Daniel Roth launched his eponymous maison in the late 1980s as Swiss mechanical watchmaking began recovering from the Quartz Crisis. While most historic brands consolidated under large groups, Roth chose an independent path—helping define the modern independent watchmaking movement alongside figures like George Daniels, F.P. Journe, and Philippe Dufour. His work championed traditional craft, technical purity, and a distinct creative identity that continues to shape haute horlogerie today.

Roth began his career at Audemars Piguet, where he honed his expertise in complications, ultra-thin movements, and traditional finishing. He was later recruited by Breguet in the mid-1970s, when the maison was working to reclaim its relevance. Over the next twelve years, Roth became the most transformative watchmaker in Breguet’s modern history—reviving signature elements like guilloché dials, fluted casebands, blued hands, and classical proportions, while restoring the brand’s foundation of technical excellence and refined design.