Philippe Dufour

Philippe Dufour, arguably one of the most influential independent watchmakers in the world of horology, is a living legend renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship in handmaking watches from start to finish. Born in 1948 in Le Sentier, Vallée de Joux, Dufour comes from a family of watchmakers, with both his parents being part of the trade. After graduating from the Ecole d’Horlogerie in the Joux Valley in 1967, he began working at renowned watch manufactures but soon shifted his focus towards the restoration of antique and vintage timepieces. During this time, while restoring these watches, Dufour developed a deep fascination for the intricate complications concealed beneath their dials. Taking on his passion, Dufour began to create his own pieces. Following the successful of the Grande Sonnerie and Petite Sonnerie, the Simplicity was introduced in 2000.

Drawing inspiration from the traditional watchmaking methods learned at Ecole d’Horlogerie, the Simplicity was crafted and assembled entirely under one roof by Dufour himself. While the name of the watch literally depicts the simplistic look of the piece, the complexity of the movement mechanisms and intricate components of this present example rather suggests the opposite. Cased in 18k pink gold, this 37 millimeter case along with the white lacquer dial is crafted to sheer perfection. The combination of the blue Breguet hands with the elegantly recessed sub-seconds dial further elevates the overall symmetrical proportions of the dial.

From the year 2000 onward, the production of the Simplicity timepiece was limited, with only a small number of examples created annually. What further distinguishes the present lot is the PD stamp on the movement that is rare to find.