Where do I even begin with F.P. Journe? Started by the man himself in 1999, F.P. Journe had previously spent quite a few years restoring and producing movements and also made a couple of pocket watches during that time. It took quite a few years before his brand went from something only a hardcore collector could appreciate to being appreciated by a more mainstream audience and today, he is considered by many as one of the most successful and important independent brands to have emerged out of the past few decades. In my opinion, F.P. Journe possesses all the traits that make an independent watch atelier successful and desirable – exceptional craftsmanship, an unmistakable aesthetic, and controlled annual production quantities (approximately 900 pieces a year only). This ensures that they are exclusive enough that people consider any F.P. Journe a rare piece, but not so rare that it becomes esoteric. There are independent brands like Roger Smith and Philippe Dufour, both of who are considered godfathers of high horology, but they make so few pieces a year that the average watch collector would not know about them, let alone be able to get their hands on one. Mention F.P. Journe though, and it’s a completely different story altogether.
I would like to begin by pointing out that the F.P. Journe Octa UTC offered here today is no ordinary F.P. Journe. While any F.P. Journe timepiece is, frankly speaking, already special in its own right, this particular piece right here is the boutique edition in this specific configuration (18-carat rose gold case and black dial) with very few pieces ever made. It is important to point out that Journe only uses black dials for boutique editions, so seeing one is immediately recognizable.
Beginning with a 40mm case made entirely out of 18-carat rose gold, it is beautifully complemented with a deep black dial which possesses an asymmetrical dial design- displaying its 120-hour power reserve time scale on the left side and a double disc date window aperture slightly off centered to the left. Right below this power reserve indicator you will find a meticulously laser-engraved and painted Earth map with divided time zones on a sapphire disc. On the right side, you have the main subdial with guilloche finishing at its center, along with the local hour indicated via the blued steel hands, whilst the gilt steel hand beneath it indicates the home time on 24-hours, as represented by the Earth’s 24-hour time zones. A smaller subdial just down south of the main one intersects and represents the running seconds. This watch also features your classic and distinctive F.P. Journe knurled crown which Journe collectors all love and appreciate.
Turn the watch over on its open caseback and you will see that it houses a stunning in-house caliber that is the Cal. 1300-3, made entirely out of 18-carat rose gold and beating away methodically at 21,600 vph, whilst holding a beautiful 22-carat gold rotor at its center. The entire movement including its baseplate, bridges, etc are all hand-finished and masterfully decorated with a series of intricate finishing techniques contributing to its overall visual appeal. Like most F.P. Journe movements, the Cal. 1300-3 is visually intricate, handsome, and technically impressive. As mentioned earlier, it also features an impressive 120-hour power reserve. Overall, a beautiful work of horological art that is very wearable for any modern wrist.
Its safe to say, F.P. Journe has carved out a very interesting niche in the independent watch world where he has managed to blend traditional watchmaking and design cues with modern technology and an unmistakably ‘Journe’ aesthetic. Despite using very traditional elements like his serif’d Arabic numerals, a knurled winding crown, and a standard round case, the way these elements are laid out combines to create a visual aesthetic that is undeniably F.P. Journe through and through.
When dealing with an F.P. Journe timepiece, it requires some effort and distinction to fully appreciate and comprehend the design nuances the brand brings to the table, but when you do, you will come to understand why F.P. Journe is so loved by watch enthusiasts/collectors around the world. F.P. Journe’s motto ‘Invenit et Fecit’, which translates from Latin to ‘Invent and Create’, speaks volumes about his horological works of art. To this day, F.P. Journe has stuck closely to this mantra, where he continues to invent his own in-house movements. Furthermore, everything else is also in-house, even to the point of owning his own case-maker and dial-maker. For a small independent brand that makes less than 1000 pieces a year, I tip my hat off to F.P. Journe.
