The revival of Daniel Roth has been a fascinating one to follow, in large part because it has been carried out with an unusual degree of sensitivity and care. The watches have so far been faithful interpretations of the originals, distinguished by subtle yet substantive improvements in execution, materials and proportions, and supported by the development of entirely new form movements by La Fabrique du Temps. The Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton marks the first step beyond this phase of reinterpretation, as the original Extra Plat – the C107 and C167 watches – were never skeletonised during the brand’s founding era under Daniel Roth. The skeletonised pieces most of us have in mind are the C127 with a retrograde hour, along with the C187 tourbillon and the C147 chronograph.

In the early 1990s, not long after establishing his eponymous brand, Roth began producing skeletonised versions of those references. They were not only skeletonised but also elaborately engraved, and consequently made in extremely small numbers. Extending that lineage today provides a natural way to demonstrate the depth of skill and resources now available at La Fabrique du Temps.

Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton

While the preceding Tourbillon and Extra Plat watches exercised a certain degree of restraint in movement finishing, it suffices to say that the Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton exercised the file and will be produced in limited numbers each year. By virtue of their density of edges and intersections, openworked movements generally present an ideal terrain for the display of finishing skill. But in practice, they are seldom brought to a resolution. The labour and dexterity required mean that fully hand-finished examples are rare, not to mention unsustainable for most mass luxury brands. As a result, the few that are executed without compromise tend to jump off the page. This certainly does.

The barrel drum itself has been skeletonised, which allows the state of wind to be seen

To start off, it is worth clarifying some terminology. The Calibre DR002SR here is not so much an act of skeletonising a pre-existing movement in the strict sense even though its technical specifications and layout are based on the DR002 in the Extra Plat. The bridges and plates were redesigned specifically for this purpose, to the point that the bridges are held to the mainplate by pillars.

To permit such extreme skeletonisation, the bridges are secured to the main plate by pillars

There is no dial, and as a result, the case which measures 38.6 x 35.5mm, was made even slimmer than the Extra Plat, coming in at just 6.9mm in height, versus 7.7mm for the standard model. The bridges and plates are made of solid rose gold. Through openworking, their forms are reduced to precise outlines. A one-piece bridge supports the gear train, with its slender borders forming three flowing arms. Around the screw seats, the work becomes especially unforgiving. Clearances are so tight that tool access already seems improbable, making the execution of not one but two sharp internal angles on each side positively brutal. The same three arm design is echoed on the dial side in the movement plate, itself a single piece that has been exhaustively skeletonised.

The complex, positively brutal shape of the gear train bridge makes finishing exceptionally demanding, especially around the screw seats

Note how the arm supporting the third wheel curves to visually accommodate the steel intermediate wheel in the keyless works

There is no attempt to soften or avoid sharp internal angles. They appear wherever the geometry dictates, and the main plate and bridges are clearly designed to be visually harmonious from front to back. The shapes, angles and voids on the dial side relate to those on the bridge side, which is not always the case in openworked movements. One of the quieter rewards is the exposure of the keyless works, which are unusually elegant in their own right and benefit from the same level of attention as the rest of the movement.

As is the usual practice today, the openworking was executed using EDM as a starting point, followed by extensive hand finishing. In all other respects, the movement retains the same technical specifications. It measures 3.1mm in height and is fitted with a free-sprung balance beating at 4Hz. A single barrel delivers a 65-hour power reserve and is secured by a beautifully formed crossbar click.

The double-ellipse case is capable of carrying the watch on its own. The softly curved lugs are individually soldered to the case middle and rendered with a rounder profile than those seen on the original models. A continuous gadroon encircles the caseband, flowing uninterrupted through the lugs, which reinforces the distinctive shape. In the metal and on the wrist, its beauty and elegance are difficult to overstate. It feels unlike a conventional watch case, not simply in outline, but in the way it occupies and feels on the wrist. Its tactile and visual presence is one that lingers in the memory.

Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton

The Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton is as compelling as it is unexpected. Openworking is both an effective and among the most natural vehicles for demonstrating finishing at this level. It immediately sets the watch apart in an ever growing field of fine, finishing-forward time-only independents. It is priced competitively at CHF 85,000, which is now the price of admission to see this level of handwork at all, let alone throughout a skeleton movement. Add to that the quietly superb double-ellipse case and the result is a proposition that is disarmingly hard to ignore.

Tech Specs: Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton

Movement Hand-wound DR002SR Calibre, Power reserve of 65 hours; 4Hz (28,800 vph)
Functions Hours and minutes
Case 38.6mm x 35.5mm x 6.9mm; 18K Rose gold 3N; water-resistant to 30m
Dial Blued steel hands
Strap Calfskin leather with 18k yellow gold buckle
Availability Limited production each year
Price CHF 85,000