Dufour was massively popular with the Japanese market – his first timepiece encased in a 34mm case a smaller proportion adored by the far eastern market. His proximity with Shellman Ginza also allowed for his collector-base to grow beyond his occasional visits to Japan. The proximity with his clients, many of whom Dufour has built personal relationships with, has created an atmosphere in which his clients/collectors/friends just outright do not want to sell their watches.
This point, combined with the fact Philippe Dufour only manages to create a mere 15-20 watches per year creates incredible scarcity in a market hungry for the work of one of the masters of modern horology.
Anyways, how is the watch day to day ?
At 34mm in diameter, this Simplicity wears very comfortably – sliding perfectly under any sleeve and is fitting in almost every day-to-day scenario I could imagine. Depending on the strap one chooses to fit on the watch, it can be dressed up for a formal setting in a tuxedo, or dressed down to wear with jeans and a hoodie.
Now, many are probably wondering what one should look out for when looking at the finished of a watch, and what make Dufour’s finishing (almost) unparalleled in the watch industry.
An easy “flex” for a watchmaker is adding internal angles in the design of ones bridges – Dufour not only incorporates three stunning internal angles, but adds three points in his movement – both of which are very difficult to finish consistently.
Another way to look at finished is looking at the consistency of the finishing, for example, whether or not the angle of the bevelling is the same throughout the whole bridge.
What really set Dufour apart at the time was the desire to create a watch with the utmost respect for traditional Vallée de Joux watchmaking. If you look at the market, there isn’t really anything that’s close to what Philippe Dufour has created, maybe Rexhep Rexhepi.. ?