169Σ︎
Daniel Roth
Ref. C147
An exceedingly uncommon and highly sought after yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with engine turned dial
Estimate
$20,000–40,000
Manufacturer
Daniel Roth
Year
Circa 1990, Switzerland
Movement No
21
Reference No
C147
Case No
21
Material
18K yellow gold
Calibre
Manual, cal. 2320, 21 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
Crocodile
Clasp/Buckle
18K yellow gold pin buckle
Dimensions
38mm length x 35mm width
Signed
Case, dial, and movement signed.
Full-Cataloguing
GOOD TO KNOW
• First appearance on Phillips auction platform
• Individually numbered case
An important early creation from Daniel Roth’s independent manufacture, the reference C147 was shortly after Roth established his eponymous brand. Among the foundational references that defined his unmistakable aesthetic, the C147 combines his signature double-ellipse case with the classical vocabulary he had mastered during his celebrated tenure at Breguet. Its manually-wound, two-register chronograph architecture would become one of the defining models of Roth’s earliest period of independent watchmaking.
The present example is particularly attractive in its warm yellow gold configuration, paired with a beautifully engine-turned dial and flame-blued steel hands. The intricate Clous de Paris decoration across the dial and subsidiary registers is contrasted by brushed chapter rings, black Roman numerals and the distinctive elongated chronograph seconds hand. Of particular note is the inscription “Numero 21” prominently displayed at 6 o’clock and repeated on the caseback, underscoring the individually numbered nature of these early Daniel Roth creations. The Clous de Paris dial treatment is especially associated with early examples of the C147, preceding the pinstripe-style dials more commonly encountered on later pieces.
At its heart is the celebrated manually-wound Lemania caliber 2320, a traditional column-wheel chronograph movement that Roth knew intimately from his earlier work at Breguet. Combining an exceptionally low individual number, an early Clous de Paris dial and the quintessential yellow gold case, the present C147 offers a compelling expression of the design and traditional watchmaking principles that established Daniel Roth as one of the pioneers of modern independent horology.
• First appearance on Phillips auction platform
• Individually numbered case
An important early creation from Daniel Roth’s independent manufacture, the reference C147 was shortly after Roth established his eponymous brand. Among the foundational references that defined his unmistakable aesthetic, the C147 combines his signature double-ellipse case with the classical vocabulary he had mastered during his celebrated tenure at Breguet. Its manually-wound, two-register chronograph architecture would become one of the defining models of Roth’s earliest period of independent watchmaking.
The present example is particularly attractive in its warm yellow gold configuration, paired with a beautifully engine-turned dial and flame-blued steel hands. The intricate Clous de Paris decoration across the dial and subsidiary registers is contrasted by brushed chapter rings, black Roman numerals and the distinctive elongated chronograph seconds hand. Of particular note is the inscription “Numero 21” prominently displayed at 6 o’clock and repeated on the caseback, underscoring the individually numbered nature of these early Daniel Roth creations. The Clous de Paris dial treatment is especially associated with early examples of the C147, preceding the pinstripe-style dials more commonly encountered on later pieces.
At its heart is the celebrated manually-wound Lemania caliber 2320, a traditional column-wheel chronograph movement that Roth knew intimately from his earlier work at Breguet. Combining an exceptionally low individual number, an early Clous de Paris dial and the quintessential yellow gold case, the present C147 offers a compelling expression of the design and traditional watchmaking principles that established Daniel Roth as one of the pioneers of modern independent horology.