F. P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain, 38mm, Platinum

The white-gold dial forgoes F.P Journe's traditional Clous de Paris pattern, in favour of a highly-refined aesthetic. It features a solid, 18-carat white-gold base, with a fine, granular texture. The embossed, integrated Arabic numerals are surfaced with a diamond tool, creating a mirror-like finish, forming a contrast against the off-white hue of the dial. A five-layer, pad printing technique transfers the time indications and classic F.P Journe logo, complementing the silvered, opaline appearance. The signature F.P. Journe style hands are rhodium-plated steel, in subtle uniformity with the dial. Between 7 and 8 o’clock is a subsidiary seconds, with power-reserve indication at 3 o’clock. Overall, the dial layout is cleanly designed and legible.

An interesting aspect of this timepiece lies in the power reserve, as when winding, instead of the indicator heading from 0-56, it goes the other way towards 0. This was deliberate by F.P. Journe, who borrowed this from marine chronometer clocks. The reasoning behind this lies in the idea that the power reserve indicator on this Chronomètre Souverain is not meant to tell you how many hours there are left, but instead how many hours since you have wound the watch.

While this piece is undeniably attractive, it is the movement that F.P. Journe is famed for. It is certainly independent haute horlogerie at its finest, as the in house, Calibre 1304 is made entirely of 18-carat rose-gold, seen through the sapphire case-back. The movement has two mainspring barrels in parallel, which work together, powering the movement.

Most impressively, is the chronometric balance fitted into the movement, which helps to provide the accuracy that F.P. Journe has based his watchmaking around. The hand finishing is expertly conducted, mixing a combination of circular graining with sunburst and wave patterns. All screw heads are polished and all edges neatly chamfered with a Côte de Genève motif on the bridges. 

In 2005, this watch won the ‘Favourite Men’s Watch’ award the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève), the most prestigious award ceremony in the watch industry.

This watch comes with an Istanbul nubuck strap with curved-ends (measuring 20 x 19mm), along with its original black alligator strap and platinum tang buckle.

Viewings can be arranged in Central London by appointment only.

Closer look

Brand:	F. P. Journe
Model:	Chronomètre Souverain
Movement:	mechanical manual-winding in-house Calibre 1304
Functions:	power reserve, hours, minutes, sub-seconds
Features:	rhodium plated steel hands, white-gold dial, display-back
Case:	custom-order 38 mm platinum
Crystal:	sapphire front and back
Strap:	curved Istanbul nubuck strap; black alligator strap from F.P. Journe, platinum F.P Journe buckle
Lug/buckle width:	20/19mm
Year:	August 2017
Box & papers:	box, warranty card and product literature