chintu
504
It is more a matter of personal preference
May 03, 2021,01:21 AM
IMHO the GF is a ground-up in-house conceived + designed + built caliber; and the finish exemplary original. The angles are more rigid/stern compared with Dufour though.
Simplicity is finished exquisitely as well, and the guilloché dial is a delight to the eye. The watch carries the DNA of Philippe Dufour, just like what Roger Smith’s does. Hence more connected to the watchmaker than a GF Handmade1 which is more collaborative and less individualistic.
Finishing apart, my only minor negative is the fact that the caliber in Simplicity is substantially similar to the Valjoux VZSS in terms of the design aesthetics, though many components must have been re-engineered by Dufour to much higher technical standards.
Keeping aside prices from the discussion, the GF is where my vote would go to.
Also one cannot omit Kari Vouitilainen who offers a fabulous degree of finish. Kari’s Observatoire though, is a modest revision of Peseux 260 caliber; while the subsequent offerings (Vingt8) were Kari-built models. Dials on a Voutilainen are richer and more intricately guillochéd. What I cannot confirm is wherher Kari does them or it is done by guillochéurs from his company Comblemine.
Vingt8
Obervatoire
Peseux 260 ( used in Dubois et fils)