Hands-On The Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold

When I wrote our intro for the new Tourbillon Rose Gold a couple of weeks ago, I didn't appreciate the level of finishing. It's hard to with just a few renders. But in person, the execution of the new Tourbillon is immediately apparent.

The same feeling carries through to the case, dial, and every single component that goes into the Tourbillon. There are few watches I've experienced that are so far afield from my (admittedly pretty boring) taste but also so obviously preeminent displays of watchmaking and craft. No doubt, the unwavering commitment to the "Ellipsocurvex" case and general old-man aesthetic is part of the appeal for Daniel Roth collectors, but it's certainly an acquired taste.

But anyone can appreciate the craft and watchmaking on display in the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold and its caliber DR001.

While the rose gold Tourbillon isn't terribly different from last year's Souscription, it is a clear evolution. The 5N case and dial are immediately warmer. Experiencing both side by side, the rose gold Tourbillon stands apart for me. The gold dial is made by Kari Voutilainen's Comblemine, and the linear guilloché is finely executed. Even those fine borders of the Tourbillon's signature "mustache" are now guilloché, executed by hand. This is particularly difficult given the irregular curve of the dial's facial hair. (By the way, I've seen journalist Chris Hall mention this, but it feels like perhaps the Swiss watch industry should start to protect use of the word "guilloché," reserving it for only dials that are truly made in the traditional method by hand operating a lathe. The term "guilloché" is overused today and seems to cause some confusion among customers).

In fact, while the rose gold Tourbillon is not a strictly limited edition like the Souscription, Daniel Roth says it's limited to 50 pieces per year by production, explaining that the guilloché work, in particular, is a limiting factor.

The most important evolution from the Souscription is the sapphire caseback, which now puts the DR001 on full display. The Souscription had a closed caseback in keeping with the original 1990s Tourbillon Souscription, and now this next generation has an open caseback, just as follow-on references of the '90s Tourbillons did.

The caliber DR001 is the same manual-wind movement as the Souscription with a one-minute tourbillon spinning on the dial side. The movement is developed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton and features two large bridges with finely executed Côtes de Geneve. There are other now-common flourishes of fine watchmaking as well – for example, gold chatons and that curved bridge showing off well-executed black polish.

It matches the finishing and execution that modern collectors have come to expect from high-end independents. This is perhaps to be expected with the backing of Louis Vuitton – along with the price tag of CHF 155,000 – but this doesn't make the watchmaking on display any less impressive. This finishing continues on the front side with the one-minute tourbillon spinning at six o'clock.

The rose gold case measures 38.6 x 35.5mm (9.2mm) thick. This makes it a good 2mm thinner than the original 1990s tourbillons, possible thanks to the DR001 and a detail I didn't fully appreciate in photos. The case is also more balanced, with the middle caseband perfectly splitting the top and bottom half of the case. Combined with the rounded lugs that also slope slightly downward, this makes for a noticeably better wearing experience compared to the originals (Daniel Roth had some of its archive pieces on display alongside the new Tourbillons to compare).

With the Souscription and now the rose gold Tourbillon, Daniel Roth, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, along with watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas, have illustrated their ability to recreate an original Daniel Roth design, but incrementally better in nearly all respects. Even with all the resources in the world, it's a commendable achievement.

That said, I'm still waiting to see what the revived Daniel Roth can create that's genuinely new. The brand hinted at some never-released watches designed by the watchmaker Roth that will provide inspiration for its future releases, which is promising. I'd also expect that these future plans will offer slightly more accessible options for those seeking the distinct Daniel Roth aesthetic.

For now though, the Tourbillon Rose Gold puts the full capabilities of Daniel Roth and La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton on display. It's beautiful, and one of the more impressive high-end watches I've experienced this year.

For more, visit Daniel Roth here.

The Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold measures 38.6 x 35.5mm (9.2mm thick), 30 meters water resistance. 5N rose gold case and dial. The manual-wind caliber DR001 has an 80-hour power reserve, beats at 3 Hz, and features a one-minute tourbillon. Designed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Delivered on a calfskin strap with pin buckle. Not a limited edition, but Daniel Roth says production is limited to 50 pieces per year. Price: CHF 155,000.