Description
A Chronometer for Eternity in Sublime Rose Gold
Invenit et Fecit – Invented and Made
François-Paul Journe is one of the most respected watchmakers of our time. He is considered to be a link between the 18th century watchmakers and the modern era – a reference he has earned through his work which is a combination of old school horology inventiveness and modern technology, presented as timepieces that are beautifully hand-finished.
In 1983, he completed his first tourbillon pocket watch and in 1991, launched the prototype of his first wristwatch “Tourbillon Souverain”, incorporating a remontoire within a wristwatch for the very first time. The plate, the bridges, as well as the gear-trains were crafted entirely in 18K Gold, which has since become a trademark character of most FP Journe watches.
The watch officially debuted in 1999, along with 2 more timepieces, namely Chronomètre à Résonance and Octa Reserve de Marche. The launches came as an announcement that FP Journe (the brand) has arrived. ‘Montres Journe SA’ was now a registered brand.
Since then, FP Journe has surprised the watch community with several inventions and unconventional timepieces, making him the only three-time winner of the grand title of Aiguille d’Or at GPHG.
He has also won several other awards at this prestigious annual event, including the prize for the Best Men’s Watch for his Chronomètre Souverain launched in 2005.
This watch is another version of the renowned award-winning model, launched in 2012 as a limited Boutique Edition. It personifies François-Paul Journe’s trademark signatures, both chronometry and a slim profile.
Merging form and function, the watch showcases a 40mm 18K 6N Gold case, 8.6mm thick, and tapered lugs flowing downwards for extra comfort. The dial is 5N guilloché Silver, complemented by a blue mother-of-pearl outer ring displaying the hours, the minutes track and the logo. The center of the dial is in a sublime rose gold tone. All the functions are indicated via heat-blued hands.
The dial’s beauty is unmatched, displaying the hours/minutes in an off-centered small-seconds register and a unique ‘reverse’ power reserve indicator, showing the time since last full wind. In this case, if the hand is at 0, it means it is fully wound and can last up to 56 hours.The ‘Chronometer’ grade timepiece features the FP Journe Calibre 1304.
The sapphire case back brings a stunning visual to the fold, displaying the 18k rose gold hand-wound movement, adorned with Côtes de Genève and perlage. The screw heads are black-polished accompanied by chamfered edges.
A gorgeous finishing touch is the brown hand-stitched alligator strap and a rose gold pin buckle.
F.P. Journe – Bio
François-Paul Journe was born in Marseille in 1959. An unruly child, he was sent to a local technical college at the age of 14. He went on to graduate from the Paris watchmaking school in 1976.
In 1982, after five years of work, he finished his tourbillon – and it work !
He founded the F.P. Journe company in 1999, have ever since stunned the world year after year with the visually distinctive and technically innovative watches
The motto of the brand, Invenit et Fecit (Latin for “[He] invented it and made it”) denotes that the company builds the entirety of the watches. Journe often designs brand new movements, even inventing completely new systems, like the famous resonance chronometer.