HANDS-ON: Watching Watches: F.P.Journe NYC
Today, I took a tour of what I would consider one of the finest, open-to-the-public establishments to offer innovative pieces of horology in the world. The creations that lie behind the glass cases of this New York treasure, and the story behind this Swiss manufacturer, have set a whole new standard to the meaning of independence, fascination, achievement, and, or course, mastery. While I was there, as an avid watch-lover, I just had to take a closer look at the magnificent wristwatches that have been coined by Mr. Journe, himself.
First, I was presented with probably one of the most feather-like, scratch resistant watches in the industry, the Octa Sport Watch ($33,910). Mr. Journe, for years, has been known for his classic, impeccable designs like the Tourbillon Historique and the Repetition Souveraine, respectively, making this watch’s modern design a surprise when it was first released. The reasoning for the release of something so contemporary was due to the high demand of a sports watch that people could wear without having to worry about the effects of shock to the movement. The watch is almost entirely composed of Aluminum, everything from case and bracelet to even the movement. A little something to know is that Mr. Journe was actually the first watchmaker to ever introduce a full-aluminum mechanical wristwatch when he unveiled the “innovative Centigraphe Sport in June 2011.”
The next wristwatch that I had the pleasure of viewing was the quite intricate, and new generation, Tourbillon Souverain ($150,460). This watch, through my eyes, appears to be a representation of Mr. Journe’s first great accomplishment: building his first tourbillon from scratch. From a technical perspective, this watch is the only tourbillon on the market to feature dead beat seconds, a remontoire, and a forty-two hour power reserve combined. Like the better part of what Journe produces, this watch is slim, despite the 179 moving parts precisely stacked within the case.
My utmost pick of the day was the most complicated, and most costly piece in the boutique ($197,590), the Repetition Souveraine.
As courtesy to the serious, tech guys, there is a clip of the movement in the chiming process that you can see and hear @thewatchadviser on twitter or @the_watch_adviser on instagram.
Enjoy!
Luke Rottman (Executive Editor: thewatchadviser.com)