Manufacturer: Philippe Dufour Year: 2004 Movement No: No. 47 Model Name: Simplicty Material: 18K white gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 11, 21 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold pin buckle Dimensions: 37mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, and movement signed. Accessories: Accompanied by Philippe Dufour international guarantee and certificate of origin dated March 2004, fitted wooden presentation box, invoice of factory service dated April 8, 2024, outer box, and two additional Philippe Dufour straps.
Catalogue Essay
The name Philippe Dufour is synonymous with elegance, tradition, and innovation. Having graduated from the École d'Horlogerie in the Vallée de Joux, Dufour honed his craft at Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet before striking out on his own, restoring vintage pieces. Dufour famously stated that working with vintage masterpieces inspired him to create his own. In 1992, he introduced the Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeating wristwatch at Basel. It was the world’s first wristwatch to be fitted with such a highly complex chiming system, and was an instant success.
Following the success of the Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeating wristwatch, Dufour introduced the Simplicity in the year 2000. Inspired by the traditional watchmaking methods in the Vallée de Joux, the Simplicity is entirely crafted and assembled under one roof. The name ‘Simplicity’ is a bit of a misnomer; though the watch only indicates the hours, minutes, and seconds, it is resplendent with aesthetic complexity. With beautiful hand engraved bridges, sumptuous anglage, dream-like bridge forms, and gorgeous curvatures on the case, the Simplicity is the result of Dufour’s search for perfection. The Simplicity was originally presented in a 34 mm case and a larger 37 mm case, like the present lot, was subsequently offered. It was made in pink gold, white gold or platinum with a unique steel version known. Two dial types can most often be found on his timepieces; either in white lacquer or with a hand-guilloché dial, with unique versions also known.
Now discontinued, Dufour only created slightly more than 200 examples of the original Simplicity. Its rarity, coupled with elegant looks, has propelled the watch to ‘grail’ status today.
Fitted with the hand-guillochéd dial variant in a 37mm case, the present lot is accompanied by its original certificate and presentation box. It is further offered in exceptionally well-preserved condition from the collection of the original owner.
PROPERTY OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER having just completed a factory service in April 2024.
Philippe 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.
