Last month, we reported that Daniel Roth would be making a return as part of the LVMH family. When the news was first announced, it was stated that the new Daniel Roth watches would be produced by La Fabrique du Temps, which is a Geneva-based company entirely owned by LVMH that specializes in tourbillon movements and other high-complication pieces. Additionally, the initial news of the brand revival also stated that the first new Daniel Roth watch would be a 20-piece limited edition that would arrive sometime later in 2023. Despite being dormant for over a decade, Daniel Roth still enjoys a strong following among collectors, and when Ariel first reported on the news of the revival, he predicted that the new Daniel Roth watches would look very similar to previous-generation models that were produced prior to 2010, with a major emphasis on maintaining the round/rectangular case shape that defines much of the original brand’s design DNA. Well, the new 2023 watch has been unveiled, Ariel was spot-on with his predictions, and the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription is very much the spiritual successor to the brand’s original tourbillon wristwatch of 1988, offering a design that stays remarkably true to its signature aesthetic, while also carrying it forward into the next generation.
The new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription (ref. DR0011YG-01) features an 18k yellow-gold version of the brand’s signature double ellipse case that measures 35.5mm by 38.6mm, with 20mm lugs and an overall thickness of just 9.2mm. A flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment sits above the dial, while a push-pull style winding crown sits at the 3 o’clock location and offers access to the movement. Just like the original models, a solid caseback is fitted to the reverse side of the watch (which is engraved with each example’s limited edition number, and water resistance for the new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription comes in at 30 meters to help protect against light moisture exposure and occasional incidental contact. From an external perspective, the new Tourbillon Souscription watch closely adheres to the classic, fan-favorite design of the original models, and this same aesthetically faithful approach continues throughout the rest of the watch.
The dial fitted to the new 2023 Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription offers a layout that will be immediately familiar to those who remember the brand’s original tourbillon wristwatch of 1988, although the new version offers a number of subtle refinements. Produced by Kari Voutilainen’s workshop, the dial is crafted from a plate of solid yellow gold, and it is decorated with a Clous de Paris guilloché pattern that echoes the design of the original model from 1998. The hours and minutes are displayed by a pair of blued hands against an off-center dial with Roman numeral markings that is positioned near the top of the display, while the one-minute tourbillon is prominently displayed below it on the lower half of the face of the watch. Although the dial markings themselves have been carried over from the original model, the typography used for the printing has been updated in order to give the new 2023 Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription a slightly more refined and streamlined overall aesthetic. Additionally, both the Daniel Roth name and each watch’s individual number out of 20 examples are engraved on small curved panels that are located on either side of the dial.
Powering the new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription is the in-house Caliber DR001 manual-wind movement, which has been exclusively designed for Daniel Roth and manufactured entirely by La Fabrique du Temps. The Cal. DR001 has been specifically designed for the new Tourbillon Souscription, and it features a double ellipse shape so that it will fit seamlessly into the case of the watch. Running at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 80 hours, the Daniel Roth Cal. DR001 is entirely finished by hand, and it showcases Geneva stripes, mirror-polished screws, and a frosted plate below the tourbillon. Additionally, since the tourbillon makes one full rotation each minute, it is able to function as a running seconds indicator, and the cage for the tourbillon is fitted with a three-armed, heat-blued seconds hand that indicates the seconds against a tri-sectioned scale that is located directly above it. Lastly, completing the new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription watch is a light brown calfskin leather strap that is fitted with a matching 18k yellow-gold pin buckle.
In addition to being a faithful recreation of the original model from 1988, the new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription watch also follows a similar approach to the original when it comes to its availability. Along with being produced as a limited edition of just 20 examples worldwide, the new model will also be sold exclusively on a “souscription” (subscription) basis. The new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription is accompanied by an official retail price of 140,000 CHF (or about $152,000 USD at the time of writing), and buyers will “subscribe” with a deposit in order to confirm their order, with the remaining balance due upon delivery of the watch early in 2024. Additionally, in the press release for the new model, the brand states that just like how the original Daniel Roth tourbillon watch from 1988 gave birth to subsequent variations and additional complications, the new Tourbillon Souscription is just the beginning of the brand’s revival, and there will be other Daniel Roth watches unveiled in the future. For more information on the new Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription, please visit the brand’s website.
