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Results for Journe Elegante

1,120 articles · 84 videos found · page 21 of 41

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2025 SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 1518 Dec 24, 2025

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2025

Our 2025 coverage included original research and in-depth stories including CEO interviews, engineering explainers, behind-the-scenes manufacture visits, and hands-on features exploring the latest developments in modern horology. We’d like to thank our readers for their engagement and support, which continue to shape and sustain our work. Our founder SJX provided an in-depth study of the Breguet Sympathique No. 1, with exclusive insights from its creator François-Paul Journe. The story is notable not only for its technical reconstruction of the mechanism but also for clarifying how the Sympathique informed Journe’s earliest thinking as a constructor before launching his namesake brand. SJX also spent time with the people leading the industry. Interviews with Kari Voutilainen, Gregory Kissling, Ilaria Resta, and Marc Michel-Amadry offered unusually direct insight into how each manufacture is approaching product development, heritage, and shifting collector behaviour. That research-driven approach continued across several technical features, including his hands-on review of the Rolex Land-Dweller, the most consequential mainstream release of 2025. His analysis unpacked both the engineering decisions behind the cal. 7135 and the strategic implications of Rolex introducing a new collection. Finally his analysis of the record-breaking Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in steel and reporting from the major auctions traced the evolving tastes and appetites of a tightening pool of top...

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Report: Geneva Fall Auctions 2025 SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 3424/1 “Gilbert Albert” Nov 11, 2025

Report: Geneva Fall Auctions 2025

The just-concluded Geneva auction season was mostly a plateau with several striking peaks and a few lows. The peaks were marked by desirable timepieces that outperformed by far, yet shared little in common with one another in terms of style or period. The peaks ranged from multiple F.P. Journe watches to a diamond-set Patek Philippe ref. 3424/1 “Gilbert Albert” to the Breguet four-minute tourbillon pocket watch from 1809 to the Instagram-ready Patek Philippe ref. 3970 in “salmon” with Breguet numerals. Despite such diverse taste, the small pool of bidders seemed to have one thing in common: they were all focused on a “trophy” watch. The Christie’s saleroom in the Four Seasons. Image – Christie’s With few exceptions, contemporary watches from mainstream brands were cold, while vintage watches were mostly lukewarm – but as always there were exceptions. An Patek Philippe ref. 570 with a black dial signed “E. Gubelin” sold for an impressive CHF419,100 including fees, or US$523,000, at Christie’s, while Phillips sold a Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 “RCO” (or “Oyster Sotto”) for an equally impressive CHF1.39 million, or US$1.73 million – close to the historical peak for the model. A vintage watch that surprised on the downside was the 1927 Rolex Oyster worn by Mercedes Gleitze when she became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1927 – a landmark in Rolex lore. Though it sold for CHF1.39 million, or US$1.74 million, there was just one bi...

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In-Depth: The Breguet Sympathique, From the Duc d’Orléans to “No. 1” SJX Watches
Breguet Sympathique From May 7, 2025

In-Depth: The Breguet Sympathique, From the Duc d’Orléans to “No. 1”

This spring, one of the most important horological creations of the late twentieth century returns to public view. As part of The Geneva Watch Auction: XXI taking place on May 10 and 11, Phillips will offer the Breguet Sympathique No. 1, the first of twenty exceptional clocks commissioned by Breguet in the early 1990s. The primary creator of this landmark clock was none other than Francois-Paul Journe, then a young watchmaker. Completed in 1991 for the Art of Breguet auction, No. 1 is not just the prototype of the modern Sympathique series, it is its most ambitious. The example, paired with a tourbillon wristwatch, is equipped with a constant-force remontoir and moonphase display. In retrospect, it reads as a mechanical manifesto, foreshadowing Journe’s later independent work. More than a highlight of its upcoming sale, No. 1 represents a rare continuation of one of watchmaking’s great inventions, a direct link to Abraham-Louis Breguet himself. Detail of Sympathique no. 1 Of Breguet’s many breakthroughs, from the tourbillon to the pare-chute, none captured the marriage of mechanical brilliance and poetic vision quite like the Pendule Sympathique. Designed to wind, set, and regulate a paired watch automatically, it embodied a new kind of horological harmony: a master timekeeper caring for its portable counterpart. The calendar on Sympathique no. 1 By the late 20th century, these clocks had become near-mythical. Only a handful were ever built, most housed in royal coll...

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Only For Japan – The Biver Automatique with Grand Feu Enamel Dial SJX Watches
Mar 7, 2025

Only For Japan – The Biver Automatique with Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre continue their journey of independent horology with the Biver Automatique Japan Edition. Made in collaboration with its retailer in Japan, this special release is based on the time-only automatic debuted last year, but reimagined to cater to the traditionally classical taste of the Japanese collector. The minimalist edition debuts in two elegant variants that explore the contrast of light and shadow through hard-fired enamel made by an enamel workshop in Geneva’s Old Town. A stark white enamel dial is paired with a platinum case, while the high-contrast version matches a glossy black dial with a rose gold case – both share a clean, old-school aesthetic with applied markers and a railway minute track. A tribute to the Japanese collector The Automatique epitomises Biver’s neoclassical and elaborate approach to watchmaking, which blends careful detailing with hand-finishing techniques, for both habillage and the movement. Now the Japan Edition further refines the approach, condensing the more elaborate execution of the original versions into something more traditional, more classical, and arguably more reflective of the taste of Japanese enthusiasts. The two distinct models pay homage to the Japanese appreciation of minimalist aesthetics combined with high quality and precision execution, along with a well-established love of mid-century precision Swiss wristwatches. The clarity of the vintage-inspired design makes the Japan Edition ...

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Havid Nagan Comes of Age with the Classic One SJX Watches
Havid Nagan Mar 3, 2025

Havid Nagan Comes of Age with the Classic One

Having made its debut two years ago with the Schwarz Etienne-powered HN00, Havid Nagan returns with Classic One, a chronometer-certified dress watch with a multi-layered dial. Available in two dial finishes, ebony or ivory, the Classic One takes the nascent brand in a new, more traditional direction. The Havid Nagan brand was launched on Kickstarter in 2019 by Aren Bazerkanian, who at the time was working as Director of Operations at the FP Journe boutique in Los Angeles. One of the guiding principles of Havid Nagan is an emphasis on slimness, which is an obsession that Mr Bazerkanian picked up from his time working for Mr Journe. Initial thoughts The original HN00 and subsequent HN01 were thoughtful and appealing watches, but the Classic One feels like a more mature product. In my opinion, the debut models were a bit overambitious with their proprietary strap system, which, though sleek and attractive, result in the risk of not being able to find replacement straps in the future. The Classic One, on the other hand, is more traditional in its construction, with classic lugs that can accommodate a variety of straps (the watch comes standard with straps from Jean-Rousseau). As a result of being more classical in orientation, the central feature of the Classic One is its multi-part dial with an unusual construction made up of clear sapphire sandwiched by brass discs. Finished with applied Calatrava-style hour markers, the overall effect is dynamic and attractive. In terms of...

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Introducing: The Havid Nagan Classic One - The Los Angeles-Based Brand’s Third Model Fratello
Havid Nagan Feb 26, 2025

Introducing: The Havid Nagan Classic One - The Los Angeles-Based Brand’s Third Model

If you have not heard of Havid Nagan, it is about time you did. F.P.Journe alumnus Aren Bazerkanian founded the brand in 2022, and he is doing things properly. Despite barely three years of the brand’s existence, Bazerkanian dropped his third watch recently: the Havid Nagan Classic One. Havid Nagan does not follow your average […] Visit Introducing: The Havid Nagan Classic One - The Los Angeles-Based Brand’s Third Model to read the full article.

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Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription Review Teddy Baldassarre
Daniel Roth Jan 29, 2025

Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription Review

Back in 2023, LVMH and its high watchmaking workshop La Fabrique du Temps revived the Daniel Roth brand, which had been owned by Bulgari since 2000. Roth was a towering name in independent watchmaking, having been a peer of Philippe Dufour and Francois-Paul Journe. Though the brand only lasted from 1988 to 1995, its resurrection in 2023 was only made more glorious due to the long gap. The resurrected brand debuted with the Tourbillon Souscription, which has been followed up with the new Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription, a faithful remake of the original from the 1990s that was released at LVMH Watch Week 2025. The “Neo-vintage” craze has only gotten more popular in recent years, with the generation of watches sandwiched between vintage and modern gaining the respect and appreciation of collectors and newcomers alike. The Chopard L.U.C 1860 reissue from 2023 was one of the most celebrated neo-vintage reissues in recent years and I’d venture to say that this Roth will join the ranks. Staying true to the original aesthetics — with contemporary concessions for things like movement development — is a recipe for success in these small-batch, high-visibility watches. Small production numbers for relative rarity are helping to keep neo-vintage from becoming overexposed, but for how long? We’ll have to wait and see on that end, but for now let’s get back to the Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription. The simple, two-hand dress watch comes in that recognizable double-e...

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Introducing – The Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Editions Shadow and Light Monochrome
Trilobe Aug 31, 2024

Introducing – The Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Editions Shadow and Light

Elegantly original with a slightly poetical twist and yet serious watchmaking credentials, Trilobe is a young French brand founded by Gautier Massonneau and specialized in watches that tell the time differently. Next to the inaugural Les Matinaux and the eccentric, complex Une Folle Journée, the Nuit Fantastique represents the timeless and elegant option of the […]

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Introducing The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss Chronometer Made With 82.7% Recycled Materials Fratello
Rolex Jun 25, 2024

Introducing The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss Chronometer Made With 82.7% Recycled Materials

Geneva-based Pragma is the brainchild of Christopher Wegener and Kai-Hsuan Liu. Wegener has 21 years of experience in watchmaking; he worked for Rolex and F.P.Journe, for instance. Liu is the brand’s Creative Design Director. He has a background at Hermès and a studio of his own, and his forté is fusing natural and technological elements. […] Visit Introducing The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss Chronometer Made With 82.7% Recycled Materials to read the full article.

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21 Best Everyday Watches For All Price Ranges in 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Jan 1, 2024

21 Best Everyday Watches For All Price Ranges in 2026

The definition of an everyday watch can, of course, be highly subjective, based on one’s individual needs, tastes, and budget (I have met people who rock A. Lange & Söhne, F.P. Journe, and even Richard Mille as their “everyday” brands). But most of us can get behind Teddy’s idea that an everyday watch is one that combines versatility with specifications suited for day-to-day needs; it can be dressed up or down, is highly legible in most conditions, and is water resistant enough for worry-free daily wear (i.e., rated to at least 50 meters). As a timepiece that will spend much more time actually on the wrist than in a safe, it should also be affordable. Hence, our selection of the 21 best everyday watches starts under $500 and tops out under $10,000. Citizen Tsuyosa Price: $450, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 9.1mm, Lug to Lug: 45mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber 8210 Best known for its light-powered Eco-Drive movements, Japan’s Citizen also offers a lineup of appealing mechanical timepieces, including the recently introduced NJ015 automatic series, nicknamed “Tsuyosa,” a Japanese word meaning “strength.” Speaking to the contemporary trend towards eye-catching colorful dials, Tsuyosa models offer five, all with a subtle sunburst finish: blue, yellow, green, turquoise, and black. The round, chamfered steel cases measure 40mm in diameter and 11.7mm thick, with an unconventionally positioned crown at 4 o’clock for...

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Outstanding Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey Nov 16, 2023

Outstanding Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ upcoming auction in Hong Kong begins on November 24 and as is now convention, the sale includes a diverse selection of independent watchmaking.  Among the highlights in the Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII is the F.P. Journe Coffret 38 – the collection of five watches with 38 mm steel cases made to mark the discontinuation of the brand’s historic case size. Each model in the set is significant in François-Paul Journe’s horological ascent, from the groundbreaking Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite to the meticulously no-frills Chronomètre Optimum, and here each watch is (relatively) accessible and sold as an individual lot. The auction features creations from other notable watchmakers in every price range, including Daniel Roth, Habring², Voutilainen, and a Harry Winston developed by Greubel Forsey. These watches invite exploration into the history and future of watchmaking, and some tell stories of craftsmanship and innovation that captivate.  The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII is scheduled for November 24 and 25. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. The Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Contemporain I in the sale is the second to be sold publicly in as many auction seasons Lots 815-819: F.P. Journe Coffret 38 set of steel watches In 1991, François-Paul Journe introduced his first wristwatch that had a platinum case 38 mm in diameter – large enough to be unheard of at the time. In comparison, the Patek Philippe ref. 5004 split-...

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Reflecting on Ten Years of the Sensational De Bethune DB28 – Reprise Quill & Pad
Audemars Piguet Oct 14, 2023

Reflecting on Ten Years of the Sensational De Bethune DB28 – Reprise

It’s been more than ten years since the De Bethune DB28 won the Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Effectively the “Best Picture” at the “Oscars” of watchmaking, this recognition placed De Bethune among the elite company of Aiguille d’Or winners such as F.P. Journe, Greubel Forsey, Breguet, Audemars Piguet, A. Lange & Söhne, and Patek Philippe. A decade removed from its Hollywood ending, the DB28 remains a grail watch in every sense.

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Highlights: Notable Independents at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Patek Philippe timepieces May 22, 2023

Highlights: Notable Independents at Christie’s Hong Kong

Having covered the extraordinary Patek Philippe timepieces and the single-owner “Ultimate Collection” in Christie’s upcoming Important Watches auction in Hong Kong, we now shift gears and look at the sales’s line-up of independent watchmaking. The independents in the sale are of course led by big names like Richard Mille and F.P. Journe – amongst the latter’s offerings in the sale is the rare Tourbillon Souverain in the colours of the Chinese flag. But alongside these six- and seven-figure watches (in U.S. dollar terms), are some underrated watches that might be value buys, notably the Ulysse Nardin Freak Lab. And then there’s the simply whimsical with the Konstantin Chaykin Clown II. Important Watches (lots 2201-2360) begins at 1:00 pm on May 26 – the catalogue is available here. The “China 2010” dial Lot 2215: Ulysse Nardin Freak Lab While Ulysse Nardin is not an independent watchmaker in the strictest sense of the term, it isn’t owned by a luxury group. And the Freak is still an avant-garde watch over two decades after its introduction, a watch so exotic it seems to have emerged from mind of a talented independent watchmaker. Which is true: it was conceived by Carole Forestier then refined and perfected by Ludwig Oechslin. So the Freak certainly makes the cut in this independents feature. And this particular Freak is incorporates some notable innovations. Historically a platform for movement-technology experimentation, the Freak evolved into the F...

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Highlights: “The Ultimate Collection” at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts We round May 18, 2023

Highlights: “The Ultimate Collection” at Christie’s Hong Kong

Having concluded its Geneva sales that included an F.P. Journe thematic auction, Christie’s will soon open its spring sale season in Hong Kong. The auctioneer’s watch offerings include an impressive line-up of watches assembled over two decades by an Asian collector. Christened The Ultimate Collection, the selection is composed of 107 timepieces – almost all modern – ranging from Rolex to F.P. Journe. Although the watches are diverse, the collector’s keen eye can be discerned. The catalogue includes classic must-haves like various examples of the Rolex Daytona and GMT-Master II, but also rare and special watches from F.P. Journe as well as possibly-unique Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts. We round up nine notable picks from the sale, including the headline lots from F.P. Journe – a Chronomètre à Résonance “RTA” with a mother-of-pearl dial and the Tourbillon Souverain Coeur de Rubis. The “Coeur de Rubis” dial Other highlights including a Patek Philippe Dome Clock that was originally owned by Jean-Claude Biver of Hublot and Blancpain fame, along with uncommon variants of the landmark Lange 1, including the Lange 1A and ref. 101.027X. The Ultimate Collection takes place on May 26 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) – the catalogue is available here. Lot 2537 – F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain Anniversaire “Hong Kong”  In 2016, F.P. Journe marked the 10th anniversary of its first ever boutique (which was in Tokyo) with the ...

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Louis Vuitton Announces Prize for Independent Watchmakers SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Announces Prize Jan 3, 2023

Louis Vuitton Announces Prize for Independent Watchmakers

Independent watchmaking has been gaining rapid momentum in the last three years. Young and talented watchmakers have emerged to seek recognition (and sometimes riches) in the mould of Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, and François-Paul Journe. Now the field is about to get the nod of approval from the luxury-goods establishment, with Louis Vuitton having announced the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. Conceived to promote “horological creativity”, the award begins in 2023 with a broad remit. It is open to anyone in watchmaking and watch design, and even from fields related to horology. Initial thoughts As the world’s largest luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has unsurprisingly been making high-end watches for some time – last year was the 20th anniversary of its first mechanical wristwatch. Following its acquisition of Geneva movement maker La Fabrique du Temps in 2012, the brand’s ambitions have grown, resulting in impressively complicated watches like the Tambour Carpe Diem, a minute repeater with automaton. From that perspective, the Louis Vuitton prize is a natural extension of the brand’s progress as a watchmaker, a way for Louis Vuitton to make known its commitment to high-end watchmaking.  The fact that Louis Vuitton is using its considerable resources – the brand’s 2021 revenue was in the region of €15 billion – to support independent watchmakers is a welcome development. The prize money is substantial, reputedly in the low six ...

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Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Christie’s Hong Kong Auction SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Nov 23, 2022

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Christie’s Hong Kong Auction

Having looked at some of the most fascinating pocket watches and clocks on offer at Christie’s Important Watches auction that happens soon in Hong Kong, we now turn to attention to the genre that many collectors are now pursuing, independent watchmaking. As expected, amongst the offerings going on the block are works from the big names like F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, and H. Moser & Cie. But beyond the usual suspects, the sale also encompasses hidden gems, like the highly complicated tourbillon perpetual calendar by Gerald Genta presented as a Cartier Pasha. The Important Watches auction (lots 2306-2523), including watches from The Triazza Collection, begins at 1 pm on November 27 – the catalogue is available here. It’s followed by the second session (lots 2201-2282) offering watches from The Champion Collection at 7 pm – see the full catalogue here. The fully-engraved Gerald Genta movement inside the Cartier Pasha Lot 2382: Cartier Pasha Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Considered one of the most successful watch designers of the 20th century – though his most influential designs were for Audemars Piguet and the Patek Philippe rather than his own – Gerald Genta was also responsible for some of the most complicated watches of the 1980s and 1990s when his namesake brand was at its peak. In fact, the Genta brand was so proficient at making highly complex watches that Cartier tapped Gerald Genta as a movement supplier for its top-of-the-line complications in the 19...

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Auction Watch: Habring2 Erwin “Star” on Loupe This [Updated with Result] SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Nautilus ref 5711/1A Dec 18, 2021

Auction Watch: Habring2 Erwin “Star” on Loupe This [Updated with Result]

An online-only watch auctioneer, Loupe This is less than a year old but has notched up several high-profile results, including an F.P. Journe Resonance Ruthenium for US$352,000 as well as a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A with an olive green dial for US$369,000 with all proceeds going to charity. And it so happens that one of our very own SJX editions is going under the hammer on Loupe This. Our first collaborative edition, the Habring2 Erwin “Star” was a limited edition of 50, and one of the 50 is now being offered on Loupe This – with a modest estimate and no reserve. [Update December 24, 2021: The Erwin “Star” sold for US$15,400 including fees on Loupe This.] For a quick recap: we launched the Erwin “Star” in August 2021 as the first of our 10th anniversary editions. We are proud of the Erwin “Star”. It’s unusual, high quality, and affordable, which probably explains why it sold out almost instantly. Though it’s a simple, time-only watch, it was made a little bit more special and a little bit different – the standard Erwin already features a jumping seconds, while the dial on our edition is unique to it. Inspired by “star” dial wristwatches of the 1950s, the dial was tweaked to look more modern and distinct. That was done by changing the proportions and using a vivid blue for the dial that varies with the light. Notably, this is the first Habring2 wristwatch with applied markers. Each of the star-shaped hour markers are stamped, cut with...

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