Geneva Watch Days 2024 : Daniel Roth Unveils Itself With The Rose Gold Tourbillon

The recent revival of Daniel Roth under LVMH has quickly become a notable success, culminating in the introduction of the new Tourbillon Rose Gold at Geneva Watch Days 2024.

Daniel Roth, born into a watchmaking family, emerged as one of the pioneering independent watchmakers of the modern era, alongside luminaries like George Daniels, F.P. Journe, Philippe Dufour, Franck Muller, and Roger Dubuis. After gaining experience at Audemars Piguet, Roth was recruited by Breguet in the 1980s to spearhead the brand's revival. In 1988, he founded his own company in Le Sentier, Switzerland, where he crafted a series of notable watches, often featuring his signature ellipsocurvex case shape. His debut was a collection of tourbillons, followed by other complications, including a perpetual calendar with an instantaneous jump mechanism, developed in collaboration with Philippe Dufour.

Upholding that legacy is no small task. Following the yellow gold Tourbillon Souscription launched last year, Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, the master
watchmakers of DANIEL ROTH who are also the founders of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton have done it yet again only this time in a more striking precious metal - Rose gold.

Within the rose gold double-ellipse case, a shape that was the foundation of DANIEL ROTH, is the in-house calibre DR001, which unlike the Souscription is under a sapphire back, showcasing its refined decoration and traditional construction. That double-ellipse case has also been meticulously updated for the revival. While it closely resembles the original C187 from afar, subtle adjustments were made due to the slimness of the DR001 caliber, resulting in a case with more balanced proportions. Additionally, the lugs have been elegantly redesigned to follow the case's rounded contours and enhance ergonomic comfort.

The exceptional hand-finishing of the watch is evident even when worn, particularly due to the tourbillon positioned at six o’clock. Encased within a fan-shaped tri-sectioned seconds display, the tourbillon exemplifies the artistry of traditional haute horlogerie. Both the tourbillon bridge and carriage are crafted from steel and meticulously hand-polished to a mirror-like finish. Even the screws, among the smallest components of the movement, are carefully mirror-polished on their heads and chamfered along their edges and slots.

The original C187 watches mostly featured silver or grey dials, but the Tourbillon Rose Gold stands out with a matching rose gold dial that is made from 5N rose gold, with its applied chapters and scales crafted from sterling silver. To complement the pink hue, the markings are printed in glossy black lacquer, and the hands are black-coated stainless steel. Like the Tourbillon Souscription, this dial is created in collaboration with the renowned Kari Voutilainen atelier, where each guilloché pattern is meticulously hand-engraved using a straight-line engine. A notable feature for collectors is the rose gold dial plate’s guilloché en ligne pattern, a series of parallel vertical lines that echo the design found in many original C187 models. Although the earliest C187 models had hobnail guilloché, Daniel Roth adopted linear guilloché as a signature design element shortly after founding the brand.

Continuing the revived DANIEL ROTH legacy, the Tourbillon Rose Gold will be individually numbered on the dial starting from "21," following the "01" to "20" series of the Tourbillon Souscription. Due to the meticulous craftsmanship involved, only 50 Tourbillon Rose Gold watches will be made each year.