The Watch That Changed My Life: The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon By Daniel Roth

Many watches hold a special significance for their owners.

Some timekeepers may be a powerful emotional reminder of an esteemed person, place or event.

Others the long-searched-for keystone in a valued collection.

There are watches that can change your mood and generate a smile just by thinking about them.

There are even watches that have changed lives.

Exquisite dial details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth. At the bottom you can see the blued steel seconds hand on the left size of the tourbillon cage pointing to 60 and the gold seconds hand on the right pointing to 0

Exquisite dial details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth

The Holy Grail

And above even those hallowed timepieces there is the Holy Grail: the watch I am chronicling here didn’t just change someone’s life, it changed MY life.

While I somewhat egotistically feel part of the horological landscape now − the online part of it at least − I’m really a relative newcomer compared to many of my illustrious colleagues.

Though I’ve long had an interest in watches of all shapes and sizes, including (and please keep this to yourself) quartz watches, I really only began developing a passion for high-end mechanical wristwatches around the turn of the millennium.

As is my nature though, when I take an interest in something I often take it to extremes so it wasn’t too long before my “interest” became much more than that.

And, in fact, my interest in horology eventually developed into journalism, a full-time business, a company, a great many friendships and last, but certainly not least, the incredible adventure with Elizabeth, Joshua and GaryG that is Quill & Pad.

And it all started with a watch.

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth

Once upon a time

In 2003, I was an active participant in ThePuristS, now known as PuristSPro. I can’t remember what drew me to the independent forum in particular, but it was likely a mix of the knowledgeable and diplomatic moderator, Curtis Thomson, a generally more thoughtful community, from my perspective at least, than some of the more popular brand forums at the time, and no doubt the fact that the wildest and most interesting wristwatches were being developed at that time by the independent brands and watchmakers.

The early 2000s was the dawn of Philippe Dufour (at least to a wider public thanks to the internet), Vianney Halter, Urwerk, F.P. Journe and the Opus series. And for me the A.H.C.I stand was by far and away the most exciting place at Baselworld. I had no emotional attachment to any of the large traditional brands at that time, and as far as I was concerned, watchmaking just didn’t get any better than the independents.

Look but don’t touch

Although I then lived, and still live, in Switzerland within a stone’s throw (though admittedly you’d need a good arm) of many well-known independent watchmakers, I never thought or dared to actually call any up and say, “You don’t know me and I can’t afford to buy your watch, but I’d love to waste an afternoon chatting in atrocious French and take a few photos for a watch discussion forum.” (My boundless arrogance has advanced by leaps and bounds since then.)

I was happy ravenously consuming the content of others and it just never crossed my mind to use the advantage my location provided to give something back.

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in platinum form case

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in a shaped platinum case

But then . . .

In early 2004 I received an email. It was after I’d commented on ThePuristS Independent discussion forum about Philippe Dufour’s Duality − something along the lines of: “Theoretically, wouldn’t it be more effective to incline the two balances (which were both flat in the Duality) at 45°, i.e. 90° to each other, so they are affected by gravity and shocks in significantly different ways?” (Over a decade later − no doubt having read my comment and taken it seriously − Greubel Forsey presented the Double Balancier along the lines I had in mind).

Following my question, I received an email from a British collector I knew from the forums as MaxH, which read something like, “Ian, I have one of Philippe Dufour’s Dualities and will be visiting him in a few weeks to pick up a Simplicity. Would you like to come up to Le Sentier with me to ask your question to the man himself?”

I immediately jumped at the opportunity, and suggested to Max that we spend a few days visiting as many watchmakers as we could. He already had a good list in mind.

Watch heaven

Lo and behold it came to pass. In a fantastic few days we visited the Les Ambassadeurs boutique in Geneva, F.P. Journe (very new then), the de Grisogono boutique (I believe I referred to one of their watches as more like a weapon of war than a wristwatch), Antiquorum, Audemars Piguet, Philippe Dufour, Urban Jürgensen (dining very congenially with the late Peter Baumberger), and the hero of this story, Mr. Daniel Roth (I use “Mr.” to differentiate the man from his eponymous brand).

“Old school”: no computer or 3D CAD programs, Daniel Roth designed his Two-Minute Tourbillon on paper

Roth had parted ways with the brand he created in 2001 and at 55 years of age decided to start all over again: after a lifetime working for brands (Audemars Piguet), launching them virtually from scratch (Breguet), and from scratch (Daniel Roth), he reinvented himself as an independent watchmaker, working alone (except for his wife Nicole and son Jean-Daniel) for the first time in his life.

A little background on Daniel Roth

To fully appreciate the beautifully finished, handcrafted timepieces Daniel Roth is currently making, we need to know more about the horological journey he took to get where he is today.

Both Daniel Roth’s grandfather and great-grandfather were watchmakers in the region of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. His grandfather (understandably) decided to swap the cold Jura Mountains for the sunny Mediterranean and moved to Nice in the south of France, where he opened a watch/clock repair business. As a young boy, Roth first played, then worked in the shop and then enrolled in and completed a three-year watchmaking course in Nice.

Le Sentier and Audemars Piguet

As an ambitious young watchmaker, Roth moved to the Vallée de Joux, which was then – and still is  – considered by many to be the center of the world for complicated watchmaking. He landed a prized position at Audemars Piguet, which numbered just 50 people at the time. Roth sometimes found life difficult because the older watchmakers were so demanding, but they were very knowledgeable in traditional skills and techniques and he absorbed everything he could learn like a sponge.

Roth had been at Audemars Piguet for seven years when he learned of an opportunity that excited him: an advertisement that read “Situation Vacant –Watchmaker Wanted” . . . for Breguet!

Breguet

The Chaumet brothers, Jacques and Pierre, were Parisian jewelers who had bought the very run-down Breguet brand and planned to restore it to its former glory. This was 1973, the time of the quartz crisis that decimated Swiss watchmaking, and Breguet was virtually nothing but a name on a shop in Paris. The brand contracted out the few orders for pocket watches they received each year, as they were not equipped to produce them on their own.

The Chaumets envisioned Breguet’s future in Switzerland and they needed a talented chief watchmaker to release their dream. The successful candidate would possess the energy and skills needed to revitalize the brand and to start a manufacturing capability from scratch, but would also have to be a visionary – someone who could immerse himself in the long history and culture of Breguet to find and instill all of that in a new generation of wristwatches.

I can’t do everything, but . . .

However, talented and experienced he was, or thought he was, the confident young Daniel Roth, still in his  twenties, did not have the multitude of qualities needed for such a demanding position.

What won the Chaumets over was Roth’s honesty and openness. He submitted a simple two-page resumé: the first page highlighting his experience and areas of expertise; the second page listing the skills he thought he would need, but lacked. . . skills, however, he believed he could learn if given the chance.

Jacques and Pierre decided that both they and Breguet had found their man and offered young Roth the position.

Team meeting discussing watchmaking at the early days of the modern Breguet (mid 1970s), Daniel Roth on the right

Team meeting discussing watchmaking in the early days of modern Breguet (mid-1970s), Daniel Roth on the right

La Chaux-de-Fonds, thanks, but no thanks

The Chaumets had initially planned to set up a new workshop for Breguet in La Chaux-de-Fonds. However, Roth made it clear that he wasn’t interested in moving from Le Sentier, so they left it to him to find something suitable closer to home.

With the Chaumets’ support, Roth first went back to watch school in Le Sentier for a year to get a solid technical and academic base in complications. At the same time, he studied all he could from the Breguet archives and absorbed everything about Abraham-Louis Breguet: lifework, company and watches.

On the left the perpetual calendar Daniel Roth made while doing the complications course at the watchmaking college in Le Sentier, which was branded Breguet and sold (the profits paying for his study), and the perpetual calendar wristwatch Roth derived from the design of the pocket watch

At left the perpetual calendar Daniel Roth made during the complications course in Le Sentier, branded Breguet and sold (the profits paying for his study) and the perpetual calendar wristwatch Roth derived from its design (wristwatch photo courtesy Antiquorum)

While studying in Le Sentier, Roth made a perpetual calendar pocket watch, which was then sold under the Breguet name. It generated sufficient profits to reimburse the Chaumets’ investment and expenses for his year of education.

Roth began designing and building watches for Breguet at a small rented atelier in Le Brassus before Breguet was able to buy its own premises.

He introduced the perpetual calendar and tourbillon into Breguet’s new wristwatch collection; a move that prompted other brands to produce these complications themselves.

Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) had created timepieces of varying styles, and it was Roth who selected what we now think of as the classic Breguet look from the diverse elements : guilloche dial, blued-steel pomme hands and coin-edge case band.

The antique Breguet pocket watch that inspire Daniel Roth to create the iconic Breguet 3130

The antique Breguet pocket watch that inspired Daniel Roth to create the iconic Breguet 3130 wristwatch

The iconic Breguet 3130

Inspired by a vintage Breguet pocket watch, Roth designed and developed the now-iconic 3130. However, to complete the task he had to work through his holidays. When he told the Chaumet brothers, they magnanimously granted him an extra three days off for his troubles.

Roth spent 14 rewarding years with Breguet and stamped his imprint on both the watches and the company. However, the Chaumets went bankrupt (tax problems), so in 1987 Breguet was sold to the investment company, Investcorp.

With the Chaumet brothers at the helm, Roth would have been happy to stay with Breguet for the rest of his working life, but once the business was sold he decided it was time for a new challenge. (Investcorp sold Breguet to Swatch Group in 1999.)

In 1987, Roth left Breguet to embark upon his next big adventure.

The distinctive Daniel Roth case seen this Papillon model (photo courtesy AlbertoS)

The distinctive Daniel Roth case seen housing this Papillon model (photo courtesy AlbertoS)

“Daniel Roth,” the brand

In 1989, Roth launched “Daniel Roth.” His own brand began with a plethora of ideas, a completely original oval-style case shape and a focus on quality and innovation.

For a watchmaker, launching one’s own brand was quite an undertaking. To put the scale of this project in perspective, it had been many decades since a watchmaker launched a serious brand.

Not only did Roth do this, he also helped pave the way for Franck Muller, who launched his eponymous brand two years later. The Daniel Roth brand was so respected that it was accepted to exhibit at the prestigious Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva.

Going, going, gone

With so much going for the Daniel Roth brand, what could have possibly gone wrong? Well, quite a bit actually. It turned out that Roth was a better watchmaker than businessman. An unfortunate buyout of the brand’s main distributor, Siber Hegner, led to a withdrawal of bank funding.
The Hour Glass in Singapore then purchased a majority stake in Daniel Roth, but eventually sold it to Bulgari in 2000, which later completely absorbed the Daniel Roth name into the Bulgari-branded collection.

Daniel_Roth_bench

The circle closes (at long last, I hear you mumble)

This finally closes the circle and brings us back to 2001, when Roth left the company that bore his name and began working as an independent.

And then to 2004 when Max and I visited Roth in the attic workshop located in his Le Sentier home. The attic has been outfitted with all the tools and machines necessary − it turns out you don’t need that many − to create incredible wristwatches from a few raw metal bars and a lot of skill and hard work.

Max, by now my friend, was so impressed with Roth’s work that he ordered one of the first “Jean Daniel Nicolas” Two-Minute Tourbillons (christened according to an amalgamation of the names of Roth’s wife Nicole, son Jean-Daniel, and himself).

However, this watch would not be THE first timepiece in the series: Roth was already in the process of constructing No. 1, the numeral Max coveted so badly. In a flash of inspiration, Max asked if he could have number “0”. . . and Roth agreed.

As Max spoke no French and Roth no English, I became their translator and visited the Roths many times over the following two years it took for the watch’s completion. Roth has now managed to reduce the time it takes him to make one watch to around four months, so can make a maximum of three per year . . . if he doesn’t take any time off or a holiday.

Daniel Roth about to polish the leaves of a pinion

Daniel Roth about to polish the leaves of a pinion

I went up to Le Sentier every month or so to follow and record the progress of the creation of this magical tourbillon as it was slowly being brought to life. I saw a master of the art applying guilloche in Geneva waves to the silver dial; Roth transforming bars of metal into gears, wheels and pinions; and the hands being blued and the movement being assembled and cased.

Following the creation of that two-minute tourbillon was akin to a two-year horological master class for me, and the Roth family became − and I’m happy to say still are − good friends.

Form and round cased versions of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in pink gold

Shaped and round case versions of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in pink gold

What makes this tourbillon so special?

The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon is a very special timepiece for far too many reasons for me to list here (and that’s saying something in an article this long), but here are a few:

  • It is hand-crafted like few watches are today, using traditional watchmaking techniques that Abraham-Louis Breguet himself would easily recognize.
  • The high arches of the “bat-wing” tourbillon bridge are an example of form following function: they are necessary so you can see the 0 and 60-second section of the second scale.
Exquisite tourbillon details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth. You can just make out the gold second hand on the left of tourbillon cage pointing to 60 and the blued-steel hand on the right pointing to 0.

Exquisite tourbillon details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth: you can just make out the gold second hand on the left of the tourbillon cage pointing to 60 and the blued-steel hand on the right pointing to 0

  • That “bat-wing” tourbillon bridge is one of the largest flat-polished (also know as black polish) pieces of steel you are ever likely to see, and the difficulty in achieving that level of finish grows exponentially with surface area.
  • The seconds displayed by tiny arrow-shaped hands on the tourbillon cage look to be retrograde because of the two-minute rotation. One of the hands is blued steel, the other gold; Roth has used the different masses of the metals to balance the cage without having to add more weight, which is detrimental to precision.
  • The  full mainplate visible through the display back is unusual for the Vallée de Joux where finger bridges are more common. However Roth closed this because he wanted a relatively sober back to contrast with the more detail-rich dial side.
The beautiful U-shape waves visible through the display back of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Daniel Roth

The beautiful U-shape waves visible through the display back of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Daniel Roth

  • The “waves” on that full movement plate on the back are not J-shaped Geneva waves, but U-shaped waves. Roth saw the finish on an old pocket watch and spent weeks teaching himself how to make them. I’ve not seen them on any other watch.
  • The Two-Minute Tourbillon doesn’t just look good; Roth regulates his watches to observatory-class precision.
  • The three-piece cases are not screwed together − that would be too easy and the screw-heads would mar the purity of the case shape. They are clipped together as fine watch cases traditionally were, a method requiring much higher levels of precision in manufacture.

My first published article

As I got to know Daniel Roth better over that time, I thought what a fascinating life he had and was disappointed not to be able to find more information about him on the internet. This led to me thinking that I probably knew as much about Roth as anyone, so I decided to write an article about him for ThePuristS (some of which I have purloined for the history section of this tome).

ThePuristS independent forum moderator, Curtis D. Thomson, and site founder, Thomas Mao, were already writing occasionally for iW magazine in America and thanks to recommendations by them I received a call from then iW editor, Gary Girdvainis (now editor of WristWatch Magazine), who asked if he could publish my Daniel Roth article in iW.

My first shaky baby steps as a watch journalist had begun.

Platinum Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth (photo courtesy Guy Lucas de Peslouan)

Platinum Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth (photo courtesy Guy Lucas de Peslouan)

That Roth article led to another piece about an up-and-coming brand making some waves at the time, and continues to do so: Greubel Forsey. Before I knew it, I was iW’s Swiss correspondent (Elizabeth Doerr was long a regular contributor to iW at that time as well).

One thing led to another and I began writing for a number of magazines and even wrote a book with Peter Speake-Marin for the 25th anniversary of the A.H.C.I. called Hands of Time.

A business

It isn’t easy making a living as a full-time watch journalist as I’m sure any of my colleagues will attest, especially when you spend far too much time watching and talking to watchmakers and less time writing about them. So, I began writing press releases and website texts for independent watchmakers and small brands and that led to a small communications business called “underthedial,” which is now my main day job.

And that special Jean Daniel Nicolas watch?

When I met Max back in 2004 I wasn’t by any means a serious collector or even a casual collector − I still would not consider myself a serious collector now − because the watches I was most passionate about were far beyond my financial means.

After two years, the No. 0 Jean Daniel Nicholas Two-Minute Tourbillon was finally ready, but Max’s life was going through a few changes. After he picked his watch up, he asked if I would keep the watch in Switzerland until he had more stability.

So I put the watch that I had spent two years following and chronicling, the watch that was responsible for my budding career as a watch journalist, in my bank safe deposit box . . . and basically forgot about it. Seriously.

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in pink gold

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in pink gold

And then

And there the JDN Two-Minute Tourbillon remained for two years until I received a call from Max. His life had returned to a more even keel, but, unfortunately, the watch that had meant so much to both of us would have to be sold.

I casually asked how much he was asking. Not for me, but in case I came across any potential buyers. Max replied with a fair figure based on how much the watch had cost him at the time.

I mentally translated Max’s figure from pounds to Swiss francs. The gods of international exchange rates must have been in a good mood because when Max paid for the watch years before, the pound was strong against the Swiss franc, and now it was weak.

This meant that although it was still an eye-wateringly large sum for somebody who had never spent even $5,000 on a watch, the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon No. 0 that had changed my life in so many ways − including leading to the opportunity to launch Quill & Pad with Elizabeth − was (just barely) within my reach and with the help (and required blessing) of my wife became mine.

Many watches hold a special significance for their owners:

  • Some timekeepers may be a powerful emotional reminder of an esteemed person, place or event.
  • Others the long-searched-for keystone in a valued collection.
  • There are watches that can change your mood and generate a smile just by thinking about them.
  • There are even watches that have changed lives.

And there is one that has done all of the above and more for me: the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon No. 0.

Exquisite dial details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth. The engraving on left is a stylized

Exquisite dial details of the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth; the engraving on left is a stylized “No 0” and on the right “JDN”

Quick Facts
Case: three-piece clipped (not screwed) case, two versions: 38 mm round case and 32 x 42 mm shaped case, both available in gold or platinum
Movement: hand-crafted, manually wound two-minute tourbillon caliber, 60-hour power reserve, two spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; power reserve indicator
Price: 160,000 Swiss francs in gold, 180,000 Swiss francs in platinum
Limitation: rare as hen’s teeth

Jean Daniel Nicolas does not (yet) have a website, but if you would like to send Daniel Roth a message, let me know and I’ll be happy to put you in touch.

Further reading
The Daniel Roth “Papillon”: a looong-winded review by AlbertoS
A Family Affair Mr. Daniel Roth: A History & Interview by Ian Skellern
Time’s ‘Auteurs’: The 15 Greatest Watchmakers by Michel Clerizo

27 replies
  1. GaryG
    GaryG says:

    What a splendid narrative, Ian! It gives all of us a wonderful look at how a special watch can be deeply meaningful in one’s life.

    Thanks for sharing this fascinating and very personal story!

    Reply
      • David Albert
        David Albert says:

        Hello. I am trying to locate a copy of the article “A Family Affair – Mr. Daniel Roth: A History & Interview” but all the links online seem to take me to places that do not have the article. Is it possible to email me a copy? Sorry to trouble you and thank you!! Best, David Albert, New York, [email protected]

        Reply
        • Ian Skellern
          Ian Skellern says:

          Hi David,

          I can’t find that article anymore either. It was hosted by ThePuristS but they’ve gone through a lot of changes since then.

          Reply
  2. Boris
    Boris says:

    What a story. I could not stop reading it until I reached the end of the story. Captivating, more than interesting, fascinating. A story only life could write. I truly enjoyed it. Cheers, Boris

    Reply
      • Boris
        Boris says:

        Ian, your story is truly captivating, how many people in the world can tell such a story? You are a lucky guy.

        I have a watch that I searched for many years, a watch that comes from the most famous manufacture but was only made for a couple months in 1968. I knew the watch from an advertisement, as it had a distinct different appearance compared to the regular model. As life goes, when you are looking for something, you never find it.

        Suddenly, a friend found the watch I was searching for so Long, and it took me nearly another year, until he would “release” the watch to me. It has since been with me, and it is the only watch I do not intend to sell during my lifetime. I managed to find an original advertisement from 1968 after I got the watch. The watch is not my daily beater, but every once in a while, I wear it. It came in very good condition, with a gold bracelet that was never worn. Even the watch case is little polished if at all. Those things do not happen often, most timepieces are polished hard after 45 years.

        Well, I can understand how you describe your story, since what you found is a unique story. A watch that probably does not exist dozens of times, right?

        Reply
  3. Philip Mangiat
    Philip Mangiat says:

    Ian, What a fantastic article, and to think, my visit with you in Geneva sparked my career in watchmaking. The fact that I was able to see Mr. Roth, his (or rather your) timepiece, and the many other independent watchmakers through your generosity makes me forever in your debt. I am happy to read the passion in your articles because it confirms that watchmaking is more than a career. Cheers.
    Best, Phil

    Reply
  4. Carlos Torres
    Carlos Torres says:

    Ian, I remember quite well your PuristS article on the JDN. I also remember being fascinated over this piece, not only because of it, but also because of the man and watchmaker I already admired at the time. Great article with all that historical background that also makes a great watch. Loved it!

    Reply
  5. mark levinson
    mark levinson says:

    Hi Ian,
    I am touched by your excellent writing, amazing story, and ability to capture the essence of what is really important. You may know my name from the audio world where I have been creating music systems of exceptional quality for 40 years. Daniel’s experience in business is familiar to me, as I have navigated similar waters. What Daniel and I have in common is a passion for creating emotion in people’s minds and hearts by creativity, innovation, taste, and refusal to compromise quality. Thanks to what you have written and conveyed, I have quickly come to totally admire Daniel, his work and philosophy.

    I moved from the US to Switzerland in 2007 and founded my new company, Daniel Hertz, in Neuchatel. Like Daniel, my name belongs to a public company so I made a new name from Daniel (my dad’s name) and Hertz (my mother’s maiden name). Heinrich Hertz, the German physicist who first demonstrated the electro-magnetic wave, was my great uncle. It would be a privilege to meet the Roth family if you would be so kind to introduce us. Je parle francais, pas vachement bien mais je pense que ca va jouer.
    Merci!
    Mark

    Reply
      • Kay Al-Ghani
        Kay Al-Ghani says:

        Hello Ian
        How can I get a hard copy of your fine article. My husband had a special connection to Daniel. He owned the first watch Daniel made for Asprey and when he took it to the Vallée de joue for service we got to meet the great man and his family. He made a watch specially for my husband and we visited his home many times over the years until my husband’s death in 2013.

        Reply
        • admin
          admin says:

          Hello, Kay. Thank you for you kind words. There is no “print version” of my articles, you would have to print from what you see on the screen. I will see Mr. Roth tomorrow and pass on your best wishes.

          Regards, Ian

          Reply
  6. Michele
    Michele says:

    I’m a fan of Italian watchmaking. Forgive my English. I read with pleasure the enthusiasm for a great watchmaker as Daniel Roth. I’m always fascinated by his watches. Neither do I have great economic possibilities, but I have realized my dream a few years ago. Now I have his watch C127 Master retrograde 1992. I wish I could write a letter to Mr. Daniel Roth to thank him for giving me the passion for watchmaking. May I have your address? Thank You …

    Sono un appassionato di orologeria italiano. Perdonate il mio inglese. Ho letto con piacere l’entusiasmo per un grande orologiaio come Daniel Roth. Sono da sempre affascinato dai suoi orologi. Neppure io ho grandi possibilità economiche, ma ho realizzato il mio sogno qualche anno fa. Ora ho un suo orologio C127 Master retrograde del 1992. Vorrei poter scrivere una lettera al signor Daniel Roth per ringraziarlo di avermi trasmesso la passione per l’orologeria. Posso avere il suo indirizzo? Grazie…

    Reply
    • Ian Skellern
      Ian Skellern says:

      Hello Zagham,

      Mr. Daniel Roth has not had anything to do with the brand “Daniel Roth” or Bulgari for around 15 years.

      He is only making his Jean Daniel Nicholas Two-Minute Tourbillons (at the rate of around three to five per year).

      Reply
  7. tony p
    tony p says:

    Incredible.

    Ian, I photographed your No. 0 watch about six or seven years ago at Baselworld. Mr Roth had it on his wrist at the time, and I happened to have my gear with me, so into the light tent it went. I guess he must have had it on loan from you – or was it “between” owners at that point?

    I always assumed it was his personal timepiece. But no, it’s yours! Without question one of the most beautiful watches I have ever held in my hands. You’re a lucky man.

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] This article was first published on August 7, 2014 at The Watch That Changed My Life: The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon By Daniel Roth. You may find some of the comments there […]

  2. […] This article was first published on August 7, 2014 at The Watch That Changed My Life: The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon By Daniel Roth. You may find some of the comments there […]

  3. […] get me wrong, I like tourbillons, I like looking at them, and I’m even fortunate to own one. I especially appreciate a tourbillon used in a quest for higher precision (thank you again, […]

  4. […] Bodet describes the very beginning of trying to redefine a legend. And here his story actually coincides with one that our own Ian Skellern told not so very long ago about an exceptional experience he had in The Watch That Changed My Life: The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon By Daniel Roth. […]

  5. […] have shown you some of our own very favorite personal timepieces (like Ian’s JDN and my Martin Braun Eos Boreas as well as almost the entirety of GaryG’s extensive treasure […]

  6. […] The Papillon Chronograph Watch by Daniel Roth was launched in 2008 and it immediately became a classic, with its very unusual indications. The time is shown in the central part of the watch, with digital jumping hours in the squarish window, and minutes shown by the blued hands on the circular disc. One of the hands starts at 00 and rotates to the 60 position in an hour. When it gets there, it rotates through 90° and lies parallel with the circumference, while the other, which has now reached 00, also rotates and takes over minutes indication for the next hour. So it looks like a retrograde mechanism, but it’s not. The chronograph subdials are at the top of the watch, a 30-minute counter on the right and an hour counter on the left, with a centre-sweep chronograph seconds hand. Resetting the chronograph seconds hand puts it into the position shown in the photo, pointing down, so as not to mar visibility of the hour window. The watch is powered by an automatic column-wheel chronograph movement, the Frederic Piguet Calibre 1185, with extra modules designed by Daniel Roth for the pivoting minute hands. The case, in the characteristic Daniel Roth shape, is in yellow, white or red gold, 43 x 46 mm, with a sapphire caseback. The story of Daniel Roth is fascinating: read about his life and work in this article on another blo…. […]

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