Philippe Dufour is often described as the conscience of modern watchmaking. Born in the Vallée de Joux, he trained at the local Ecole d’Horlogerie before beginning his career at Jaeger-LeCoultre. A spell in the Caribbean repairing Audemars Piguet watches gave him a broad grounding in practical horology, but on returning home in the late 1970s, he chose independence, building complications for others before deciding to work under his own name.

Philippe Dufour

His first creation was the Grande Sonnerie wristwatch of 1992, still considered one of the most sophisticated striking watches ever made. In 1996 came the Duality, the first wristwatch to feature a double balance with differential, a technical solution that improved stability and accuracy. Then, in 2000, Dufour introduced the Simplicity. Outwardly restrained, it concealed movement architecture and hand finishing of such quality that it became a modern benchmark, with collectors waiting years for delivery.

Philippe Dufour Simplicity, 2004 (Image: Phillips)

His influence, however, extends well beyond his own workshop. He advised TAG Heuer on elevating the finishing of the experimental Monaco V4, partnered Greubel Forsey in its Le Garde Temps: Naissance d’Une Montre project and consulted with the Micro Artists Studio of Seiko. With an output counted in dozens rather than hundreds, Dufour has proved that true significance lies in setting standards, not chasing scale.