Philippe Dufour was born in 1948 in Le Sentier, in the Vallée de Joux — the valley that has produced more of Switzerland's finest watchmakers per square kilometre than anywhere else on earth. He trained at the École d'Horlogerie de Vallée de Joux and spent his early career working for Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, and several specialist ateliers, building an exceptionally broad technical foundation across complications, case-making, and finishing. He established his own independent atelier in 1978.

Dufour is among the smallest producers in serious watchmaking — his annual output can be counted in single figures — and is widely regarded as the pre-eminent living practitioner of traditional hand-finishing. His 1992 Grande et Petite Sonnerie pocket watch, produced entirely alone, took six years to complete and is considered one of the most important independent watchmaking achievements of the late twentieth century. His Duality wristwatch of 1996, featuring a double wheel escapement, attracted intense collector attention and established his name beyond specialist circles. The Simplicity, introduced in 1999 as a time-only wristwatch, has become one of the most sought-after pieces in contemporary collecting — not for mechanical complexity but for the uncompromising quality of its execution. Every component is finished by hand to a standard that has influenced a generation of watchmakers.

Dufour has been as significant as a teacher and philosophical influence as he has been as a maker. He has spoken and taught extensively about the importance of craft and finishing at institutions and events globally, and his collaborations with apprentices — most notably the Grande Maison project undertaken with students — are part of an explicit commitment to preserving traditional techniques that he regards as endangered. He is the recipient of the Gaïa Prize and the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève's Special Jury Prize, among other recognition. For many collectors and watchmakers, Dufour represents the clearest living articulation of what watchmaking at its most principled looks like.