REGULATEUR TOURBILLON MODEL, REF. C187 ST-SC, NO. 2, CIRCA 1990

Daniel Roth, who is regarded as one of the most exceptional modern watchmakers, received early training from prestigious maisons such as Audemars Piguet and was instrumental in the revival of Breguet. Roth created his double-faced Tourbillon, reference C187, in 1988 and unveiled it the following year to commemorate his independence and the establishment of his own brand. It offers a very personal take on classic, Breguet-inspired watchmaking. He created a unique design language right away, which is best represented by the unusual tonneau-shaped case, sharply pointed hands, and exquisitely crafted guilloché dials.

One of the watchmaker's most renowned designs is the present reference C187. The large tourbillon escapement, which houses Roth's original triple-arm seconds hand, dominates the front dial. This clever design indicates the passing seconds across three different 20-second scales using three hands of varying lengths. The technical and aesthetic intricacy of the design is further highlighted by turning the watch over, which reveals a second dial with a power reserve and date indication.

Consigned by the family of the original owner, whose collecting focus was dedicated to complicated wristwatches of the highest quality, the present timepiece is number 2 of this limited series, which consists of just 20 stainless steel pieces created specifically for the Italian market. Notably, this is still the only line of complicated steel watches made during the so-called 'Roth era', when Daniel Roth personally oversaw the company from 1986 to 1996. A stunning vertical guilloché adorns the white gold dial, and the movement, which is based on a Lemania 387 ébauche, has undergone extensive rework and meticulous finishing. When taken as a whole, these components make the present timepiece an important milestone of independent high watchmaking.