQ, Geneva Seal certification. Hours and minutes, 167 components, 35 jewels, 4Hz (28,800 vph), 60-hour power reserve

Limited to 88 pieces in red and 88 pieces in yellow.