Daniel Roth Chronograph 2147

Daniel Roth is one of the godfathers of modern independent watchmaking. A remarkable figure in both his technical and design abilities, he was one of the main actors behind the revitalization of Breguet at the height of the Quartz Crisis. His sensibilities translated historical Breguet creations into modern watches, a process that’s far from easy to balance reverence for the past with the necessity to transform in the modern era. In 1988, Roth decided to launch his own brand – in large part supported by the rise of the AHCI and its founding in 1985. We’re fortunate to offer one of these highly sought after timepieces from Roth’s journey as an independent watchmaking – Daniel Roth Chronograph 2147 with gray dial. 

Before we dive into the movement, the watchmaking side of Daniel Roth’s 2147, the watchmaker’s design sensibilities are the first thing that immediately stands out. Truly iconic in modern independent watchmaking, the double ellipse case finds an elegant balance between straight lines and curves. For any collector with knowledge of Roth’s work, this unique case shape is easily recognizable from across a room. Another signature design element on Roth’s timepieces is the pinstripe guilloche on the dial. Other elements are drawn from the watchmaker’s time at Breguet, where we observe straight line lugs as well as blued lance-shaped hands. Classical in its aesthetic, the chronograph registers sit at 3 and 9 o’clock on the highly legible dial due to its color contrast. 

The stunning yellow gold case houses a Lemania 2320 caliber. This was Roth’s method throughout his time at Breguet as well as with his own eponymous manufacture. He collaborated closely with Lemania and Frederic Piguet to create ebauche movements that would provide excellent chronometric performance and long-term reliability in timepieces. The 2320 features 21 jewels, straight line lever escapement, Breguet spring and swan-neck regulator. Attention to detail exists not only in the design composition of the watch or the elegance of the double ellipse case. Roth elevates every Lemania ebauche with extensive polishing, beveling, and Geneva striping on components before assembling each movement by hand in the brand’s former Vallée du Joux workshop. While this version of the 2147 features an open caseback, the same finishing was always applied to the many Daniel Roth models with closed caseback. 

Ultra-ergonomic on the wrist, the Chronograph 2147 is 38mm in length x 35mm in width with slim 10mm height. A beautiful timepiece from the early 1990s, it’s a testament to the exceptional craftsmanship of one of modern independent watchmaking’s earliest success stories.