Manufacturer: F.P. Journe Year: 2001 Case No: 158/01T Model Name: Tourbillon Souverain Material: Platinum Calibre: Manual, cal. 1498, 25 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Alligator Clasp/Buckle: Platinum F.P. Journe buckle Dimensions: 38mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by F.P. Journe Certificate of Authenticity and presentation box.
Catalogue Essay
In just over 20 years, Francois-Paul Journe has gone from being a budding artisanal watchmaker known by a handful of cognoscenti, to a name who shares the spotlight with auction behemoths such as Patek Philippe and Rolex, all while maintaining the artisanal and pure watchmaking genetic codes of his first years.
Fascinated by tourbillon watches, Journe decided to transpose Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention into a wristwatch but also to improve it with the addition of a remontoire system - a constant force device used to provide an equal amount of energy disregarding the winding level of the mainspring, thus resulting in greater accuracy and amplitude. The first prototype was completed in 1991 with little, if any fanfare from the industry. He revisited his tourbillon wristwatch in 1999 in order to fund the launch of his eponymous brand and used a subscription system for his first twenty tourbillon wristwatches, each individually numbered on the dial. These were offered to his close friends and clients.
The present Tourbillon à Remontoire d’Egalité is one of the earlier production pieces dating from 2001. The majority of Journe’s Tourbillon models were made with yellow gold dials and the present example is one of the very rare examples made with a white gold dial giving the watch a superbly stealth monochrome look.
Founded by watchmaker François-Paul Journe in 1999, the F.P. Journe brand is relatively young, but already is as highly regarded by collectors as many distinguished manufacturers with centuries-old heritage. In the minds of the world's savviest collectors, Journe is producing some of the finest wristwatches the market has ever seen. Mastering his craft from restoring historical timepieces, he was the first to create a wristwatch incorporating two escapements that benefit from the phenomenon of resonance — the Chronomètre à Résonance.
Key models include the Résonance, tourbillon wristwatches incorporating a remontoir and the limited edition Vagabondage series. Especially sought-after are his earliest "souscription" watches, made in 1999.