Part of the wave of Simplicity* pieces produced in the first decade of the watch's introduction, this example bears a number in the low 100s. The Simplicity brought Dufour’s exceptional craftsmanship to a wider audience, embodying the traditional movement architecture and artisanal finishing of the Vallée de Joux from 1850 to 1920, often regarded as the golden age of Swiss watchmaking. This 37mm platinum model features a solid silver dial with a guilloché centre, while the sapphire caseback reveals calibre 11, a thoroughly reworked version of the historically significant Valjoux VZSS.

Early on, Philippe Dufour’s friend, watchmaker Antoine Preziuso alerted him to the dedicated following in Japan for his classically styled and mechanically complex craft. Dufour created the Simplicity, a watch that catered to the sensitivities of that market, as a way to thank Japanese enthusiasts for supporting his vision.

Between 2000 and the present day, it is understood that around 220 Simplicities have been created, and according to Dufour, nearly 120 of them are in Japan. Dufour continues to work on the series, and it is believed that there are a few clients still waiting to receive their watches. More recently, the watchmaker committed to creating further examples in a series to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Simplicity.

Above all, Dufour wanted to make a watch that he would wear. He says, recalling his thoughts at the time, "I wanted to make a simple watch to please myself. I took inspiration mostly from watches made in the 50s and 60s, and back then, nearly all the watches had 30mm movements for their watches, so I took inspiration from these types of very classical pieces."

This particular example is an early piece numbering in the low 100s, and was originally delivered in 2007. Coming from the original owner, the watch is nicely preserved. The three-part case has a rounded bezel and a caseback rim. These parts sandwich a slim midcase that also has a curved profile. The point where the long, slim lugs meet the midcase is clearly defined. The substantial, knurled crown is crafted from white gold and is unsigned.

The classically beautiful case is paired with a solid silver dial with a guilloché adorned centre in a wave-like pattern. This section is hemmed by a sauté piqué rim, interrupted only by the overlapping subsidiary seconds register. This register has an engine turning in a concentric circular pattern, with a printed chapter of black markers. The outer section of the silver dial has a sunburst quality, featuring a black chemin de fer minutes track followed by an applied quarter of Arabic numerals. The other hours are plied by faceted markers. All hour markers have been mirror polished to perfection. The hours and minutes hands are faceted dauphine-style, while the second’s indicator is of a feuille form. A discreet cartouche in the central portion of the dial wears the maker’s mark, while the place of origin and the dial maker’s mark are printed just under the seconds register.

Visible through the exhibition case is a thoroughly reimagined iteration of the Valjoux calibre VZSS, a movement that has powered many of the finest watches over the last century. As is the maker’s style, the Calibre 11 is superlative both in its construction and finishing. It is laid out to closely resemble pieces created in the Vallée du Joux, during the early 20th century. The finishing is of course achieved entirely by hand, by utilising traditional tools and techniques. The bridges are made from rhodium-plated brass and finished with classic Geneva stripes. The seamless transition between the stripe and the angling on the side of the bridges demonstrates the watchmaker’s skill. It features a Breguet hairspring and a large balance wheel, with adjusting weights at the two arms for micro-timing. And there is no regulator, as all Philippe Dufour watches are free sprung. It has 52 hours of power reserve when fully wound.

The watch is accompanied by its original box and papers.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Philippe Dufour Simplicity will be subject to 20% VAT

Closer look

Brand:	Philippe Dufour
Model:	Simplicity
Movement:	manual-winding calibre 11
Functions:	hours and minutes, sub-seconds
Features:	Original Owner, guilloché dial, Sub-120 case number
Case material:	platinum
Case diameter:	37mm
Case thickness:	9mm
Lug-to-lug:	46mm
Crystal:	sapphire front & back
Strap:	saffiano strap from our own collection, Philippe Dufour platinum pin buckle
Lug width:	19 x 16mm
Year:	2007
Accompanying materials:	Philippe Dufour outer paper box & inner wooden box, international guarantee & certificate of origin card (dated)

Condition

This Philippe Dufour Simplicity is in very good overall condition. On the case and lugs, light superficial marks are present throughout, though only on the very surface of the material. The dial, hands, and movement are free from any signs of imperfections and have been well preserved. On the reverse of all four lugs, the hallmarks and engravings are crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year, limited warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.