BIOGRAPHY: Philippe Dufour is one of the magical names in the world of haute horlogerie. Known to elite collectors around the world for his extraordinary Grande Sonnerie, Duality, and Simplicity watches, Dufour epitomizes the passion for perfection and craftsmanship that has characterized the finest masters in the centuries old Swiss watchmaking craft. Much like a fine Stradivari violin, each Philippe Dufour watch is an individual work of art which is as coveted as it is exceptionally rare.
Dufour was born in the Vallee de Joux, Switzerland's mythical "cradle of watchmaking". Entering watchmaking school in Le Sentier at 15, he completed his studies and began his career at Jaeger-LeCoultre. Picking up a great deal of knowledge from the master watchmaker Gabriel Locatelli, Dufour later went on to work for Gerald Genta as well as Audemars Piguet, for whom he created five highly complex Grande Sonnerie watches.
Despite these many accomplishments, in 1989, Dufour sought to take the less traveled road of the independent watchmaker. His first achievement was an incredible Grande Sonnerie wristwatch, followed after by his innovative Duality, whose efficient and ingenious double escapement system sought to reduce the error rate by half, compared to conventional regulating organs--and challenge the supremacy of the tourbillon. Last but certainly not least, the Simplicity watch represents the culmination of Philippe Dufour's philosophy of horological elegance--a simple hand wound timepiece executed to the highest degree of perfection in each constructive and decorative detail.
ViaLuxe had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Mr. Dufour at Baselworld. Here are the results:
VIALUXE:
How did you get involved in watchmaking? DUFOUR:
It's a long story.I was born in the Valle de Joux in 1948 and in fact, I didn’t choose my profession. In the Valle de Joux there are not many things to do and I come from a family of four kids. My parents were workers. When I was 15 they told me, “You are not made for the University. You have to choose a profession, but you have to choose something inside the Valle de Joux because we cannot afford to have two kids outside.” My brother was in Lousanne already learning to be a printer. At this time I was playing with an old motorbike disassembling engines and what not. So I said I want to learn mechanics and I passed the exam for mechanics and the results told me "your head is ok, your hands are ok, but your mathematics are not so good." I knew that and they told me "ok watchmaking, go learn to be a watchmaker".
But very fast in the first month - I started to love it. When you start – it’s a 4 year program in school. In the first month you make your own tools and you take raw materials - brass - steel - you file - you drill - you harden and temper the steel. All that was magic for me. Starting with a piece of metal and making something out of it. This was marvelous for me. Little by little you start to make watch parts and then at the end you have achieved a complete watch - a pocket watch - completely made by the student. Since then I never came out.
VIALUXE:
What is the essence of a Philippe Dufour watch? DUFOUR:
Today I realize we are in Switzerland and of course we make watches - but we are losing our watch culture everyday more and more. Of course we have very sophisticated mechanical watches made but sometimes they miss the emotional part of it. There is no aim in it. What I am trying to do of course - I cannot stop the process but I try to slow down the process and my redline is to perpetuate the nicer way of finishing and making watches. I don't invent anything but I do the best I can to perpetuate this way of making watches. It’s the way they used to do it and the way they used to do it in 1920 - in my era. So the value of the product I am making beside the gold or platinum case is added value by handwork. It’s the craftsmanship - the small details which make the value. In fact we put a part of ourselves in the product. When the watch is delivered to the owner - he feels that - there is a lot of emotion in it, you know...
VIALUXE:
You seem to have perfected the art of simplicity in watchmaking - Will that continue to be your vision in the future?
DUFOUR:
When I decided to make my own watches I said I have to make something that had to be recognized. I did the opposite way that most of the brands do it. The brands have a normal collection and sometimes they have a high complex collection to pull the rest of the collection. My way was different. I started with the big pieces - the grand sonnerie minute repeater wrist watch. Then I made a watch a bit more simple - it was a Duality 96 which was a watch with two escapements. I made only 9 pieces like that. In 2000, I made the Simplicity. Because there was demand, people were asking for watches that were less expensive. I could be like the others and work with my phone like others where you call the factory and they make the movement for you. They engrave like everyone else - but that’s not my line. So I decided to design the Simplicity. It’s funny but it’s not that easy to design a simple watch because everything has to be in balance in terms of design.
VIALUXE:
Have you ever purchased a watch - Do you have a favorite other than the ones you make? DUFOUR:
There are many watches I like because of the design or complication but the only one I bought in fact its...as we say in French is a "Coutcouer" and one day a friend asked me - besides your watch which watch would you like to wear. I said this watch – It’s marvelous - I would love to have it. He made a phone call in his shop and he told me "ok, there is one reserved for you". It was reserved for me but I still had to pay for it of course and during the weekend I thought about it and figured "I will live only once - I'll do it - I'll buy they watch". I bought this watch -In fact it’s not a Swiss watch -I'm sorry - but it's a Datograph from A. Lange & Sohne. I am coming from the Valle de Joux where we make chronographs. We have a lot of chronograph factories. We have to realize that what the Germans did is just perfect and I don't think we were able to make such beautiful chronographs. Also, the Datograph's craftsmanship and handwork are added value on top of the watch. For me it’s a piece of art.
VIALUXE:
How much time does it take you to create a timepiece? DUFOUR:
To create means you have to make some sketches - then construction on the computer. The computer is a great help to me to make my drawings. It could be one year or more. For example the first grand sonnerie minute repeater I made, took me two and a half years to create. I was working seven days a week. I was working alone.
VIALUXE:
What are you some of the biggest challenges or problems you are facing? DUFOUR:
I am facing a problem, which is a good problem. It’s not easy to handle. Selling is no problem. Manufacturing is the problem. I don't want to make short cuts. I don’t want to say "this is the last Simplicity and I'll do it fast". These watches have to be the same from number one to number two hundred because the people who choose this watch expect to wear this type of quality. I don't want to commit suicide. I don't want to cheat. People trust me. They trust me for three to four years until they get their watch. I cannot cheat.
VIALUXE:
Are there any up and coming watchmakers you admire? Who are they? DUFOUR:
Today there are some young ones coming. There is one very close to my place his name is Roman Goutier and he is 32 or 33 years old. He was working in a factory and he prepared his first watch about five years ago. He is going to be here this afternoon. This is something interesting.
In this area you have watchmakers belonging to the academie Kari Voutilainen, who makes very high grade watches. You have a young watchmaker from Hungary who is from Budapest. I don't remember his name right now [Aaron Becsei] but he is bringing his three axis tourbillon - all made by himself - the case - all made in Budapest. It’s amazing. I always say watchmaking is universal. Sometimes Swiss think "only here, we can do this". It’s pleasant to see such products coming from this part of Europe.
VIALUXE:
How does it feel to be considered one of the best watchmakers alive? DUFOUR:
Of course for your ego it’s very pleasant. I'm very pleased. After so many years of hard working sometimes in the shadow. Sometimes you are recognized. My feeling is that everything I did was for a good purpose. Also trying to keep up the standard in quality and finishing...even the big brands are starting to follow that. Ten years ago people were laughing at me. They would say I am crazy for finishing your watches by hand. I would say it’s my way – it’s my line. Today I realize and they realize too that to carry on selling expensive watches you have to add something. Little by little they are changing their ways. They are starting to finish better to improve their finishing. What is funny is when I open my newspaper in my area they are search for "Angleur" – it’s the people who are beveling. People who are filing by hand. This profession disappeared because nobody used it...but today everyone is searching. Today a guy who can do it perfectly can be well off and make good money for it and I am happy to see it. It’s a reaction.
VIALUXE:
You are at the peak of your career, do you compete with yourself? How do you differentiate yourself in this market? DUFOUR:
Every time you do something, you have to be better than the others because the cost of the labor here is higher here. So if you make the same product as the others, you are dead. Of course I always say you use the modern technology. I use it too. I use the CAD system. But when a component comes out of a modern machine, you have to add something. If you don't add something you have problems because the same parts - same components can done with the same tools - because the tools everywhere are the same. There is no more Swiss technology. It could be Japanese, Korean or American technology. All over the world the technology is the same. The component made in the Valle de Joux and the one made in China is the same. The one in China is 100 times cheaper. Now with this component - if you don't add something to it you are in trouble.
VIALUXE:
What watch are you wearing right now?
DUFOUR:
I am wearing one of my watches. It’s the Simplicity. This is the first model. Number 000. It is the model I launched in 2000. What’s funny is it’s one of the first times I can wear one of my watches.
VIALUXE:
Is that one of your favorites that you have created? DUFOUR:
It’s the only one I can wear. A grande sonnerie, I cannot wear. It’s too expensive for me. I cannot spend nine months to make a watch for me.
VIALUXE:
Are there any current trends in the watch industry that are exciting to you?
DUFOUR:
Yea there are some interesting things. People are starting to make more complex watches - mixing older complications together. Big watches, thick watches. It’s all interesting in terms of design and technology. Also, using new materials. I think it’s nice to try new materials but sometimes maybe it is too early because we don't have enough time to test them - not enough history with them. But you see I compare watchmaking to music. At some point somebody (I don't know who) decided to use notes in music composition. Notes are universal. You can play music all around the world using notes. Watchmaking is the same thing. Some people wrote the notes....and they are the old watchmakers...Harrisson, Breguet. And today what you see at this fair. People are playing with the notes. Some are making classical, some are making jazz, some are making reggae. You know what I mean? This is nice. It’s the feeling of openness. I appreciate everything people are doing here.
VIALUXE:
So what do you think about some the modern materials such as PVD and Ceramic?
DUFOUR:
It's interesting. It’s a bit more chilly when you use modern materials on the inside for the movement because it has not been proven that it is better than the classical materials. For example if we take an escape wheel we know that a steel escape wheel will last forever. I used to restore old pocket watches that were 100 or 200 years old and there was no wear. With new materials we don't have any history so we don't know what is going to happen on the inside in 5 or 10 years.
VIALUXE:
This is a great area in the show because you get to see what all the independents are doing - Is this your opportunity to see old friends you haven't seen in a while? DUFOUR:
Yes it’s incredible to see the amount of people turning around these independent booths here. For a few years now people now know where to go to see interesting stuff. The great thing is that the booths here are open. You can talk with people you can touch the watches but in most booths – it’s closed. If you don't have the right name card... you don't go in......