116 Daniel Roth A superb and highly important, Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar, automatic wristwatch in yellow gold, with caliber developed by Daniel Roth and Philippe Dufour, box and warranty, reference 2117.

Estimate: € 25,000 –⁠ 50,000

Among the earliest creations of Daniel Roth’s independent watchmaking venture, the Perpetual Calendar reference 2117 stands as a landmark timepiece in haute horology. This model is not only an embodiment of Roth’s distinctive design language but also a testament to an extraordinary collaboration with master watchmaker Philippe Dufour, who contributed to developing its revolutionary perpetual calendar module. In the early 1990s, shortly after founding his eponymous brand, Daniel Roth set out to create an instantaneous perpetual calendar, where all indications would jump precisely at midnight. Partnering with Philippe Dufour, who was himself at the beginning of his illustrious independent career, the duo devised a modular complication placed atop a Lemania 8810 base movement. Initially showcased as a prototype at Baselworld 1991, the original design featured a digital display for the day and date. However, due to the excessive energy required for the mechanism to function instantaneously, the final design evolved into sub-dial indications, reducing the force necessary for the calendar’s precise operation. By Baselworld 1993, the final iteration of the reference 2117 was introduced, featuring a unique dial layout that departed from the conventional perpetual calendar display. The sub-dial at 6 o’clock elegantly arranges the date on its outer track and the leap year indicator in its center, sinking deeper into the dial for enhanced dimensionality. The day of the week at 9 o’clock and the month at 3 o’clock follow an intuitive placement, with all indications presented in French. Complementing the hand-engraved white-gold dial is the signature double-ellipse case, an ingenious fusion of round and rectangular elements, flanked by stepped bezels and straight lugs, a hallmark of Daniel Roth’s aesthetic vision. This exquisite yellow-gold example is exceptionally well preserved and remains one of the most sought-after complications from Roth’s early years. Accompanied by its original box, manual, and a Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by Daniel Roth, this Perpetual Calendar 2117 is a historically important, mechanically innovative, and artistically refined collector’s piece.