237 articles · 3 videos found · page 6 of 8
Founder of F.P. Journe; the modern Breguet. Invenit et Fecit.
Wristshot gallery from the Horlogeforum F.P. Journe thread.
Quill & Pad
While these days community building in the enthusiast realm seems increasingly the domain of brand-agnostic organizations, there remain old-school organizations whose members are devoted to the watches of a single maker. One such example is the Journe Society, a small, low-profile group of enthusiast collectors. GaryG sheds some light on the group and its specially commissioned group watch.
SJX Watches
Phillips sold US$74.5 million of watches during its recent Geneva auctions, the besting the two-decade old record set by Antiquorum in 2002 for the biggest watch auction ever. Now it the focus shifts to Hong Kong for the fall watch sale in the city. Amongst the top lots in Geneva were important creations by independent watchmakers, including the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch that sold for US$5.2 million, as well as an F.P. Journe Resonance Souscription that achieved US$4.3 million (fees included). Fortunately there are fine examples of the genre for far less money at the upcoming Hong Kong auction. We round up some of the most notable – and possibly overlooked – in the sale, including the little-known F.P. Journe Octa “France-China”, the rarely-seen Haldimann H11, and a pair of quirky watches by Vianney Halter (but designed by Pascal Pages). The movement of the H11 The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIII takes place on November 25 (for lots 801-852) and November 26 (lots 853-1106). The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available on Phillips.com. Lot 841: Harry Winston Opus 3 by Vianney Halter Perhaps the most complicated watch ever conceived by Vianney Halter is the Opus 3, which was originally a collaborative effort between the watchmaker and American jeweller Harry Winston. Entirely digital in its time display, the Opus 3 has no hands, but instead six apertures on its face. The date occupies the two windows in the centre, with the left co...
Hodinkee
This next round of classes will be hosted by F.P. Journe.
Revolution
The upcoming two-day auction by Ineichen Auctioneers (November 20-21) will see over 200 rare watches on the block, from brands including Vianney Halter, Audemars Piguet, A. Lange & Söhne, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, F.P. Journe and URWERK.
Time+Tide
Zach offers up three F.P. Journe Chronométre Bleu alternatives you may want to consider - especially if paying over retail isn’t your jam.The post Don’t Feed the Hype: Three alternatives to the F.P. Journe Chronométre Bleu appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The top lots amongst independent watchmakers at Only Watch 2021 are no doubt the F.P. Journe FFC Blue and Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II, but they will cost six or seven figures. But half of the participants at Only Watch are independent watchmakers, so there are a few more interesting examples of the genre, which might possibly be reasonably affordable. We round up five notable watches amongst the “indies”, ranging from the quirky and fascinating Urwerk that’s an upgraded example of the brand’s earliest watch to the stunningly engine-turned Andersen Genève Quotidiana. Urwerk UR-102 “Gaïa” Perhaps the avant-garde independent watchmaker, Urwerk is best known for revolutionising the presentation of time, having invented time displays using satellite cubes on a carousel and prisms in cylinders. But the brand’s creation for Only Watch 2021 looks nothing like its recent work, because it’s a quarter-century old, an artefact from the brand’s start-up days. The UR-102 “Gaïa” is a prototype of one of the brand’s earliest models – it is actually a vintage Urwerk – but dressed up smartly for the occasion, with a special case back decoration that signifies the brand’s success. The platinum case back is adorned with a sparkling, deep blue emblem that alludes to the Gaïa Prize, which Urwerk’s founders won in 2020 That said, being an Urwerk, the time display is far from rudimentary. While neither a cube nor a prism, it is still a wond...
SJX Watches
The first Chronomètre Contemporain was the watch that vaulted Rexhep Rexhepi into the top league of independent watchmaking. Now the young watchmaker has debuted the followup, first as a unique example for Only Watch 2021. The Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II (RRCC II) resembles its predecessor inside and out, yet is entirely different in every aspect, from movement construction to the geometry of the lugs. But what it does share with the RRCC I is a gorgeously finished movement and thoughtful design. Initial thoughts On the face of it, the RRCC II for Only Watch looks like the original Chronometre Contemporain dressed in another dial. But it is entirely new in practically every aspect, right down to the geometry of the case. The RRCC II is akin to a generation of the Porsche 911 – the styling seems unchanged but it is actually a brand new car. The most obvious point of difference is the seconds hand – the RRCC II is a deadbeat seconds. That in itself is novel, because the jumping seconds complication is almost always implemented with a centre seconds. In fact, I can’t think of another watch with a deadbeat subsidiary seconds that isn’t part of another complication. In F.P. Journe’s tourbillon for instance, the deadbeat seconds is part of the constant force mechanism. Even the movement appears superficially similar, though it is quickly evident that it’s a new calibre solely from the two large jewels for the barrel pivots. This has twin barrels, in...
SJX Watches
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...
Hodinkee
And he finds it in the work of F.P. Journe, Panerai, and others.
Hodinkee
Five of our favorites in the HODINKEE Shop this week.
Quill & Pad
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!
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe has swiftly become one of the most desirable independent watch brands, resulting in an ever growing selection on offer at auction. Perhaps the biggest single offering to date comes by way of Sotheby’s, which has amassed a 13-piece lineup of F.P. Journe watches for its upcoming Important Watches sale that takes place in Hong Kong on October 13, 2021. We round up eight of the most notable, a selection that naturally includes a Tourbillon Souverain “Souscription”, as well as several limited editions, ranging from Ruthenium to a Tokyo-boutique special. The full catalogue and registration to bid are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2085: Octa Réserve de Marche with brass movement Originally the entry-level model for the brand, the Octa Réserve de Marche is today a stealth watch of sorts since it is still a simple watch, but an unusually valuable one. Launched in 2001, the Octa Réserve was part of the original trio of watches launched by Francois-Paul Journe, coming after the tourbillon and Resonance. Despite being the brand’s entry-level wristwatch at the time, it still boasted a proprietary movement with an impressive five-day power reserve, though the running time was originally envision was eight days, hence the “Octa” moniker. The cal. 1300 developed for the Octa Réserve would then go on to be the base movement for the entire Octa collection. The best part of the Octa Reserve is its asymmetric dial. Showing the time, date and power reserve, the d...
SJX Watches
Every year F.P. Journe seeks out the world’s most promising young clock- and watchmakers and selects one, or sometimes a handful, to receive the year’s F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition prize. The 2022 contest is now open for submissions. Contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, and have “independently designed and created a timepiece and/or technical construction”. A jury of industry notables, including Philippe Dufour and Francois-Paul Journe himself, will then decide on the winner, who receives a CHF20,000 grant. This year’s winner was Mario Scarpatetti, who devised a secular perpetual calendar clock. Past winners include Russian watchmaker Anton Suhanov, who has built monumental table clocks, including one with a triple-axis tourbillon within a metal flower, and Remy Cools, who unveiled his first wristwatch tourbillon not too long ago. To enter the contest, submit your entry on fpjourne.com. The deadline for submissions is February 25, 2022.
Hodinkee
Watches we love, the second time around.
Deployant
F.P. Journe surprises us in his submission for Only Watch 2021 with an original idea to show time from Francis Ford Coppola.
SJX Watches
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...
Quill & Pad
Resonance. No, it is not a Tesla-themed Evanescence cover band. Resonance is a physics principle that, to be honest, most people will never need to know to go about their daily lives. So what is all the hubbub about resonance? It’s a word that is, even in the watch world, so mysterious and rare that it is heard only once or twice a decade. In this article Joshua Munchow explains how resonance works and why it matters.
SJX Watches
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...
Quill & Pad
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.
SJX Watches
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...
SJX Watches
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...
Quill & Pad
One of the most incredible timepieces François-Paul Journe has ever created is the Sonnerie Souveraine. This chiming masterpiece took six years to develop and warranted ten patents. Joshua Munchow revisits the reasons why this masterpiece and its maker are legends in their own time, while Ian Skellern provides original photography and video of the stainless steel-encased grande sonnerie.
SJX Watches
Having rounded up some of the interesting and probably overlooked at Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong watch auction, we now take a look at some of the independent watchmaking highlights in the sale. The auction includes big ticket headline lots like a F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, and of course the F.P. Journe tourbillon disguised as Harry Winston. But it also encompasses the less obvious, including a Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine, Singer Reimagined Track 1, a Bulgari-era Gerald Genta perpetual calendar in gold and tantalum, and an early-generation H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual 1 that’s excellent value. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XII takes place in the evening of June 5 (lots 801-852), and on June 6 (lots 853-1112). The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available online. Lot 809 – Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine Black Sea Cheerful and eminently affordable, the Tourbillon Marine is typical Alain Silberstein. Mr Silberstein’s once explained his approach was to create unique, personalised wristwatches that arouse the emotion. By that measure, the Tourbillon Marine succeeds – it sets itself apart from every diving watch. In his 1990s heyday, Alain Silberstein was rebellious and avant-garde, standing in stark contrast to the strictly conservative style that dominated high horology at the time. This watch is from the early 2000s, but still very much a quintessential Alain Silberstein creation. The dial is quirky and playful – the deep sea ren...
SJX Watches
Launched in 2014 as a successor to the foundational UR-103, the UR-105 was a more elaborate version of Urwerk’s satellite-disc, wandering-hours watch. After a seven-year run – it’s been replaced by the entry-level UR-100 – the UR-105 series will now be retired. Urwerk is giving the model a grand send-off with the UR-105 TTH, which has the front plate and lid of its case made of tantalum, the bluish-grey metal that Urwerk has only used in one other instance with the UR-110 TTH. Based the UR-105 CT Streamliner with its characteristic hinged lid, the UR-105 TTH is all about its case material. A dense metal with a distinctive colour that’s used for surgical implants, turbine blades, and even artillery shells, tantalum is difficult to machine and finish due to its hardness. Consequently, while tantalum has been used for watch cases since the 1990s, but it is uncommon. Urwerk is one of a handful of brands, alongside Omega and F.P. Journe, to use the metal for a watch case. Initial thoughts All good things must come to an end, and Urwerk is closing the chapter with aplomb. With the distinctive hue of tantalum, the case fits the sci-fi industrial spirit of the brand well. Striking and futuristic, the UR-105 is sleek in tantalum. The metal will make it substantially heavier than the standard steel version of the UR-105, which would make it less easily wearable. Priced at CHF77,000, or about US$86,000, the UR-105 TTH is 20% more expensive the base-model UR-105 CT i...
Quill & Pad
GaryG has already written about the struggles that independent watchmakers face simply to survive. Expressing oneself through horological art may well be a noble calling, but it’s definitely one of the tougher ways to make a living. Chanel's very recent investment in F.P. Journe caused Gary to think about the pros and cons of outside investment into indies, and he shares his thoughts here.
Revolution
SJX Watches
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...
Quill & Pad
GaryG finds the process involved in selecting a suitable gift for MrsGaryG fairly torturous. Nonetheless, he continues to do it. This time Gary focuses on two watches that he has happily added to MrsG’s collection as gifts: a pair of Élégantes from F.P. Journe. Find out why (times two!) right here.
SJX Watches
A leader retailer of independent watchmaking, Singapore-based The Hour Glass has just inaugurated The Persistence of Memory, a virtual exhibition dedicated to the craft. Covering the period starting from 1970 till today, the exhibition encompasses most of the key figures in independent watchmaking during those five decades. And it is about people, rather than brands, since these timepieces are often, quite literally, the creation of a watchmaker’s mind and hands. I wrote most of the content, and it was written as a brisk journey through the careers of each watchmaker, along with their most important timepieces. The Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain Hosted on a dedicated site, the exhibition is arranged into sections and largely chronological, tracing the evolution of the craft from its start with individuals like George Daniels, to the stars of today, most notably Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia. Other boldface names in the exhibition include Francois-Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Philippe Dufour, and Denis Flageollet. A trio of Resonance by F.P. Journe Dual Dufour Duality Much of the content is illustrated by uncommon and special watches – over 150 in fact – drawn from collections around the world. The line up of timepieces include the two landmark pocket watches by George Daniels, the Space Traveller I and Grand Complication, as well as the most important examples of Philippe Dufour’s work. Visit the exhibition on Thehourglass.com.
Quill & Pad
It’s still all about the people! Nothing makes GaryG happier than getting together and talking watches. At the F.P. Journe New York Boutique anniversary dinner late 2019, he had the pleasure of chatting with entrepreneur, television personality, and enthusiast watch collector Kevin O’Leary. In this post, he comes back to him with specific questions . . . and gets the answers!
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.