Phillips is excited to partner with F.P.Journe in the auction of a one-of-a-kind élégante 48mm Titalyt® wristwatch with pink accents, with 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale going toward the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. The auction will take place in Miami on Saturday, March 2, 2024; Isabella Proia, New York Head of Sale & International Specialist, Vice President, Phillips Watches, will serve as auctioneer for the evening.
With the 2014 introduction of the élégante collection – which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year – F.P.Journe brought forward a 21st-century electromechanical movement, which was in development for eight years. The exclusive caliber 1210 with motion detection offers up to eight to 10 years of running autonomy when the watch is being actively worn, or up to 18 years when the watch is in standby mode.
The élégante's signature Flat Tortue® case is reminiscent of timepieces from the early 20th century, but the movement inside is a contemporary technical marvel. To preserve battery life, the watch “hibernates” after 35 minutes of inactivity; the hour and minute hand will freeze in place at that exact moment. As soon as the watch is picked up and worn again, it will automatically correct itself to the correct time; the hands move with precision, taking the shortest path possible to reset to the new time, whether clockwise or counter-clockwise.
The dial of the unique élégante to be auctioned off is white and luminescent, with black Arabic numerals and an outer dial with screwed steel elements. Of course, the present example boasts a unique one o'clock numeral rendered in pink, given the watch’s one-of-a-kind status in raising funds for such an important cause, and is paired with a complementary pink strap.
Founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. BCRF invests in a wide range of research, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and metastasis. Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the world, surpassing lung cancer for the first time in 2020.
Approximately one in 833 American men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer annually. While male breast cancer is rare, it is typically more aggressive and more likely to be fatal. BCRF’s combination of investment and cross-disciplinary collaboration accelerates the entire field and builds momentum for new discoveries. BCRF-funded investigators have been behind every major breakthrough in breast cancer research, and the field is moving faster than ever.
Those who cannot attend the March 2 auction in person in Miami are encouraged to visit F.P.Journe's website to learn more about this remarkable wristwatch, and register to bid either by telephone or absentee bidding. If interested in participating in the sale, please contact eventsmiami@fpjourne.com.
To celebrate the partnership between Phillips and F.P.Journe, we recently recorded a discussion between Phillips Watches Senior Consultant Aurel Bacs, F.P.Journe America General Manager Pierre Halimi, and François-Paul Journe himself about the history and development of the élégante line. The conversation took place earlier this month in Geneva at the new F.P.Journe Le Restaurant, an upscale bistro owned by F.P.Journe that opened in November 2023. You can watch the conversation via the embedded YouTube video featured above in this article, or by clicking here.
We also recommend you revisit one of the most popular Phillips Watches articles ever, which just so happens to be penned by Aurel Bacs about his fondness for the élégante: I Bought a Modern Quartz Watch, And I Loved It.
You can learn more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
Recommended Reading
Visiting Les Cadraniers And Les Boîtiers de Genève, F.P.Journe’s Updated Case and Dial Facilities
Four Pivotal Ingredients Behind F.P.Journe's Booming Popularity
A Round-Up Of The Greatest F.P.Journe Watches Sold At Phillips (So Far!)