HODINKEE Radio: Bonus Episode: Philippe Dufour

September 07, 2018

Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review here, and tell us which guests we should have on! With Episode 10 of HODINKEE Radio on the horizon, we thought it was about time that we bring you our very first bonus episode. While on a week-long video shoot in the Valle de Joux, Jack had the chance to spend a few hours with one of watchmaking's true modern titans, Philippe Dufour C and when you get a chance like this, you definitely make the most of it. Between flying drones through the alps and discussing chronograph calibers, we found some time to turn on the 'ole recorder. Dufour's workshop, where the conversation took place, is full of the work of a lifetime C one gets the impression that every tool he's ever used in the course of his long and richly varied career is there, and sitting casually on his various workbenches are amazing horological objects, such as the prototype of the very first Duality, and items of personal importance and significance (his pipe collection is well represented). As always, Dufour was both warmly receptive to questions, and characteristically blunt in his replies C we think you'll find not only some sharp observations about the general course of modern watchmaking, but also thoughts on everything from the evaluation of movement finishing, to the (great) difficulty in finding and keeping apprentices will to tolerate working with an uncompromising perfectionist.We hope you enjoy this first ever bonus episode of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below and let us know what you think in the comments. Wrist Check The pink gold Datograph with black dial that is Dufour's daily wear watch is so strongly associated with him that it's often referred to as the Dufour Datograph. Dufour's enthusiasm for A. Lange & Sohne is well known C he's often gone on record as saying that in his view, in a world generally trending towards mediocrity, Lange remains an island of genuine devotion to the time-consuming art of really finishing a movement properly, without cutting corners in any aspect of either finish or precision. Although it might be surprising to some that one of Switzerland's most renowned watchmakers would wear a German watch, if you've seen the standards Dufour achieves in his work, and the quality that Lange strives for in its watches, you'll understand why it's a natural fit. Show Notes 1:36 Inside The Atelier With The Legendary Philippe Dufour?20:00Talking Watches With Roger Smith?34:01Dufour's A. Lange & Sohne pink gold Datograph?34:45Jack on "Forgotten Giant of Watchmaking" Gnter Blmlein?46:10Dufour and his drone