It begins, as it once did, at the workbench. The newly revived Daniel Roth atelier, nestled within La Fabrique du Temps, has returned to traditional methods with purpose—eschewing automation in favour of métiers that demand time, skill, and patience. It is here that the new Extra Plat Rose Gold was shaped: not simply assembled but composed of carefully studied proportions and hand-finished components.

Far from a nostalgic reprise, the watch is a quiet assertion of continuity—a reaffirmation of Daniel Roth’s original vision, where architecture and mechanical harmony were never treated as separate pursuits. In this new edition, that philosophy is rendered not through reinterpretation but by refining what always made the Extra Plat distinctive and iconic.

Founded in 1988 by the eponymous master watchmaker, Daniel Roth was among the pioneering independents who dared to carve their own narrative amid an industry that was still reeling from the quartz crisis. Roth, whose background included time at Audemars Piguet and Breguet, brought with him a signature design language: elliptical cases, sharply fluted crowns, and dials articulated with Clous de Paris guilloché. These traits became defining elements, not merely stylistic markers but expressions of a deeper philosophy—where the form was never arbitrary, and every visual nuance served the movement within.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Daniel Roth watches were regarded as exemplars of modern classical design. The original Extra Plat, released during this era, showcased a design informed by its mechanics—purposeful, deliberate, and technically grounded. Devoid of grand complications or overt ornamentation, it prioritised architectural harmony and technical clarity. At a time when horology leaned toward the baroque, Roth offered something enduring: proportion, elegance, and balance.

Following its integration into Bvlgari’s stable and a period of dormancy, the Daniel Roth marque has been carefully revived under the stewardship of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, guided by the expertise of Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. This new custodianship is not merely administrative; it intends to preserve Daniel Roth's ethos while renewing it with the capabilities of 21^st century manufacture.

The Daniel Roth Extra Plat has stood apart in a watchmaking world often driven by novelty. Introduced originally as a refined expression of classical horology, it has reappeared only selectively over the years. Each iteration has remained closely aligned with Maison’s core aesthetic—anchored in its signature elliptical case and architectural approach to watch design.

The revival of Daniel Roth continues with the Extra Plat Rose Gold—an edition that honours the Maison’s original codes while embracing a discreet evolution. Retaining the signature double-ellipse silhouette, the case is rendered in rose gold 5N and refined with softer, downward-sloping lugs for improved wearability. The Extra Plat Rose gold measures 7.7 mm thick; its form is familiar and rearticulated. The dial, composed of a pinstripe guilloché pattern amidst a solid white gold base and rose gold chapter ring, pairs classical Roman numerals with black-coated steel hands. Each detail is handcrafted, from the soldered lugs to the engraved individual number on every piece—underscoring the Maison’s continued commitment to traditional methods.

Inside, the Extra Plat is powered by the new DR002 calibre, built from the ground up for this watch. The manually wound movement mirrors the watch’s elliptical form and features refined finishing: hand-polished bevels, broad Côtes de Genève, and a free-sprung balance operating at 4Hz. A 65-hour power reserve and a distinctive winding mechanism further reflect the blend of mechanical sophistication and tactile craft. Seen through its open sapphire crystal caseback, the DR002 is a contemporary expression of the founding ideals that defined Daniel Roth from the beginning.

The Daniel Roth Extra Plat C107 is one of the earliest and most emblematic expressions of the Maison’s founding vision. Introduced in 1992, the C107 featured a slim automatic calibre housed within the now-iconic double-ellipse case—executed in 18-carat yellow gold with a satin-brushed finish and polished detailing. The dial carried Roth’s early design language with clarity: vertical Clous de Paris guilloché, a silvered chapter ring for the Roman numerals, and heat-blued hands. Its proportions—compact yet assertive—were a direct response to Roth’s philosophy of architectural watchmaking, where the movement and its framing were conceived as a single visual and mechanical unit.

What distinguished the C107 was how it captured the Maison’s ethos of considered refinement. The ultra-thin automatic movement, based on the Frederic Piguet 71 calibre, allowed the case to retain a discreet profile without compromising on tactile presence. With no date display and a pared-back two-hand layout, the C107 exemplified the Extra Plat’s commitment to simplicity—not as minimalism, but as intention.

Introduced in 1991, the Extra Plat Manual Ref. 2167/C167 in yellow gold refined the foundation laid by earlier Extra Plat models, offering a more assertive interpretation of Maison’s design language while remaining faithful to its core values. The double-ellipse case—crafted in 18k yellow gold—retained its measured proportions but presented a dial with a more pronounced chapter ring and slightly bolder detailing. The manual-wind calibre within allowed for a notably slim case profile, enhancing the watch’s wearability while reinforcing its formal presence. Its dial, decorated with a hand-guilloché Clous de Paris pattern, framed blued steel hands and black Roman numerals in precise symmetry, echoing the visual codes established by Daniel Roth only a few years earlier.

The 2167/C167 distinguished itself by how fully it committed to the pared-back ethos of the Extra Plat collection. With no subsidiary seconds, date, or complication to interrupt the dial’s architecture, the composition was left open—inviting attention to surface, spacing, and form. It remains a definitive example of Daniel Roth’s ability to extract expressive nuance from minimal means—one of the purest executions of his early manual-wind creations.

The Extra Plat Automatic Ref. 2107 in white gold was among the earliest creations following the founding of Daniel Roth in 1988, and it remains a key reference in understanding the Maison’s early direction. Housed in the now-iconic double-ellipse case, the watch measured 35.5 mm by 38.6 mm and was characterised by its slim profile and quietly assertive geometry. The white gold case, paired with a silvered guilloché dial featuring Roman numerals and blued hands, clearly articulated Roth’s design vocabulary—one that drew heavily from his formative years at Breguet. With its compact silhouette and automatic winding system, the 2107 balanced technical practicality with an architectural fluency rarely seen in the early days of independent watchmaking.

What set Ref. 2107 apart was its clarity of purpose. Rather than chase complexity, it refined the essentials: a two-hand layout, a case that framed the wrist with natural symmetry, and finishing techniques that spoke to classical traditions. Based on the ultra-thin Frederic Piguet 71 calibre, the movement was discreetly tucked beneath a solid caseback, focusing on proportion, surface treatment, and tactile presence. Though modest in ambition, the 2107 laid the groundwork for the Extra Plat series, establishing a blueprint of form and philosophy that continues to inform the collection more than three decades later.

The re-emergence of the Daniel Roth Extra Plat is not a moment of reinvention but a return to form—a reassertion of design values that have remained remarkably consistent since the early 1990s. From the manual-wind clarity of the Ref. 2167/C167 to the early automatic refinement of Ref. 2107, each iteration carried forward a belief in proportion, tactile detail, and architectural balance. The 2025 Extra Plat Rose Gold stands firmly within that lineage—neither revisionist nor nostalgic but forward-looking in its precision.

In a watchmaking landscape often driven by spectacle, the quiet reappearance of the Extra Plat carries added resonance. It signals the revival of a Maison committed not to noise but to nuance. And in doing so, it speaks directly to those who value the measured pace of watchmaking—a discipline where continuity, not contrast, defines progress.