Early on, Philippe Dufour was made aware of his dedicated following in Japan through a friend of his, Antoine Preziuso. In response to that, he decided to create the Simplicity, a watch that catered to the sensitivities of that market, which had long appreciated fine craft, alongside understated and balanced design.

Between 2000 and the present day, it is understood that around 215 Simplicities have been made. It is also believed that there are a few dozen clients still waiting to receive their watches. More recently, the watchmaker committed to create a further 20 pieces, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Simplicity.

This example comes from a relatively earlier part of the production series, as it was delivered in 2009 and has a similar design to the original prototype piece. It also bears an auspicious number, 188 – especially requested by the previous owner of the watch.

The white lacquer dial features a painted, black minute track and roman numerals. Additionally, a painted sub-seconds register is placed at six o'clock , with concentric circles and black, painted Arabic numerals to mark ten second increments. The hour and minute hands are blued-steel, in a Breguet style. Just below 12 o'clock, Philippe Dufour's signature is printed in black. At 37mm in diameter, the watch asserts its presence comfortably on the wearer’s wrist.

To describe the Simplicity, one must start inside out. The movement is a heavily reworked version of the Valjoux calibre VZSS, a movement that has powered many of the finest watches over the last century. It features a Breguet hairspring and a large balance wheel, with adjusting weights at the two arms for micro-timing. And there is no regulator, as all Philippe Dufour watches are free-sprung. It has 52 hours of power reserve when fully wound.

As one might expect, the movement is superlative both in terms of construction and finish, bearing resemblance to similar pieces created in the Vallée du Joux, during the early 20th century. Dufour is admired for the quality of his finishing, which he achieves entirely by hand, by utilising traditional tools and techniques. The bridges are made from rhodium-plated brass and finished with classic Geneva stripes. The seamless transition between the stripe and the angling on the sides of the bridges demonstrates the watchmaker’s level of skill.

A Collected Man is the sole pre-owned approved retailer of Philippe Dufour watches. Our partnership stems from our shared values and our experience of selling more than 10 of their watches for almost a decade, including significant examples like this Duality or this Grande Et Petite Sonnerie . This ensures the authenticity and quality of the current timepiece is guaranteed.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Philippe Dufour Simplicity will be subject to 20% VAT

Closer look

Condition

This Philippe Dufour Simplicity is in excellent overall condition. The case and lugs show light superficial marks consistent with minimal wear, and only on the very surface of the material. The dial, hands, and movement are free from any signs of imperfections. The hallmarks on the caseback and buckle are crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.