One word. Simplicity.

That’s the name of the game with respect to dress watches. No extraneous complications need apply. All that’s required is a set of hands, a simple dial marked at the hours, and, well ... that’s pretty much it. 

If you keep it simple, you can really dial up the decorative elements: enamel dials, Breguet hands and indices, jewel-encrusted bezels. All this stuff works if the dial is simple — something that Daniel Roth got right on this Reference 528 from the 1990s.

Housed in a 21mm 18K yellow gold ‘stepped’ case with a signed crown, a sapphire crystal, and a factory diamond-set bezel, this is simply a stunning timepiece, and a perfect dress watch. Check out its mother-of-pearl dial with printed ‘Roman’ indices, and matching blued steel ‘broad arrow’ handset. This shining Ref 528 stands out in the typically more austere design ethos of Roth's catalogue. 

Powered by a manually-wound movement and fitted to a 18K yellow gold bracelet with a signed deployant clasp, Daniel Roth, a master watchmaker who worked at both AP and Breguet, infused this timepiece with charm and delight. 

With excitement growing around the relaunch of the brand by the LVMH group, don’t let this one slip through your fingers!