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Results for F.P. Journe

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François-Paul Journe

Founder of F.P. Journe; the modern Breguet. Invenit et Fecit.
Gallery · Guide
F.P. Journe Gallery F.P. Journe

Wristshot gallery from the Horlogeforum F.P. Journe thread.
F.P. Journe Introduces the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2023” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces Jun 29, 2023

F.P. Journe Introduces the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2023”

The Chronomètre Bleu has taken on somewhat of a cult status among the followers of F.P. Journe. So much so that it has leaked out beyond the brand’s group of core supporters to become one of the most sought after watches on the primary and secondary market today. This year, for Only Watch, F.P. Journe has decided to revisit this popular design and reimagine it as the Chronomètre Bleu Furtif Bleu, which is also a debut for an entirely new calibre.  Initial thoughts While the Chronomètre Bleu is known for being popular among the wider watch community, F.P. Journe’s LineSport models still divide opinion, so combining the sport watch case with the eye-catching dial of the Chronomètre Bleu is a bold choice. Of course, as with everything that F.P. Journe does it is never completely straight forward, the dial on the Furtif Bleu is not a copy of what you see in the Chronomètre Bleu, instead it is translucent enamel with the numbers laser engraved for a matte finish. The one fault I can see with the design of these numerals is the oddly small “6” so as to accommodate “émail”. This feels like it throws the balance off ever so slightly.  The aim of this watch appears to be to make it hard to read, with the very name of it making reference to it being difficult to read unless the dial is directly facing you. While the romantic view of this being that it makes telling time an entirely personal activity, it could also just lead to difficulty whenever in low light set...

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Highlights from Christie’s Art of F.P. Journe Auction: 3 Watches Sold for Over a Million Dollars! Quill & Pad
F.P. Journe Auction 3 Watches Sold Jun 17, 2023

Highlights from Christie’s Art of F.P. Journe Auction: 3 Watches Sold for Over a Million Dollars!

F.P. Journe watches have attracted the attention of the collector community in recent years. Some amazing results have been achieved at auction, including the spectacular FFC Blue Only Watch 2021, which sold at Christie’s for a staggering CHF 4,500,000. Seven-figure sums at auction are nothing unusual for F.P. Journe, but the consistently high results are a sure sign that the brand has taken the lead among independents in the secondary watch market.

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Business News: F.P. Journe to Open Boutique in London SJX Watches
F.P. Journe May 1, 2023

Business News: F.P. Journe to Open Boutique in London

Having been the subject of chatter since the beginning of 2023, the F.P. Journe boutique in London is now official. Located at 33 Bruton Street, around the corner from Hermès in London’s upmarket Mayfair district, the store is slated to open in early summer. Although F.P. Journe has been in London almost since its founding in 1999, it was always represented by retailers. Now, as is the case in many other cities, F.P. Journe is bringing things in-house. The brand’s 11th boutique, the new London store joins its long-established outposts in Tokyo, Geneva, and Hong Kong, giving F.P. Journe a major presence in yet another key city. The upcoming boutique at 33 Bruton Street Given the mismatched supply and demand for F.P. Journe watches – it makes about 1,000 watches a year and enjoys demand many multiples of that – the business rationale of the new boutique might be hard to grasp, at least on its face. But given that Mr Journe has already spoken of consolidating his brand’s retail network around the world – word has it that even some boutiques might not be spared – it can be inferred that the London boutique will be receiving some of the inventory that would have otherwise gone to the soon-to-be-closed locations. According to industry insiders, the team for the new boutique has already been hired, with a respected industry veteran slated to take the helm of the store. Regardless of his or her talents, the boutique’s manager will likely need to be adept at managi...

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Insight: The Ingenuity of the F.P. Journe Centigraphe SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Centigraphe Modern mechanical chronograph Apr 14, 2023

Insight: The Ingenuity of the F.P. Journe Centigraphe

Modern mechanical chronograph movements have mostly been conceived according to two standardised recipes. One is the vertical clutch approach exemplified by the the sporty, performance oriented cal. 4131 inside the Rolex Daytona, while the other is the classical, lateral coupling architecture used by the celebrated L951.1 in the Lange Datograph. Sticking with a successful architecture is no bad thing, after all, chronographs are complicated enough in their basic form. However, there are some chronographs that stand out for being truly original, like the F.P. Journe Centigraphe and its cal. 1506. Constructed like no other chronograph on the market, the Centigraphe seeks to measure times with a resolution of 1/100th of a second with a unique movement that is modern in its approach yet subtly references the work of John Harrison. In many ways it encapsulates the philosophy of François-Paul Journe, which prizes original, creative watchmaking that pays tribute to historical greats. The cal. 1506 Despite its achievements, the Centigraphe is overshadowed by the brand’s signature watches, namely the Resonance and Tourbillon Souverain, and remains one of of F.P. Journe’s less-known offerings. Paradoxically, the Centigraphe should be more recognised than most other F.P. Journe watches because has a tangible link to the world of celebrity with its Formula 1 provenance, having been conceived at the suggestion of Jean Todt, the former boss of Ferrari’s Formula 1 team. Although...

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The F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition is Now Open SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition Jan 13, 2023

The F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition is Now Open

An annual award that seeks to recognise and support promising watchmakers, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition (YTC) is open for submissions until February 1, 2023. The entry criteria is straightforward: watchmakers aged between 18 and 30 from any country who have “independently designed and created a timepiece and/or technical construction”, but professional qualifications or training are not necessary. The prize is a CHF20,000 grant meant to finance tools or a watchmaking project. The contest will be judged by a panel including Francois-Paul Journe himself and Giulio Papi, who will select the winner based on originality, technical complexity, aesthetics and finishing, as well as quality of make. Candidates can submit their entries on Fpjourne.com from now until February 1, 2023.  

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Auction Watch: A Single-Owner Collection of F.P. Journe at Phillips SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Jan 13, 2023

Auction Watch: A Single-Owner Collection of F.P. Journe at Phillips

Le Concours de Complexité is probably the smallest watch auction ever conducted by Phillips. Taking place online from January 13-20, the sale comprises just 11 watches. But all 11 are F.P. Journe watches, including important models like a Sonnerie Souveraine, Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium, and Centigraphe Anniversaire. So while the quantity is modest, the quality and value are high. And the watches all come with impeccable provenance. The former owner is a prominent businessman from Southeast Asia who is active real estate development. He purchased most of them brand new and has clearly kept them in immaculate condition. Le Concours de Complexité begins on January 13 and will run until January 20. Bidding and the catalogue can be accessed on Phillips.com. Below we round up a trio of highlights from the sale. The Sonnerie Souveraine Lot 8001 – Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium Synonymous with the independent watchmaker, the Resonance is correctly regarded as one of the most ingenious creations in contemporary watchmaking. Francois-Paul Journe was the first to implement the concept in a wristwatch, having been inspired by 18th century clocks operating on the principle of resonance. This example is one of the Ruthenium series that was launched in 2001. The name comes from the fact that the dial and brass movement bridges are plated in ruthenium, giving them a dark grey finish. Notably, the Ruthenium editions are the last F.P. Journe models to utilise brass m...

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F.P. Journe Vagabondage I Gold: Farewell To A Path Rarely Traveled Quill & Pad
F.P. Journe Vagabondage I Gold Farewell Dec 25, 2022

F.P. Journe Vagabondage I Gold: Farewell To A Path Rarely Traveled

When your F.P Journe isn’t a typical F.P. Journe, but it is a 100 percent real F.P. Journe through and through, it must be a Vagabondage. The Vagabondage I Gold of 2022 is Journe's final foray into the alternate reality of the Vagabondage lifestyle and Joshua Munchow takes a look back at how and why we arrived at this final Vagabondage edition in 2022.

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Hands-On: F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece Unique SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece May 5, 2022

Hands-On: F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece Unique

François-Paul Journe is perhaps the most successful living independent watchmaker – so successful that some of his watches have entered the same “hype” territory occupied by watches like the Nautilus and Royal Oak – which might mean that casting about for an overlooked F.P. Journe watch is a fool’s errand. But the brand does have a few hidden gems in amongst its past offerings, with the Zodiaque being one such watch. And Phillips’ upcoming Geneva sale has a one-off version that I had never seen in person until recently, the Zodiaque “Children Action” – which will be sold to benefit the titular children’s charity. The original Zodiaque. Image – Phillips The original Zodiaque debuted in 2004, just five years after the brand was founded, in a limited edition of 150 pieces. Despite its distinctive aesthetic and esoteric complication, the Zodiaque never enjoyed the success of its peers at the time, perhaps because of that very complication, which indicates the signs of zodiac with an annual calendar ring. Remember that in the years after the brand’s founding in 1999, F.P. Journe was merely a startup founded by a talented watchmaker with a peculiar personality; his watches weren’t exactly flying off the shelves. Yet Mr Journe still created this one-off watch for a good cause, which eventually became a yearly affair with the brand contributing unique watches to several charities, including subsequent timepieces for Children Action and of course the rec...

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Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Geneva, with F.P. Journe, Daniel Roth, and Voutilainen SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Daniel Roth May 3, 2022

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Geneva, with F.P. Journe, Daniel Roth, and Voutilainen

Phillips’ upcoming auction in Geneva is a 201-lot sale that comprises a myriad of rare and unusual timepieces. The selection of independent watchmaking at The Geneva Watch Auction: XV is particularly interesting, including several early and historically significant timepieces from high-profile brands. We round up five of the most notable watches, ranging from an F.P. Journe Resonance from the year of its launch, as well as early, unique pieces from Daniel Roth and Kari Voutilainen, a skeleton, double-face tourbillon and Decimal Repeater respectively. The Daniel Roth double-face tourbillon that is possibly unique thanks to the sapphire dials on both the front and back Granted, several of the watches we’re covering below will finish well into six figures. But even if you are not planning to bid, they are worth learning about. We provide a close look at rare watches that are rarely encountered. That said, there’s an eminently affordable example of excellent, honest independent watchmaking in the sale: the Habring² Erwin “Star”, the first-ever SJX Edition that was launched last year to 10th anniversary of this site. Though a handful have sold on the secondary market since – including one that sold on Loupe This for US$15,400 – this is the first example to go under the hammer at a major, international auction house. The Geneva Watch Auction: XV takes place at Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, with the first session happening on May 7 and the second session on the day...

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F.P. Journe Revives the Vagabondage I – with a Few Tweaks SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Revives Apr 1, 2022

F.P. Journe Revives the Vagabondage I – with a Few Tweaks

One of the most unusual amongst F.P. Journe’s offerings, the Vagabondage I was the first of a trio that combined a tortue case with an unconventional time display, along with dials that feature no branding at all. Launched in 2004 and long gone from the brand’s catalogue, the Vagabondage I now makes a return with a new case, dial, and movement – all of which are improved over the original. Initial thoughts The original Vagabondage I was interesting because of its wandering, jumping hour display, along with the central balance wheel visible on the dial. Eighteen years later the new Vagabondage I is interesting for the same reason, because it is essentially the same watch. While the new Vagabondage I has been updated in several ways, ranging from a larger case to a new movement, it retains the familiar look. That also means it looks like a watch from the early 2000s with a slightly dated air compared to most wandering hours on the market today. But that’s exactly what makes it cool. It is an old idea but one that has been improved in just the right ways. Most important amongst them is the case, which wider and longer than the original, giving it dimensions almost identical to the Vagabondage II and III. It still remains elegant and wearable, but the new case size is more appealing than that of the original, which is a little too small. Inching forward Fans of the brand will be familiar with the story of the Vagabondage, but here’s a quick recap: it start with a on...

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Calling Up and Coming Watchmakers – The F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition Open Feb 7, 2022

Calling Up and Coming Watchmakers – The F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition

Open to watchmakers aged between 18 and 30 from anywhere in the world, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition (YTC) is an annual affair that seeks to identify the most promising watchmakers of the future. Interestingly, any candidate who has “must have independently designed and created a timepiece and/or technical construction” can participate, whether or not he or she has formal training. A candidate can enter any type of timepiece – last year’s winner was 29-year old Mario Scarpatetti, whose entry was a longcase clock with a patented secular perpetual calendar mechanism of his own invention. The Kalendar Perpeten clock made by last year’s winner, Mario Scarpatetti Mr Scarpatetti won a CHF20,000 grant sponsored by Singapore retailer The Hour Glass, which is once again the prize for the YTC 2022. The winner will the selected by a jury of industry notables that include Francois-Paul Journe himself, Philippe Dufour, and Giulio Papi, who will make their choice according to four criteria: originality, technical complexity, aesthetics and finishing, as well as quality of make. Candidates can submit their entries on fpjourne.com.  

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Auction Watch: “New Old Stock” Rolex Milgauss Ref. 1019 and F.P. Journe Octa Chrono 38 mm SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Octa Chrono 38 mm Feb 1, 2022

Auction Watch: “New Old Stock” Rolex Milgauss Ref. 1019 and F.P. Journe Octa Chrono 38 mm

A newcomer to the world of watch auctions, Loupe This was founded by a pair of industry veterans and operates in a distinctly 21st century manner: sales are conducted entirely online, with about ten watches on the block at any one time. The offerings on Loupe This are diverse. In December 2021 it sold an example of our Habring2 Erwin “Star” for US$15,400 including fees, while the latest to go under the hammer are two interesting, long-discontinued watches from notable watchmakers based in Geneva – but otherwise radically different. One is the a Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019 – in pristine, “new old stock” condition – and the other, an F.P. Journe Octa Chronographe 38 mm. Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019 Produced from 1960 to 1988, the ref. 1019 was the longest-running reference of the Milgauss, the brand’s famous magnetism-resistant watch conceived for engineers and nuclear scientists. Despite the lengthy production run, the ref. 1019 is relatively rare because the model wasn’t produced in sizeable numbers for the simple reason that it didn’t sell well. In fact, Rolex discontinued the Milgauss altogether in 1988, before reviving it some two decades later. While the rarity certainly boosts its appeal, the ref. 1019 is attractive and unusual for being one of the most fuss-free Rolex “Professional” sports watch. The ref. 1019 is also the simplest version of the Milgauss, doing without the rotating bezel or “lightning” seconds hand found on earlier models. It ...

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In-Depth: F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Coppola” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Oct 31, 2021

In-Depth: F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Coppola”

Francois-Paul Journe’s creation for Only Watch 2021, the F.P. Journe FFC Blue, sticks to a familiar template. Like prior watches conceived for the biennial charity auction – the tourbillon of 2015, split-seconds chronograph of 2017, and the Astronomic of 2019 – this year’s timepiece has a tantalum case and blue dial. But FFC Blue is a strikingly unique watch – the five-fingered time display is a first in watchmaking. Though it has a conventional round case, the FFC Blue is conceptually closer to the unconventional Vagabondage watches than the brand’s round watches. Short for Francis Ford Coppola, the FFC Blue originated with a question posed to Mr Journe by the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now in 2012. Mr Coppola suggested a watch that indicated the time with human hand. Over the following years Mr Journe worked on the concept, with Mr Coppola suggesting the finger positions to indicate each hour. And now the filmmaker’s idea has been realised as a one-off creation for the charity auction. Though entirely unique compared with F.P. Journe’s other creations, the FFC is powered by the workhorse cal. 1300 of the Octa series Initial thoughts I found the hand-display concept intensely compelling when Mr Journe described it during my visit to Geneva in 2017. In the metal the FFC is equally compelling. It is inventive and appealing. It’s rather large at 42 mm in diameter, though like nearly all F.P. Journe watches it is unusually thin given the c...

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Only Watch 2021: F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie, And Urwerk Unique Pieces On Auction (Video) Quill & Pad
F.P. Journe H Moser & Cie Oct 20, 2021

Only Watch 2021: F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie, And Urwerk Unique Pieces On Auction (Video)

Our pals at The Watches TV went hands on with three of the unique timepieces on offer at the upcoming Only Watch 2021, which takes place on November 6, 2021. The unique watches featured are the F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola FFC Blue, the Moser Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Only Watch, and the Urwerk UR-102 Gaïa. Enjoy this rare treat!

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Only Watch 2021: F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Coppola” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Jul 1, 2021

Only Watch 2021: F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Coppola”

F.P. Journe’s creation for Only Watch 2021 is an interesting one – the FFC Blue, characterised by a hand on the dial that displays the hours. Like F.P. Journe’s past contributions to Only Watch, the FFC Blue is powered by a prototype movement – rough around the edges and lots of character – and features a case of tantalum, the grey-blue metal synonymous with the bestselling Chronometre Bleu. Named after the initials of Francis Ford Coppola, the film director best known for The Godfather, the FFC Blue originated in a 2012 visit to Mr Coppola’s residence. The director asked Mr Journe a seemingly innocuous question over dinner, wondering whether it was possible to tell the time with a human hand. Mr Journe mulled it over and over several years devised a mechanism with the help of Mr Coppola, who sent sketches of the desired finger positions for each hour. The unveiling of the FFC Blue also marks the 20th anniversary of the F.P. Journe Octa and its automatic cal. 1300 (it’s the second watch to mark the occasion in fact), which is the base movement of the FFC Blue. Initial Impressions At first glance, the FFC Blue is bizarre for F.P. Journe. The hand sculpture on the dial is unlike most of the brand’s other designs, which are mostly conservative and often Breguet-inspired. Upon closer examination, indeed a bizarre watch it is – in a good way. The mechanism is an impressive example of an automaton, a complex answer to a simple question: how can the human hand...

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In-Depth: The Digital Icons – Lange Zeitwerk, F.P. Journe Vagabondage, and Harry Winston Opus 3 SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Vagabondage Jun 7, 2021

In-Depth: The Digital Icons – Lange Zeitwerk, F.P. Journe Vagabondage, and Harry Winston Opus 3

Digital time displays might seem like a modern invention but they have been found in watches since the early 1800s. Digital displays are found in clocks from even farther back – Lange’s trademark oversized date was inspired by the five-minute, digital clock built by Ferdinand-Adolph Lange for Dresden’s Semper opera house that opened in 1841. But the biggest advances in mechanical digital time displays – with jumping indications – all arrived soon after the turn of the millennium. And the most important are just three – the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk, F.P. Journe Vagabondage III, and Harry Winston Opus 3 – and now we’re going to put them side by side. The five-minute clock that sits just above the stage in the Semperoper, showing 07:30 pm. Photo – A. Lange & Söhne An new, old idea Watches with a single digital display, namely a jumping hours, date as far back as the early 19th century. Enough of them were made that such pocket watches appear regularly at auction. But a single digital display does not a digital watch make. The watch with a jumping, double-digital time display – and hence a true digital watch – was invented in 1883 when Austrian engineer Josef Pallweber patented a mechanism that indicated the time with discs, read through two windows, one for the hours and other, the minutes. He licensed the patent to a handful of watch brands, though it is IWC that is most closely associated with the Pallweber display. At the same time, it is importa...

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F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 20th Anniversary Featuring One Mainspring, One Differential, Two Geartrains, And Two Remontoire d’Egalité Escapements Quill & Pad
F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 20th Jun 6, 2021

F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 20th Anniversary Featuring One Mainspring, One Differential, Two Geartrains, And Two Remontoire d’Egalité Escapements

Launched in 2000, the Chronomètre à Résonance was the first wristwatch with a resonance mechanism and it catapulted F.P. Journe into the major leagues. This latest model in celebration of its 20th anniversary is an entirely new piece based on the resonance phenomenon that now incorporates a larger single mainspring (the original had two mainsprings) with a differential driving the two going trains and a pair of remontoire d’égalité escapements.

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Up Close: Harry Winston Opus 1 Tourbillon by F.P. Journe SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Jun 3, 2021

Up Close: Harry Winston Opus 1 Tourbillon by F.P. Journe

A variant of the fourth-generation F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite, the Opus 1 Tourbillon was part of the inaugural project of the Opus series, the annual independent-watchmaker collaboration invented by Max Büsser of MB&F; fame. Named after the Opus One vineyard that’s also a joint venture between Americans and Europeans, Opus established Harry Winston as a bona fide watchmaker. Though Harry Winston has now put more emphasis on its primary jewellery business, its past Opus projects are mostly interesting and important examples of contemporary watchmaking. Ironically, despite being the opening act, the Opus 1 models were amongst the least novel, because they were essentially F.P. Journe movements dressed in Harry Winston attire. But that also makes the Opus 1 interesting simply because they were F.P. Journe. The Opus 1 was made up of three models – the Tourbillon, Resonance, and Reserve de Marche – each based on the equivalent F.P. Journe model, meaning an identical movement but a platinum case in the trademark Harry Winston style. Phillip’s Hong Kong watch auction this weekend includes an Opus 1 Tourbillon, which is worth a closer look, if for no other reason than the fact that it’s one of the rarest variants of the early F.P. Journe tourbillon. Initial thoughts The Opus 1 – any one of the three versions – is a peculiar watch. It is fundamentally an F.P. Journe, yet feels nothing like an F.P. Journe. If you closed your eyes and compared the two...

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Mario Scarpatetti Wins the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition 2021 SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition 2021 Jun 1, 2021

Mario Scarpatetti Wins the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition 2021

Held annually since 2015, the Young Talent Competition (YTC) was established by F.P. Journe to identify and reward promising young watch- and clockmakers. Open to candidates between 18 and 30 years old from anywhere in the world, the competition is overseen by a jury made up of industry figures – including Philippe Dufour, Giulio Papi, and Francois-Paul Journe himself – with the winner receiving a certificate as well as a CHF20,000 grant to buy watchmaking tools. This year’s winner was Mario Scarpatetti, a 29-year old clockmaker from the town of Parsonz in the east of Switzerland. Mr Scarpatetti’s winning submission was the Kalendar Perpeten, a long-case pendulum clock wound by a block of marble from Mr Scarpatetti’s region. It’s equipped with a moon phase, running equation of time, and most importantly – a patented, secular perpetual calendar. Francois-Paul Journe (left) with Mario Scarpatetti The Kalendar Perpeten Mario envisioned a new type of perpetual calendar clock in 2016, as an extension of a concept he had realised in 2013 as a conventional perpetual calendar clock. A conventional perpetual calendar keeps track of the date, accounting 30- and 31-day months as well as leap years. However, such calendars still require adjustment every 100 years, as years that are divisible by 100 but not by 400 are not leap years, one of the quirks of the Gregorian calendar that is the norm today. As such, a conventional perpetual calendar will interpret the years 2...

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F.P. Journe Introduces the Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces Apr 12, 2021

F.P. Journe Introduces the Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary

Just as the new Octa Automatique is slated to join the catalogue, F.P. Journe is marking the 20th anniversary of the model with the Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary. The 99-piece limited edition harks back to the original Octa Réserve de Marche of 2001, then the brand’s entry-level watch. Like the 2001 original, the 20th anniversary edition has a grained, yellow gold dial with a silver sub-dial. And more notably, it is powered by the cal. 1300.3 – but with the bridges and main plate in rhodium-plated brass, just as it was on the original. One of the original Octa Reserve prototypes The prototype movement Initial thoughts The Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary is modestly novel, but will appeal strongly given how it revokes the first-generation model. Given the current outsized desirability of F.P. Journe’s early watches with brass movements, this will be a hot watch. Nips and tucks Though seemingly identical to the original model, the new Octa Automatique is subtly different in terms of design, and substantially different in movement construction. The displays have been rearranged and enlarged to suit the predominately larger case sizes offered by F.P. Journe today. While the original was 38 mm, the standard sizes are now 40 mm and 42 mm. As a result, the date display is slightly larger than before, while the hour numerals are also bigger. Because the date has grown in size, the power reserve display now sits marginally lower than where it used to be. A subtle detai...

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F.P. Journe Introduces the Quantième Perpétuel with Gold Numerals SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces May 12, 2020

F.P. Journe Introduces the Quantième Perpétuel with Gold Numerals

Introduced in 2013, the original Quantième Perpétuel was a concise perpetual calendar with useful features, as well as a peculiar, egg-shaped steel ring around the centre of the dial. Now the design has been refined – but all functionality retained – to create the new F.P. Journe Quantième Perpétuel with gold numerals. And though this was officially announced only recently, the watch has already been available at boutiques for several months. Initial thoughts Compared to the earlier F.P. Journe calendar watches, the Quantième Perpétuel was a big improvement with its highly legible display and improved user friendliness. But the first generation dial was odd because of the steel ring around the centre. That’s been changed with the new model, and the improvement is substantial. The new dial appeals because it doesn’t try too hard to be different. Instead, it differentiates itself in more subtle ways. And the boutique-only blue-dial version is unusual, which is a plus if you’re looking for something different. F.P. Journe has rarely used matte, dark blue dials on standard-production watches; historically only limited editions and custom watches had such dials. Silver and gold Borrowing the clous de Paris engine-turned centre from the Chronometre Souverain, the dial is made of solid silver, while the applied numerals and calendar window frames are solid gold. The addition of gold frames for the calendar do make the positions of the windows more obvious, whic...

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F.P. Journe Introduces the New Chronomètre à Résonance SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces Apr 28, 2020

F.P. Journe Introduces the New Chronomètre à Résonance

Since its launch in 2000, the Chronomètre à Résonance has perhaps become the quintessential F.P. Journe wristwatch. Still the only wristwatch to rely on the principle of resonance – omitting any mechanical means of transmission – the Résonance has been revamped and improved for its 20th anniversary. While the Résonance was powered by essentially the same calibre (the cal. 1499 in several generations) for its first two decades, the new Chronomètre à Résonance is equipped with the brand-new cal. 1520. Several features set the new movement apart from its predecessor, most notably the use of a single barrel and a remontoir d’egalite constant force mechanism in each going train. Initial thoughts Having learnt a little about the new Résonance from hints dropped by Mr Journe in the past, I was looking forward to this – and the watch lives up to expectations. The basics of the new model are no surprise, since Mr Journe had let on that the movement will incorporate his signature remontoir. The upgrades to the new movement are sensible both in terms of function and timekeeping. Relying on a single barrel eliminates the finicky and occasionally unreliable double-barrel winding mechanism of the original movement. But the remontoir installed in each going train is the crucial upgrade as it optimises the going trains before and after the escapement. In the original Resonance movement, both balance wheels oscillate at an identical amplitude at any one time, but the am...

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