Limited to 110 pieces in white gold, this Daniel Roth Papillon was released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand. The watchmaker himself was involved in the development of the design and movement, with his distinctive touch being apparent in the end result.

The Story of Daniel Roth

Daniel Roth was born into a family with deep horological roots, with his grandfather and great-grandfather both working as watchmakers in Neuchtel, Switzerland. Following this path, he completed his technical apprenticeship in Nice, before fulfilling his ambition of moving to the Valle de Joux, one of the worlds watchmaking epicentres. He joined Audemars Piguet at a young age, at a time where he was the only watchmaker who didnt come from Le Brassus, the brands historic home.

Following seven years at Audemars Piguet, Roth was noticed by the Chaumet brothers, the then owners of Breguet. In the midst of the Quartz Crisis, they wanted to restore the brand to its former glory and were looking for a Master Watchmaker who could help. Inspired by the work of the famous watchmaker, Roth agreed to help resuscitate the manufacture, though only after going back to school to further study Breguets archives and techniques. Over fourteen years, he would help rebuild the watchmaker, cementing the style, finishing and complications in wristwatch form.

In 1989, Daniel Roth decided to establish . One of the first truly independent watchmakers working under his own name, he created Breguet-inspired pieces, with a twist. He cemented aesthetic codes which are distinctively his own, from the double-ellipse case to the sharply executed pinstripe guilloch dials used on some of his models. Though his output was limited, it was plentiful in its diversity and inventiveness, from tourbillons to chronographs. Daniel Roth was one of the key brand names of independent watchmaking in the 1990s, alongside , and , among others. In 2000, the company was sold to Bulgari, with the watchmaker no longer being involved from that point onwards.

The Papillon

Introduced in 1998, the Papillonwas released to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Daniel Rothmanufacture. Though the watchmaker had been increasingly less involved in the brand from 1995 onwards, he took an active role in the design of the Papillon, to mark this historic milestone. It is understood that this was Roth's last creation for the eponymous brand, prior to starting a new chapter of independant watchmaking, under the name.

This distinctive jump hour model takes its name from the French word for butterfly, on account of the atypical dial layout, reminiscent of butterfly wings.It is understood that only 250 pieces were ever produced, with110 in white gold, 110 in rose gold and 30 in platinum.

The Design

The layout of this 10th Anniversary Papillonis satisfyingly symmetrical, with the oversized seconds indication sitting at the center of the dial. An aperture at 12 o'clock displays the hours, whilst the minutes are indicated on an arc at 6 o'clock. A blued pointer emerges from beneath the seconds subdial, subtlyindicating the correct minutes. The window satisfyinglyjumps into place, as the hours changes.

The dial features two different styles of guilloch, applied by hand, which contrast with the brushed surfaces of theminute and seconds chapter rings.Thevariety in finishing and the construction of the dial on several levelsgives a satisfying depth to the design, as well as a welcome touch of variety. The "Daniel Roth" signature sits on either side of the dial, further leaning into the symmetry of the overall layout.

Thewhite gold double-ellipse case is unique in its execution. Neither round nor rectangular, it balances the two different shapes, complemented by a stepped bezel and sharp, straight lugs. Measuring 38mm x 35mm in diameter, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist and wears larger than its dimensions would otherwise suggest.

The Movement

This Daniel Roth 10th Anniversary Papillonisbased on aGirard-Perregaux calibre 3000 bauche.The movement is subtly finished,with perlage on the base layer,chamfering on some of the angles, as well as polishing and decoration, in the form of Geneva striping. The rotor is made out of solid gold, and engraved by hand. It reads "10 Years Daniel Roth X2X/110".

The Set

ThisDaniel Roth 10th Anniversary Papillon is accompanied by its original outer card box, inner leather and wooden presentation boxes, Certificateor Origin and Servicing paperwork - from October 2021 - from Bvlgari. Included is an original black alligator Daniel Roth strap and the corresponding white gold buckle.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Daniel Roth 10th Anniversary Papillonwill be subject to 20% VAT.Viewings are currently suspended for the time being.

Closer look