The Vertical Collection: Three essential, most important watches from F.P.Journe

We continue onto our next chapter of our Vertical Collection Series wih F.P.Journe. This is yet another iconic maison, with such a rich collection of masterpieces. But our focus on this Vertical Collection series is to sieve through the many brilliant pieces, and recommend three which we think of as the essence of the brand.

The Vertical Collection: Three essential, most important watches from F.P.Journe

François-Paul Journe is one of the more successful independent watchmakers in the business. His early ventures began with collaboration with other greats in Sainte-Croix by founding THA (Techniques Horlogères Appliquées). This amazing technical powerhouse, now defunct after its purchase by and absorbed into Carl F. Bucherer in 2007, was founded with Denis Flageollet (now with De Bethune) and Vianney Halter (independent). François-Paul himself going independent in 1991, though the brand F.P.Journe was only founded by him in 1999.

Some historical perspective

Such a rich tapestry of masterpiece watches from the maestro, that we often forget the maison F.P.Journe only made their first wristwatch as a brand in 1999. François-Paul had create a remontoire system in 1982 for his second tourbillon pocket watch, and managed to incorporate it into a wrist watch. This is a world premiere to use a remontoire in a wristwatch, and was christened Tourbillon à Remontoire d’Egalité. There were three of these prototypes made. One which François-Paul wore himself, and two others. No 15/93 appeared in Phillips Auction in its Geneva Nov 8, 2024 auction for CHF 7,320,000. The watches were in a platinum case with a closed back.

In 2000, he premiered the Chronomètre à Résonance, which featured two movements incorporated into a single movement plate, and showcasing the principle of resonance. François-Paul demonstrated this with a magnificently laid out movement such that two trains run side by side. The balance of one of the trains is fixed on the plate, but the other runs on an adjustable screw to enable the watchmaker to bring the balance either closer or further away from the other. The adjustment is optimised when the two independent balance strike resonance and beat as one.

The 2000 watches were believed to be souscription. The engraving on the case back shows what is called the shallow engraving. This aligns with the first generation “T” (tourbillon) models, and preceeds the deeper engravings found on Resonance numbers 1-20 and subsequent production.

That same year, he establishes the workshops and exhibition space in the centre of Geneva, rue de l’Arquebuse.

2001 saw the revealing of the base automatic movement, which François-Paul calls the Octa. This movement will serve as the base of a new collection featuring complications. A Répétition Souveraine, ultra slim minute repeater was launched in 2008. And in 2014, he presents his first collection intended for ladies – the élégante by F.P.Journe. We handled and marvelled at the watch at the 2019 Watches & Wonders when it was offered in Titalyt® for the first time. The élégante was first released in titanium in 2014. The design of the élégante is so well proportioned that this watch is also a favourite even among the gentlemen collectors. (Editor’s note: we do not any coverage of F.P.Journe before 2014, because Deployant started publication only in 2014, though my own involvement with the brand stretches way back to 1989.)

A sports collection known as lineSport was added in 2011, where the movement and case is constructed from titanium. The two launch models were the Octa Sport and Centigraphe Sport. We covered the news of the yellow dial release in 2018.

The collection has been streamlined over the years, and the Souverain and Octa series have been discontinued. In its place, the catalog has roughly 3 broad collection lines, viz the Classic, the lineSport and the élégante. The watches can also be offered in the Jewellery Collection, and special pieces designated only for the F.P.Journe Boutiques. Recently, the maison also created their Black Label, a collection offered only in a platinum case with a black dial, and only to existing owners. François-Paul started this tradition with the Vegabondage series, where the Vegabondage II (2010) and III (2017) were offered only to clients who already had the original Vegabondage (2006). The collection loop is closed with the last ever in the series as the Vegabondage in 2022.

But let’s start with the first watch in our vertical collection:

F.P.Journe Souverain Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité

In 1999, the tourbillon was offered as a souscription series, where 50% of the payment would be collected up front, in exchange for what would be come the very first of his production timepieces. Only 20 pieces were made, each individually numbered on both on the dial and on the movement. The case back is now open, as compared to the closed case backs on the prototypes. The movement was offered only in brass.

The early Tourbillon Souverain models with brass movements is typically split into four series:

• 1st Series – Souscription (1999) 20 numbered examples in platinum
• 2nd Series (1999) estimated run of 17 examples in platinum with rounded remontoire bridge and addition of “Remontoir d’Egalité” on the dial
• 3rd Series (1999-2001) estimated run of 60 examples in platinum and pink gold, with flat remontoire bridge and larger power reserve numerals. 
• 4th Series (2001-2003) estimated run of 320 examples in platinum and pink gold, with smaller dial screws.

In 2003, the watch was redesigned, quite subtly, but according to FP.Journe, the only component carried over was the tourbillon cage itself, and the movement is now offered in rose gold, and instead of an aperture on the dial showing the remontoire, the pinion of the remontoire now carries a seconds hand, which jumps in the characteristic seconde morte of the 1 second remontoire.

And my pick for the Journe Tourbillon is a special execution of this series, made for Sincere Fine Watches 50th Anniversary, with a magnificent black mother of pearl dial.

The Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité is no longer in the F.P.Journe catalog, and has been replaced by the Vertical Tourbillon released in 2019.

F.P.Journe Souverain Chronomètre Optimum

The Chronomètre à Résonance and the Tourbillon Souverain are often cited as part of François-Paul’s greatest works. While I list the Tourbillon above, I wish to take a slightly different path and not select the Résonance. But instead offer my own favourite for consideration: viola – the Chronomètre Optimum. I feel this watch is particularly overlooked when discussing his Greatest Hits.

I first encountered the watch in 2015, presented by François-Paul himself. And stand in awe. He told of the story the inspiration behind this watch. He was once asked by a friend in the late 1980s, before he had seen any success, if he had to design and build a watch for himself, what would that be. His reply was that he would make a watch which looks extremely simple on the dial side, but with exceptional chronometric performance. He would equip it with double barrels, a remontoir d’egalité, and a special escapement. But at that time he did not have the the know-how and resources to begin work. His reply resonated in his mind, and with later successes, he started on this project. He began in 2001 and it took some eleven years for this watch to be perfected so it could be introduced in 2012.

The elements selected which ensured the achievement of optimal chronometry is a combination of the three fundamental elements that François-Paul outlined in the 1990s.

• the double barrel, whose purpose is to ensure the best torque and stability of the driving force. As a bonus benefit, the power reserve is an impressive 70-hours of power reserve when fully wound, with 50 hours possible without loss of amplitude.
• the remontoir d’égalité as a means to deliver an constant force to the escapement. This same remontoire is used in the Tourbillon as well. This particular rementoire is special because for the first time it is made of titanium, chosen for its light weight and thus minimal inertia. On the case back, a seconde morte displays the seconds hand running in an anticlockwise manner. A continuously moving seconds hand shows the passage of the seconds on the dial side.
• the high-performance bi-axial direct impulse escapement which Journe calls the “EBHP Direct Impulse Escapement”. The escapement is patented and uses two wheels and runs without any lubrication. The escapement is direct impulse, and will start from start instantly with the smallest force. The double wheeled escapement offers a lower impact during energy transfer, which will result in better long term reliability and lower wear. The escapement is inspired by Breguet’s échappement naturel.

The movement finish is superb on all angles – from the dial side it shows the refined screwed on sub-dial design, the case is elegant and svelte (though only available in 40mm and 42mm), and the case back is a sight to behold.

F.P.Journe élégante

And my final pick is another out of the norm. A quartz watch from one of the greatest masters of the art of watchmaking. But this is no ordinary quartz watch. The élégante was first conceived to be an offering by François-Paul to the ladies, but it is perhaps not a surprise that it is also a great hit among the men. This was the lowest point of entry into the Journe world. And yet, the élégante is anything but entry level.

Start with the case design. In a special shape called the Flat Tortue®. Flat Tortue® is a special case design which is based a very flat rendition of a tonneau or tortue (tortoise in French) shape. Two case sizes are offered. 48mm x 40mm and a smaller 40mm x 35 mm. The case dimensions are selected such that the proportions are maintained. The larger has a height of 7.95mm while the smaller a height of 7.35 mm. And available titanium with a huge option of dial and strap colours. Gemstone ornamentation is available on Gino’s Dream, a special edition created in 2024.

The movement is no simple quartz movement. It is Swiss, and with the battery bridge plated in gold. And within, Journe has hidden a little trick up its sleeve. A small rotating sensor in the watch (visible via an aperture at 4 o’clock on the dial) senses can tell if you stop wearing the watch for 35 minutes. The hands will then stop in place while the internal memory keeps track of the time. Pick the watch up and the weight moves, which sends a signal to drive the motor and reposition the hands to the right time, moving along the shortest path. While this is not an unusual scheme in many quartz or mechanical-electronic movements to conserve energy, the special trick is the tuning of what corresponds to lack of activity vs the watch is placed on a table. The battery will last eight to 10 years if worn daily or 18 years if it’s in standby mode.

I think the élégante should be part of the essential collection for its relative reachability, as well as the icon that it represents. My pick is the latest to be released, called Gino’s Dream.

Notable exceptions by necessity

This list is a very difficult list to curate. I have intentionally missed out many significant watches produced by F.P.Journe. The most glaring is perhaps the Chronomètre à Résonance which I reviewed in 2016, and commentary on the 2020 edition. And is a watch which I actually owned for a short period. Alas, I can only blame the foolishness of youth that caused me to sell it. Exceptional watches. Also the entire Octa collection and its latest incarnation as the Classique lineup. But perhaps the fault in this case lies on personal tastes. I am not as persuaded and emotionally enthused with this collection as with the others. And again, a solid offering which will please many collectors.

But I also omit the lineSport Collection. And this is a collection I actually adore. The series redefines luxury sports watches. The aesthetics are magnificent. Even with garish colours like splashes of yellow on the dial, Journe manages to make the watches attractive. I particularly love the chronographs. Case in point is the Monopoussoir Rattrapante released in 2018. Here in characteristic Journe style, the chronograph is in a very slim, elegant case. The movement offers split second feature, and is made of aluminium. It is also available with a platinum or gold case with a gold movement.

Even the more regular (Souverain, not lineSport) Centigraphe released in 2016 is worthy. Other than the ground breaking ability to measure to 1/100th of a second, it offers chronograph pushers which is special – instead of ugly pushers sticking out the side of the case, the function of start/stop/reset is made with a rocker switch which is elegantly tucked into the case side. Brilliant! In 2019, the Centigraphe was transitioned into the lineSport collection, featuring cases and bracelets in precious metal. This shift ended the Centigraphe’s production within the Classique collection.

Writing about this watch, after completing the curated list on this article made me want to substitute the Monopoussoir Rattrapante, or the Centigraphe lineSport for the élégante, but I shall resist. And thus stand the list.

Concluding thoughts

What an interesting maison from a truly remarkable man. The genius of François-Paul transcends not only in his understanding and mastery of all watchmaking techniques to conceive and design interesting, thought provoking movements, but to the elegance and beauty that his collection exudes. Many, if not most of the Journe watches have reached fevered collector heights, and typically fetch high prices at the secondary market. And yet, the maison only produces very limited and immediately snapped up watches each year, the demand remains high.

#Parts of this article was edited at 11pm(SGT) of 19 Feb 2025, 1.5 hours after first publication to correct some errors.