Daniel Roth is a watch brand that’s currently owned by the LVMH Group, and that’s no longer directly connected to it’s eponymous founder, who started it in 1988.

Resurrected in 2023 by LVMH, and produced at the group’s prestigious La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton manufacture, the brand’s signature double-ellipse case lives on.

Representing the third watch model since being relaunched under LVMH, the Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton features a 18K 5N rose gold case that measures 35.5 mm in diameter x 6.9 mm in thickness. The lug-t0-lug distance is 38.6 mm, with a 20 mm lug width. The proportions are great for a dress watch.

The double-ellipse case is constructed as a three-tiered structure, with lugs that are intricately formed and then hand-soldered to the case. A decorative motif called a “gadroon” runs along the entire edge of the case, further distinguishing the timepiece as a premium Daniel Roth.

While the case is the most obvious distinction of a Daniel Roth, the caliber DR002SR, which is shaped to the exact dimensions of the case, and its hand beveled and polished internal angles (anglage), is the true star of the show.

The manually wound mechanical movement, which beats at 4Hz, and that consists of 141 components, including 21 jewels, with a 65-hour power reserve, and an impressive thickness of just 3.1 mm, has been developed, assembled, and finished at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton under the supervision of master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini.

The retail price of  the Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton (Ref. DBBD02A1) is CHF 85,000 (approximately $109,000). Learn more at Daniel Roth.

Final Thoughts

At a time when even some of the most prestigious high-end watchmakers are using automated methods to bevel movement edges — so as to cut corners — finishing this movement with traditional anglage techniques is reassuring.

 

Photos by Daniel Roth.