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F.P. Journe presents the new Octa Lune
F.P Journe Octa Lune
718 articles · 8 videos found · page 1 of 25
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F.P Journe Octa Lune
Hodinkee
When F.P. Journe unveiled his Octa Sports line of watches back in 2011, we (the royal watch collecting "we") could simply not believe how light they were. After all, the F.P. Journe "lineSport" pieces, being the Octa Sport and the Centrigraphe (CTS), were made entirely of aluminum. Yes, aluminum! They were so light, they almost felt fake (seriously). They were not fake, they were just absurdly light, and absurdly cool.
Quill & Pad
The F.P. Journe Octa Perpétuelle was Journe’s first perpetual calendar wristwatch. “First” is a flag that flies forever, and this watch is a potential collection cornerstone on that basis alone.
After a collector friend called the Octa Quantième Perpétuel "the biggest miss in horological journalism in recent years," we knew it was time to take a closer look at this overlooked F.P. Journe.
Deployant
F.P. Journe extends the Automatique Lune with the new Havana: with enlarged big date and bigger moonphase on a warm, tobacco coloured dial. Details within.
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SJX Watches
As has become tradition, a good part of Phillips’ upcoming New York watch auction is a memorabilia sale of sorts, including watches owned by Marlon Brando, golfer Jack Nicklaus, and astronaut John Glenn, as well as the Urwerk worn by Robert Downey Jr. while playing Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. The auction also includes a piece of historical horological memorabilia: an F.P. Journe Octa Réserve de Marche prototype. The prototype is largely identical to the later, serially produced version of the watch – the case is platinum and the dial, yellow gold – but is marked as a prototype on the case back, and also bears the various traits unique to early watches made by Francois-Paul Journe. The cal. 1300 Launched in 2002 and discontinued in 2014, the Octa Réserve de Marche was the brand’s first entry-level wristwatch, powered by an automatic movement, the cal. 1300. Originally conceived to have an eight-day power reserve – hence “Octa” – the movement instead has a power reserve of 120 hours, or about five days. Reputedly constructed with a gear train borrowed from a robust and well-known hand-wind movement plus an extra-large mainspring, the cal. 1300 was the base calibre for the entire Octa line. Although a variety of complications were added on top, ranging from the Octa Chronograph to the annual calendar of the Octa Calendrier, all versions of the movement had identical height of 5.7mm regardless of function. The slimness and smart construction did come at th...
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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 ...
Revolution
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A short-lived model in production for just a few years – it was replaced by the Centigraphe in 2008 – the Octa Chronographe was nevertheless one of F.P. Journe’s most intriguing offerings in technical terms. While based on the standard cal. 1300 found in the simpler Octa models, the chronograph movement utilised a stopwatch mechanism integrated into the base plate under the dial. In other words, the chronograph was integrated but located where a modular setup would typically be. As a result the Chronographe remained the same height as less complex Octa models (though that thinness would cause a variety of problems with the functionality, especially with the date). Its technical details – which vary across generations – are just one aspect of the watch detailed in A Collector’s Guide for the Octa Chronographe by F. P. Journe by Shawn Mehta, founder of independent watchmaking merchant Watch4Moi. (At the same time it’s worth revisiting the guide to the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite that I wrote in 2016, making it one of the first-ever Journe “guides”.) Octa Chronographe no. 001 that sold at Phillips in November last year Though the first in numerical sequence, it was not actually the first example produced as indicated by its details Unlike many recent “guides” that rely on plagiarisation or secondary sources, Mr Mehta’s article cite facts and figures from F.P. Journe itself. For instance, he tells us that only 35 examples of the Octa Ch...
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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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New from F. P. Journe: two watches in a brilliant yellow dial. Titanium case with titanium and ceramic bezel. The new Centigraphe Sport and Octa Sport.
Deployant
The F.P. Journe Centigraphe and the Automatique Réserve are now available in Platinum and 18K 6N Gold versions. This follows the earlier versions in Ti.
Monochrome
François-Paul Journe, a talented watchmaker and the founder of the brand F.P. Journe, is mostly known for his Tourbillon Remontoire d’Egalité – it was his first watch – and his take on the resonance phenomenon. We can also mention the Octa, his automatic watch introduced in 2001, and, of course, the fantastic Chronomètre Bleu. But […]
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Although Francois-Paul Journe is best known for his inventions like the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite and Resonance, not to mention the whole suite of Octa models, the Chronomètre Souverain was also arguably one of his brand’s foundational models. This year F.P. Journe is marking two decades of the watch with the Chronomètre Souverain 20th Anniversary, which is essentially the original in new dress – the dial is now dark blue with applied gold numerals. Initial thoughts When the Chronomètre Souverain debuted in 2005 – the same year as the Breguet Tradition that was recently revived – it was novel and exciting; I remember the buzz amongst enthusiasts then. The F.P. Journe brand was barely six years old. The Chronomètre Souverain was then one of the rare few time-only watches from an independent watchmaker, and it had an all-new movement to boot. Today it is less exciting for sure, but the movement remains surprising novel for a basic calibre. As an entry-level watch, the Chronomètre Souverain remains excellent (even if availability is an obstacle). Although the Chronomètre Souverain is the simplest mechanical F.P. Journe watch, the cal. 1304 inside still retains the technical hallmarks of the brand, namely elegant, concise engineering and symmetry. Clever touches include the “invisible” gear train; only the regulator and barrels are visible on the main plate. From its conception, the cal. 1304 was conceived for chronometry. The utility and strength of t...
Deployant
François-Paul Journe releases the final version of his Vegabondage trilogy line with this new release of the model 1 in Gold.
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The F.P. Journe Élégante 48 isn’t your ordinary quartz watch. With its distinctive flat tortue titanium case, full-lume dial and hand-finished Calibre 1210 with an 18-year battery in standby mode, collector demand...
Revolution
F.P. Journe brings a new titanium case to the élégante line, an unusual quartz watch powered by an electromechanical movement.
Hodinkee
Ebel, once one of the most successful and top-selling Swiss watch brands, which has fallen into relative obscurity under the ownership of Movado Group, is being sold to a consortium of high-profile buyers, including François-Paul Journe and Chanel, who plan to revive the Ebel marque with hopes of returning it to its former glory. Vintage Ebel chronographs. Photo courtesy of Phillips; credit: James Kong. Movado Group, Inc. says it entered into a binding agreement to sell a 95% interest in the Ebel brand for $66.5 million to a strategic buyer group led by Geneva-based Montres Journe SA, with the participation of French luxury house Chanel and Pierre Jacques, a long-time industry executive. Jacques, who previously headed De Bethune for more than a decade, will take over as CEO of Ebel while Movado, with shares publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange, which purchased the brand from LVMH in 2004, will retain a 5% stake in the business when the deal is completed, the parties said in a statement. The agreement underscores the growing business interest in reviving faded luxury Swiss watch brands once revered by watch consumers. Breitling paid more than CHF 60 million to acquire the Universal Genève brand and archives and relaunched it as a high-end luxury marque earlier this year. Ebel was once a major player in the industry, thriving during the quartz crisis era of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s under Pierre-Alain Blum, a third-generation leader of the family-owned busi...
Time+Tide
The House of Brands is looking to restore Gallet and Universal Genéve to their former glory; Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield relaunched Urban Jürgensen; and now Chanel and F.P. Journe will look to revitalise another cult classic watchmaker: Ebel. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pierre Jacques (@pierre_jacques1) Earlier today, … Continued
Monochrome
In a recent announcement by the Movado Group, Ebel is set to be acquired by a strategic buyer group led by Montres Journe SA, with the participation of Chanel (partial owner of F.P. Journe) and industry veteran and ex-CEO of De Bethune, Pierre Jacques. The latter will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Ebel. The […]
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In a surprise move, a consortium led by Montres Journe and comprising Chanel and Pierre Jacques, the former chief executive of De Bethune, has acquired Ebel from its longtime American owners, the Movado Group. According to the deal announcement, the consortium is buying 95% of Ebel for US$66.5 million, with the remaining shares to be retained by Movado. The three-party consortium evidently brings different skills to the table, including the financial firepower of Chanel, the watchmaking know-how of François-Paul Journe, and the operational and managerial expertise of Mr Jacques. Movado, on the other hand, might be relieved to have unloaded Ebel, which it unsuccessfully tried to revive over its two decades of ownership. From left: François-Paul Journe, Efraim Grinberg of Movado, Frédéric Grangié of Chanel, and Pierre Jacques. Image – Pierre Jacques Once a high flying brand that was one of the biggest in Switzerland during its 1980s and 1990s heyday, Ebel was famous for its Sport Classique, often nicknamed “wave”, which featured integrated bracelets resembling a wave. Launched in 1977, the model launched Ebel into the stratosphere, with its workforce growing 15 times and revenue reaching nine figures. Ebel was led during this time by Pierre-Alain Blum, grandson of its founders and a shrewd marketer. In the year just after the Quartz Crisis, Ebel was a luxury giant. Amongst the indicators of Ebel’s success and scale during this period: Cartier turned to Ebel to p...
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Quartz watches get written off as the cheap option, but these five prove the rule is dead. In this video, Felix breaks down 5 quartz watches that should cost way more, starting with the F.P. Journe Élégante, the $30...
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Having recently unveiled a unique burgundy chronograph to benefit the Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco, F.P. Journe is back with the unique Chronomètre Furtif ICM that will be auctioned later this month to support the work of the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièhe (ICM), better known internationally as the Paris Brain Institute. The black enamel dial of the CF ICM. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts F.P. Journe is a watchmaker at the height of its market influence, so its nice to see the brand use its considerable power to continue its longstanding practice of contributing to worthwhile causes. ICM was founded by former FIA president Jean Todt, a longtime friend of François-Paul Journe who also informed the concept behind the Centigraphe. The unique Centigraphe from 2016 featured a blue mother-of-pearl dial with the ICM logo at 12 o’clock. Image – F.P. Journe The Geneva-based watchmaker was the ICM’s first private donor, and has contributed significantly over the past two decades. The brand’s first contributions arrived in 2004 by way of a trio of unique Vagabondage watches auctioned by Antiquorum. The three lots hammered for between CHF63,250 and CHF80,500, with all proceeds going to ICM. A unique Centigraphe was produced for the charity in 2016, when it hammered for the equivalent of about US$136,000 at the time. An impressive sum for that era, but a number that highlights just how much demand for independent watchmaking — and F.P. Journe ...
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Having recently unveiled a unique burgundy chronograph to benefit the Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco, F.P. Journe is back with the unique Chronomètre Furtif ICM that will be auctioned later this month to support the work of the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièhe (ICM), better known internationally as the Paris Brain Institute. The black enamel dial of the CF ICM. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts F.P. Journe is a watchmaker at the height of its market influence, so its nice to see the brand use its considerable power to continue its longstanding practice of contributing to worthwhile causes. ICM was founded by former FIA president Jean Todt, a longtime friend of François-Paul Journe who also informed the concept behind the Centigraphe. The unique Centigraphe from 2016 featured a blue mother-of-pearl dial with the ICM logo at 12 o’clock. Image – F.P. Journe The Geneva-based watchmaker was the ICM’s first private donor, and has contributed significantly over the past two decades. The brand’s first contributions arrived in 2004 by way of a trio of unique Vagabondage watches auctioned by Antiquorum. The three lots hammered for between CHF63,250 and CHF80,500, with all proceeds going to ICM. A unique Centigraphe was produced for the charity in 2016, when it hammered for the equivalent of about US$136,000 at the time. An impressive sum for that era, but a number that highlights just how much demand for independent watchmaking — and F.P. Journe ...
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F.P. Journe and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco have announced the creation of the one-off Chronographe Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco for the monarch’s upcoming charity auction. The Chronographe Fondation evolves the movement architecture of the Chronographe FB and adds the burgundy-and-bone livery that has become a calling card of the brand’s support for the Monaco-based charity. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and François-Paul Journe. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts The design is undeniably busy with a mix contrasting colours and fonts. Yet taste is almost beside the point, since rare F.P. Journe watches with striking dials are amongst the hottest watches in the world at the moment. It also arrives amid sustained demand for unique watches created for charity. While unlikely to match the expected result of the Rolex Daytona “Four Seasons” set, it combines several proven ingredients that should supercharge its value. Stylistically, the watch is consistent with F.P. Journe’s three prior creations for the Foundation: the 2018 Chronographe Rattrapante, the Chronomètre Optimum of 2022, and the Chronomètre à Résonance of 2024. The latter hammered for US$2.98 million, setting a lofty precedent. The similar Chronographe FB retailed for CHF90,000 in 2024, but this point of reference is purely academic — uniqueness and charity will determine the result, and the Resonance result suggests both can overwhelm any conventional sense of value. Burgundy...
Hodinkee
Auction house Phillips has walked back and corrected a claim that an early, pre-production Chronmètre à Résonance watch, set to come up for sale in November, was delivered in 1999 after the watchmaker F.P. Journe said it arrived the next year and wasn't the first example of the reference sent to a customer. "We stand corrected thanks to François-Paul Journe," Phillips said in an Instagram post. "The "Pre-Production" Chronomètre à Résonance 022/99 to be offered by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo on November 7-8 was not delivered in 1999 as we originally believed. Thanks to F.P.Journe we now know the watch was actually delivered on 8 June, 2000," the auction house added. The Phillips correction followed the publication of a letter signed by F.P. Journe that disputed Phillips' claim that the watch with serial number 022/99 was likely one of the first Résonance watches commercially sold and delivered. In announcing the sale of the watch, which will hit the auction block in November in Geneva, Phillips had said the consignor and original owner of the watch had taken delivery of the piece in 1999. The auction house also suggested in a press release that the watch could be one of, if not the first, commercially delivered examples of the Résonance, often heralded as the signature watch from the French watchmaker. Phillips did not say it had confirmed that the watch was the first of the reference commercially delivered. In the letter titled "Correction," ...
Hodinkee
Here we go again. It's been a blue ribbon auction year so far, particularly for rare examples of timepieces from independents, including F.P. Journe. During a record-setting spring auction season marked by a stunning shift in valuations and collector interest in top-notch independent watchmakers, an early Chronomètre à Résonance (no. 007) fetched a record $13.9 million, making it the most expensive F.P. Journe watch ever sold at auction and the fifth most expensive watch of all time. Mark wrote up a great piece on the record-breaking result that dives deep into the history of the Résonance and why it's such an important achievement in haute horology, and why it is François-Paul Journe's signature watch. With the prototype produced in 1998, and with 'Souscription' commercial pieces produced and delivered beginning in 2000, Journe's Chronomètre à Résonance marks the first time that the concept of "résonance," combining two movements with separate balances into a single case and bringing them into perfect synchronization, was brought to a wristwatch. For many collectors, the model represents the ultimate expression of Journe's vision and talent as a watchmaker. Just 20 'Souscription' pieces—offered to those who bought Journe's first watch, a tourbillon—were produced, and collectors have come to covet the series, with the earliest watches fetching a premium. When it comes to the Résonance, the earlier the better, it seems. That's why it's newsworthy and worth ...
Video
Are the Rolex Submariner, Rolex Daytona, Cartier Santos, Tissot PRX, Patek Philippe Cubitus and F.P. Journe Élégante actually worth buying in 2026? These are six of the most hyped watches in the world—but hype and...
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