Description

The present watch is the only wristwatch in the world that uses physical natural resonance without any mechanical involvment – The F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance. Marking the 20th anniversary of the Chronomètre à Résonance, this model differs from the original version – released in 2000 – with its twin “remontoirs d’égalité”.

This anniversary ref. RQ comes with a 18k 6N rose gold case of 40mm. The beautiful symmetrical rose gold dial features a double time display in whitened silver guilloché with clous de Paris, one with a 12-hour counter and one with 24-hour. The dial is completed by a power reserve indicator sitting at 12 o’clock. All hands are in the familiar blued steel. The crown at 2 o’clock is for winding the watch in position 0 and setting the time on both displays in position 2, while pulling the crown at 4 o’clock allows to reset both seconds.

This new Chronomètre à Résonance has a single barrel that provides force to the two independent movements. This is made possible through the differential – visible in the center of the dial – which transfers the energy separately towards both secondary gear trains. The power received by both balance springs is linear thanks to the constant-force mechanism (“remontoir d’égalité”) of each secondary gear train.

The movement powering it all is the Calibre 1520 in 18k rose gold, composed of 378 parts and 62 jewels, replacing the previous Calibre 1499.3. Behind the sapphire crystal caseback, one can admire the high quality finishing of the movement : Geneva waves on bridges, polished and beveled screw heads with chamfered slots, and the baseplate decorated with partial circular graining.

A leather strap fitted with a rose gold pin buckle completes this magnificent timepiece that has garnered consensus amongst the watch collecting community.

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.