Antoine Hastoy on Expressivity, Heritage and the Art of Telling Time

Roger Dubuis at Watches & Wonders 2026: Two Creative Directions, One Bold Vision

Every year, Geneva's Watches & Wonders transforms the Palexpo convention center into one of the world's most anticipated stages for haute horlogerie. Among the houses that command the most attention is Roger Dubuis — a brand that has always thrived at the intersection of mechanical mastery and unapologetic aesthetic boldness. At this year's edition, the maison unveiled new timepieces guided by two distinct creative directions, orchestrated by its visionary creative director, Antoine Hastoy. The result is a collection that speaks equally to the brand's storied heritage and its relentless appetite for self-expression.

Who Is Antoine Hastoy?

Antoine Hastoy is not a name that operates quietly in the background. Since stepping into his role as creative director at Roger Dubuis, he has made it abundantly clear that watchmaking, for him, is a form of storytelling — one that demands emotional resonance as much as mechanical precision. Hastoy brings a rare fluency in both the technical language of high watchmaking and the visual grammar of contemporary luxury. His approach is rooted in a core philosophy: that a timepiece is not merely an instrument for measuring hours, but a wearable expression of identity, culture, and craft.

At Watches & Wonders 2026, Hastoy articulated his vision across two creative pillars — one that honors the traditions that define Roger Dubuis, and another that pushes the brand into provocative new territory. Together, these directions form a coherent and compelling dialogue between past and future.

The Art of Telling Time: Heritage as a Living Language

The first creative direction on display at Geneva this year centers on heritage — but not in the nostalgic, backward-looking sense that the word sometimes implies. For Hastoy, heritage is a living language, one that evolves with each new generation of craftspeople who engage with it. Roger Dubuis has always occupied a specific corner of horological history: founded in Geneva in 1995, the brand earned its Poinçon de Genève certification for every single watch it produces, making it one of the most rigorous adherents to the seal's exacting standards.

This commitment to Genevan craft is not incidental — it is foundational. The new pieces presented under this heritage direction channel that DNA with extraordinary clarity. Intricate movement architecture is placed front and center, allowing collectors to witness the choreography of dozens of hand-finished components working in harmony. Beveled bridges, circular-grained plates, and blued screws are not hidden away but celebrated as the focal points of the design. Hastoy's genius lies in making these technical details feel intimate rather than intimidating, approachable rather than academic.

Expressivity: Where Roger Dubuis Breaks the Rules

If heritage represents one pole of Hastoy's 2026 vision, expressivity represents the other — and it is here that Roger Dubuis has always truly distinguished itself from its peers. The second creative direction unveiled at Watches & Wonders leans into the brand's reputation as luxury's most willing rule-breaker. These are watches that do not ask for permission.

Among the most striking new references is a piece featuring a dial composed of different shades of green stone, its gradient surface shifting from deep forest tones to luminous jade-like hues. Diamonds cascade around the case, creating a tension between geological rawness and refined opulence that feels entirely new in the context of fine watchmaking. This is expressivity made tangible — a timepiece that announces itself without explanation and invites its wearer to do the same.

Hastoy has spoken openly about his desire to create watches that function as emotional objects. "A watch should tell more than the time," he has noted. "It should tell something about the person wearing it." This philosophy is visible in every design choice made under the expressivity banner: the unconventional use of materials, the chromatic intensity, the sculptural case designs that refuse the conventional round or rectangular templates that dominate the industry.

Why These Two Directions Make Sense Together

At first glance, heritage and expressivity might seem like opposing forces. One looks inward, to tradition and established craft; the other looks outward, to emotion and cultural provocation. But Hastoy understands that these are not contradictory impulses — they are complementary ones. A brand with no heritage has nothing to say. A brand with no expressivity has no reason to be heard.

Roger Dubuis is unusual in haute horlogerie precisely because it insists on both. The Poinçon de Genève certification ensures that every watch, no matter how avant-garde its aesthetic, is built to the highest possible mechanical standard. This gives Hastoy the freedom to experiment visually without ever compromising the integrity of what lies beneath the dial. The result is a brand identity that is simultaneously rigorous and free — disciplined in craft, uninhibited in vision.

The Broader Significance for Watch Collectors

For serious collectors and enthusiasts attending Watches & Wonders 2026, Roger Dubuis's presentation carries implications beyond the specific pieces on display. In an era when many luxury watch brands are gravitating toward safer, more commercially predictable aesthetics, the house's dual creative direction represents a meaningful counter-argument. Hastoy is making the case that horology can be both technically excellent and visually radical — that these qualities should coexist, not compete.

This is particularly significant for a new generation of collectors who are drawn to watchmaking not simply as investment or tradition, but as a form of self-expression. These buyers want timepieces that reflect their own complexity: their appreciation for craft alongside their desire for individuality. Roger Dubuis, under Hastoy's stewardship, is one of the few houses positioned to speak directly to that audience.

Final Thoughts: A Master of His Moment

Antoine Hastoy's presentation at Watches & Wonders 2026 confirms what the industry has suspected for some time: he is one of the most thoughtful and compelling creative voices currently working in haute horlogerie. By anchoring Roger Dubuis in heritage while simultaneously expanding its expressive range, Hastoy has ensured that the brand remains relevant not just to collectors who already love it, but to those who are discovering it for the first time. The art of telling time, it turns out, is also the art of telling a story — and at Geneva this year, Roger Dubuis told a very good one.