The recently resurrected Daniel Roth brand has added a second regular production model to its catalogue, the Extra Plat Rose Gold.

It’s powered by the same DR002 movement found in the Extra Plat Souscription, a 20-piece limited edition in yellow gold with a solid case back, now with a sapphire case back to show off the handsome, shaped calibre inside.

Image – Daniel Roth

Initial Thoughts

It’s no secret that Louis Vuitton has been making inroads into independent watchmaking, through collaborations with leading independents and the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize.

Louis Vuitton has taken a more direct approach by reviving one of the first modern independents, and it seems to have paid off. Ironically, despite being the product of a luxury giant, the Daniel Roth Extra Plat is comparable to many offerings from niche makers, which can be seen as praise of the former or reproval of the latter.

Image – Daniel Roth

In another contradiction, the Extra Plat’s 7.7 mm height isn’t exactly extra-flat by the standards of a two-hand, manually wound dress watch. For comparison, the original Extra Plat Automatic from 1990 was 6.7 mm thick, and the manual version was only 6 mm.

This can be attributed to the new movement, which is thicker than those in historical Extra Plat models, but constructed and finished to a much higher standard, while also being an in-house calibre (the originals were powered by Frederic Piguet).

Image – Daniel Roth

The new regular production has more mainstream appeal than the Souscription, thanks to a change of metals and the addition of a display case back. It also represents a lower point of entry into the fledgling brand, and will presumably be made in larger numbers than the Tourbillon. While the Extra Plat doesn’t break new ground, it manages to improve on the original without sacrificing its charm, at a justifiable price.

Movement

The most significant difference from the original is under the hood. The Frederic Piguet movements used by Roth in the 1990s were thin, but also fairly pedestrian.

For the revived brand, La Fabrique De Temps developed a new, shaped movement for the Extra Plat, the cal. DR002. While it is thicker than the Frederic Piguet movements used in historical models, it’s an upgrade by every other metric.

Image – Daniel Roth

La Fabrique De Temps puts the thick, graceful bridges to good use, rewarding us with thick, rounded angalge. The works are particularly nicely done, the crown wheel core and ratchet wheel are both black polished, and are paired with a bar-type click.

It’s not a slouch technically either, with a free-spring balance, Geneva stud-carrier, relatively high 4Hz beat rate, and respectable 65-hour power reserve. It’s a simple movement, but very well executed.

Image – Daniel Roth

Case and Dial

The Souscription’s Clou de Paris guilloche has been substituted for the pinstripe pattern, which is more strongly associated with the Daniel Roth brand, and makes for a cleaner look.

The dial is solid, unplated, white gold, with a 5N rose gold insert to form the chapter ring. Legibility is good, as the hands and markings are both blackened for contrast, but you won’t be looking at this dial just to tell the time. Naturally, the dial is turned by a hand-operated rose engine, in-house at La Fabrique De Temps.

Image – Daniel Roth

While the dial and movement will get the most attention, the case is also especially good. At 38.6 by 35.5 mm, its double-ellipse case is only marginally larger than the original Extra Plat Automatic, despite the interior upgrades.

Other than the height, it’s mostly faithful to the original ref. 2107 in size, and uses traditional welded-lug construction. The only notable deviation from the source material are the lugs, which have been curved downward to better hug the wrist.

The Souscription’s solid back was a cute throwback to the originals, but for regular production, a display back really was needed.

Image – Daniel Roth

Key facts and price

Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription
Ref. DBBD01A1

Diameter: 38.6 by 35.5 mm
Height: 7.7 mm
Material: Rose gold 5N
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. DR002
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Manual-wind
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Calfskin leather strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Daniel Roth retailers
Price: CHF49,000 excluding taxes

For more information, visit DanielRoth.com.