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Philippe Dufour
Simplicity
An extremely rare and fine platinum wristwatch with guilloché dial, original certificate and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Early model from 2004
- Platinum with guilloché dial
- Full set and in excellent condition
- Two owners since new
A silhouette that is truly unique, a man with a loupe on his head, puffing out smoke from his elegant pipe in his Atelier amongst the peaceful valley of Le Solliat in the Vallée de Joux. Philippe Dufour is a name that’s foreign to none in the world of horology, a true living legend and guardian of traditional watchmaking in our times and the very first to put the emphasis on hand finishing pushed to the umpteenth level- something that has become quite popular with the new generation of independent watchmakers who have come to the market in the past years.
After a unique pocket watch and two world premières (first Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch and first wristwatch with dual escapement) Dufour decided to create what would probably be the most incredible time only wristwatch ever made, a watch that would be mindboggling in its beauty and simplicity.
The aptly named Simplicity was first presented in 2000 and was a break away from Dufour’s wonderfully complex mechanisms. With the Simplicity, the master wanted to demonstrate his unrivalled finishing techniques and to prove that simple could also mean sophisticated. Each watch, like all his other creations, was to be hand-finished and assembled by the master himself.
The Simplicity was originally presented in a 34 mm case and a larger 37 mm case was offered rapidly after. It was made in pink gold, white gold or platinum as well as a small number of unique steel versions. Dufour also created two dial types, one in white lacquer and the other with a hand-guilloché dial.
The world’s greatest collectors recognized a modern masterpiece and icon, and orders flooded in rapidly. Dufour’s quota of about 200 movements was rapidly reached, and those lucky enough to have been able to order a Simplicity had to wait long years before delivery. Everybody else had to wait for a piece to appear on the secondary market.
The present Simplicity in platinum numbered 57 from 2004, is part of the earlier pieces created by Dufour.
Philippe Dufour
Swiss | 1989Philippe Dufour is a modern master creating some of the most coveted timepieces available today. His watches feature clean, classic lines fitted with high-grade in-house movements and stunning finish and polish. His Simplicity model is near-perfect hand craftsmanship, produced entirely in a traditional manner without the use of modern industrial tools. Over a 12-year period he created approximately 200 examples often customized to the client's wishes. Today it is considered one of the finest mechanical time-only timepieces produced. Also highly sought-after is the Duality, a highly complicated masterpiece made in only 9 examples. Dufour worked for some of the top names in watch manufacturing including Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet and Gerald Genta. In 1978, he opened his own workshop creating all his own parts. He is both the man and the brand, and by keeping his production numbers limited, Dufour maintains absolute control over quality and is therefore considered one of the most important independent watchmakers today.