AHCI - VdJ 2003 - Day One (p.m.) - Daniel Roth, watchmaker

VdJ 2003 - Day One (p.m.) - Daniel Roth, watchmaker

Hi,

After a brilliant visit with Ph. Dufour we jumped into our van and drove five minutes to our apartments to have lunch, relax and talk about what we had just seen and where we were going next.

Our afternoon visit was with Daniel Roth "the man not the brand" - I must have said that a hundred times before, during and since our tour. Daniel Roth, the man, is French and a master watchmaker who launched his own brand, using his name, in 1990. A decade later he would no longer be associated with the brand that bears his name.

A 10-minute drive from our apartments brought us to the driveway of Mr. Roth's Le Sentier home where he works from an attic atelier (a VdJ tradition). Mrs. Roth received us graciously at the door and led us to the living room where we waited for Daniel. Within minutes he came downstairs from his atelier with a smile on his face and quickly engaged us in conversation, which could have been tricky, as Daniel doesn?t speak English! Fortunately, between his wife and three people on the tour, whose combined knowledge of the French language provided sufficient translation, we were off and running.

After 10 to 15 minutes of chitchat we were following him upstairs to the atelier. The shop was not big, a decent sized room I?d say, but it was well organized ? quite tidy in fact, with the necessary tools for making watches to order. You see, now that he is independent, Daniel Roth is making watches again under the name "Jean Daniel Nicolas" - the given names of his family (his wife, himself and his son).

Having just sent his latest completed watch off to the purchaser, we were unable to see any finished work in the ?flesh,? however he was able to show us photos of the watch which I took pictures of for the forum. What we did see in the flesh was his current work in progress, which was, no surprise here, a tourbillon.

Daniel is making most of the movement in-house, with the exception being the escapement and the usual suspects (jewels, hairspring and balance spring) and he finishes the components himself. He has the dial, case and hands done by specialists.

When asked how he felt now that he was independent again he said, ?I like it. I can make what I want, how I want and when I want.? Not a bad position to be in.

Enjoy the pictures!