Daniel Roth Masters Chronograph Salmon dial

DANIEL ROTH CHRONOGRAPH - SALMON DIAL

Steel | Guilloché Salmon dial

Origin

Daniel Roth was destined to be a horological pioneer. Both his grandfather and great-grandfather worked as watchmakers in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The young boy Roth naturally spent most of his childhood in a watchmaking repair shop in the South of France.

After learning the technical craft in Nice himself, Roth moved to the cradle of haute horlogerie, the Vallée de Joux, where he spent the first seven years of his professional career at Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet. It is said that he was the only watchmaker from outside the valley working at the Manufacture in Le Brassus.

Standing out as a remarkably gifted watchmaker, Roth was offered the chance by Jacques and Pierre Chaumet, the owners of Breguet at the time, to put the brand back on the map as a well-respected horological entity during the quartz crisis. In his fourteen years at the French brand, Roth moved the production to the Vallée de Joux in 1976 – where the world’s finest watchmakers and suppliers where to be found – while reviving the archives by reawakening the spirit of the brand’s founder Abraham-Louis Breguet, exalting the brand’s former horological majesty.

It was in 1988 that Daniel Roth started to work under his own name, with the first timepieces coming to live in 1989, in his modest manufacture in the midst of the snowy Jura mountains at Le Sentier. A move that might surprise little today but was considered noticeably bold at the time as it was uncommon for watchmakers to work under their own name, making Roth a trailblazer (for independent watchmakers such as F.P. Journe, who followed in his Roth’s footsteps a decade later).

While being strongly moved by the style and inventive anima of Abraham-Louis Breguet, translating into Breguet-inspired design choices such as hand guilloché dials, blued steel hands and precious metal cases, Roth transcended his horological past by offering a contemporary take on watchmaking. The double-ellipse case and sharply executed pinstripe guilloché dials soon became part of his modern signature.

His manufacture had a limited production in the early days (of an estimated 500 timepieces a year), as its creations are known for being inventive and detailed with hand-finishing dials and smartly decorated movements, including a tourbillon with an 8-day power reserve, the instantaneous perpetual calendar and the Westminster Grande Sonnerie Carillon (the only automatic four-gong chiming wristwatch in production in the nineties).

The Watch

This Daniel Roth Chronograph reference S247  is a testimony to the watchmaker’s legacy, being one of the early timepieces manufactured in the period of 1995-1999.

The double-ellipse case made out of steel reflects the signature Daniel Roth statement on the wrist. Having a unique shape – being neither round nor rectangular, yet finely balancing the two. Its caliber measures a traditional 41 mm x 38 mm, equally bold as comfortable to wear with a profile of 11,4 mm thick. 

This cult timepiece is further characterised by a high level of finishing featuring the signature pinstripe guilloché pattern. The engraved and rare salmon dial is visually stunning yet highly legible due to its elegant colour contrasts, Roman numerals placed on a brushed chapter ring.

The dial further spots vintage tritium indexes above the numerals and the arrow-shaped hand for the hours and minutes are filled with Tritium as well. At 12 the dial is signed ‘DANIEL ROTH’ and between 4 and 5 you have a date aperture. 

The Movement

The automatic Daniel Roth Chronograph S247  is powered by the DR 400 caliber based on the El Primero 400 movement – an exquisitely finished caliber with 31 jewels, a 50-hour power reserve and a 36,000 A/h oscillating balance for a total of 278 components.

Born in 1969, the El Primero is still regarded as one of the best and most accurate chronograph movements ever created. It is still in production today after 52 years.

Condition

This Daniel Roth Chronograph reference S247 is in mint condition, with only minor signs of wear on the case. It will be delivered with its original Daniel Roth folding buckle and fitted with a Mr Watchley Grained Navy Blue strap from the Mr Watchley collection.

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. 

Reference	247.X.10
Movement	Automatic
Caliber	Calibre DR400
Dial	Salmon
Size (Case)	41 mm x 38 mm
Material (Case)	Steel
Bracelet	Mr Watchley Grained Navy Blue
Glass	Sapphire
Condition	Very good
Year	1995 - 1999
Papers	-
Box	-
Warranty	2 years