Pierre Dubé is the founder, head designer, and sole proprietor of P. Dubé Watch Works. The Titan is his first in-house design. When I asked Pierre about his earliest memory of watches, he said, “I remember an oval Timex, no idea about the reference or model number, but I want to say it had a black bezel, a grey case and some yellow in there somewhere.” I asked, because I am convinced that even those who come to collecting later in life had the seed planted long before in their formative, childhood minds. In Pierre’s case, I was doubly interested in the genesis, because he did not stop at collecting watches. Today, he designs and builds them himself.

Pierre is a mechanical engineer by trade, but he also holds a degree in Acoustics. “I work as a consulting engineer for a company that specializes in product sound quality and human sound perception. I work closely with customers having noise problems, helping them improve the perceived quality of their products through improving the sounds those things make.” Pierre’s experiences, both as an engineer and as someone who works closely with his clients to discover solutions, positioned him perfectly for success in the watch modification business–which is where his watchmaking journey began. Whether it was full custom builds, or modification services, Pierre constructed personalized timepieces from major Seiko lines and aftermarket parts. “I enjoy tinkering and working with my hands,” says Pierre, “building and making things. I like understanding how things work and knowing what was happening behind the dial has fascinated me for a long time.”

This penchant for building naturally lead him to a collaboration with Rico’s Watches Podcast. What began as single custom design snowballed into an entire run of the Tac/SAR–an individually serialized model based loosely on the Seiko Turtle. Proceeds from the Tac/SAR were donated to The Veterans Watchmaker Initiative.

Along the way, Pierre began to upgrade his equipment with the goal of streamlining the assembly process. He had long been sketching his own designs, so when the pandemic hit, he was ready to take the plunge. “I already had a decent idea of what I wanted to create after the Tac/SAR…I looked into my personal collection and wound up pulling three watches I really enjoyed, and completed my initial design by adding some features inspired by those watches,” says Pierre.

“I used a field watch, a sports watch, and a diver as the main inspiration and you can see details from each reflected in the Titan design. The main task was to combine the elements I liked in a way that makes sense and flows nicely.”

Pierre worked with a design team to create the finaI look of the case, dial font, and hands. While the timepiece will be created, assembled, and tested by a partner factory, Pierre will perform the final QC checks himself.

The watch featured here is an early prototype. Its distinctive octagonal case measures 40mm in diameter and comes in at 12mm in thickness. It is largely brushed with a slim polished chamfer running the length of the mid-case and into the lugs. A line of polish also encircles the stationary bezel. The notch behind the crown will be removed in the final rendition, and the crown itself will be increased to 7mm and then slightly recessed. Like the caseback, it is screwed down.

The final version will also receive additional layers of C3 Super-LumiNova on the hands and numerals.

The overall appearance of the Titan is spartan. Even the dial is minimalist and spare. It employs a minute track around the outside with block numerals and the handset is a syringe design with an arrow-tipped seconds. The P. Dubé logo appears just under the twelve and is mirrored on the embossed caseback with a set of three asymmetrical gearworks. The watch is equipped with a flat sapphire crystal and is treated with an undercoat of AR. It is rated to 200m of water resistance.

Pierre has opted for the Miyota 9039, which is a dateless 4Hz movement that will be adjusted to 5 positions. There will be a choice of strap for the final version, but it is featured on a Tropic-style band here, which suits it well.

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Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel Brushed or Matte DLC 40mm Diameter 12mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Caseback & Crown 200m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Flat Sapphire Crystal /w AR Painted Indices C3 Super-LumiNova (BGW9 on Full Lume Dial)
Movement	Miyota 9039 28 800bph 24 Jewels 42-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Sailcloth or Tropic-Style FKM Rubber

^{P. Dubé Titan}

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Of Interest

In total, the production version of the Titan will be available in three colourways, including a full lume version. It will also be produced in two finishes. Aside from the stainless steel version featured here, it will be produced in a matte gunmetal DLC. During the pre-order only, a blue dial variant will also be made available.

Quibbles

Ideally, I would like to see the numerals moved slightly off the outer index and closer to the centre of the dial. The tolerance between the lug cavity and the strap could also be increased for a smoother drape when on wrist.

Final Thoughts

P. Dubé Watch Works is an embodiment of the quintessential microbrand–a one man show from vision to execution. The Titan, for its part, is a no nonsense field watch with a solid water resistance rating, making it your potential GADA (go anywhere, do anything). Its brushed finish and minimalist design give it an almost tactical appearance which is backed up by a robust build quality. With the Titan, what you see is what you get– a modern tool watch, ready for adventures.

The P. Dubé Titan is available for pre-order now. It retails for $625USD. For more information, please visit the brand website.

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About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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