Among watch enthusiasts it is by now common knowledge that the first F.P. Journe models ever made - the Résonance and the Tourbillon - were sold as subscription pieces in advance of their production in order to gather the funds to make them. Collectors are however less aware that a similar beginning was reserved to the Octa Calendrier model.

The Octa began as one watch but with the mindset that Journe was in fact building the base of an entire collection – which indeed happened. Before being discontinued, the Octa Automatique formed the basis of eight separate models, each with different complications but all having the same movement size – a feat of ingenuity in itself.

The Octa Calendrier was the world’s first wristwatch with annual calendar (meaning the date will need to be set only once a year in February), large date and a power reserve of over 120 hours, with all indications set via the crown doing without the extra pushers found on the case side in similar watches. This model was awarded the ‘Special Jury Prize’ at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2002.

Intriguingly, the first 20 cases of the Octa models (Reserve de Marche, Calendrier and Chronographe) were reserved for the original buyers of the 20 sousciption Tourbillon models. The present Calendrier N°14 is part of the original “Souscription” pieces (coming from the collection of Lorenz Baumer – see lot 49 Chronometre à Resonance n°14 and lot 101 Tourbillon n° 14 from Geneva June 27-28, 2020).

The present example in pink gold with supremely attractive pink dial is to the best of our research the only piece in the “Souscription” series to be made in pink gold making it one of the most collectible pieces of the series.