Looking back
Prior to launching his own brand, Francois-Paul Journe had already proven his skill as a talented watchmaker. Having spent time restoring clocks and pocket watches, whilst working in his uncle’s Parisian workshop, he had also completed complex commissions for Asprey and Cartier, amongst others. In his own time, the young watchmaker had also assembled his first-ever pocket watch, integrating a tourbillon. In many ways, tackling this complication was his way of paying tribute to the watchmakers which he most respected, notably Abraham-Louis Breguet and George Daniels.
Looking at the tourbillons produced by the two watchmakers, alongside Journe’s first ever watch, the similarities are obvious. From the movement layout to the austere finishing and dramatically oversized blued screws, it becomes clear that Journe not only had a great admiration for both men, but also sought to emulate their work, to some extent. This should come as no surprise, considering the young François-Paul used The Art of Breguet by Daniels, as well as some tutoring from his uncle, to meticulously assemble his very first ever watch, which he completed in 1983.
Thirty years later, in 2013, François-Paul Journe created an homage to his earliest piece. He released the T30, limited to 99 pieces, and the T10, limited to 10 pieces, both of which recreated the movement and dial layout of the pocket watch he’d assembled as a young man. Though both limited editions share the same movement and layout, the T10 has a distinctively more modern design, with its striking two-tone dial and platinum case. It was made in honour of the tenth anniversary of the brand’s first boutique, located in Tokyo, and the opening of their tenth boutique in Beirut. The ten pieces produced were allocated by asking every single boutique to put forward three of their most passionate collectors. From those thirty, only ten were randomly selected and allocated a piece.
It is highly unusual for F.P. Journe to produce a completely new watch, exclusively for a limited edition. In fact, the T30 and T10 remain the only tourbillon wristwatches ever produced by the watchmaker where the movement is completely hidden from the front of the watch. On account of its rarity and contemporary design, the 10 Years Anniversary Tourbillon has become one of the most sought after pieces from the manufacture’s more modern offering.
A Contemporary Design
In the design, Journe used familiar elements from his original pocket watch. It features a striking black and grained silver two-tone dial, with lacquer-filled, engraved Roman numerals and markings. The central-time dial displays a railway-style minute track, with a smaller running-seconds subsidiary dial at 6 o'clock. The hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds are vertically displayed, with the words “F.P. Journe” and “Invenit et Fecit” (Latin for "Invented and Made" or more literally "Designed and built by F.P. Journe") inscribed either side of the two dials. The latter replaces “A Paris”, featured on the original pocket watch.
The watchmaker's signature exposed screws are also visible, including blued steel ones on either side of the hours and minutes sub-dial, bringing a touch of colour to the monochromatic design. Leaning into the classic inspiration for this piece, it features Breguet hands, made out of stainless steel, which match the steel polished circle which fixes the sub-dial into place. The long and slender seconds hand is also made from rhodium plated steel, creating an appealing contrast between the classic and contemporary design elements of this Ten Years Anniversary Tourbillon.
Sized at 40mm, this platinum case features a rounded bezel, thin lugs and the manufacture’s signature flat crown with a rope-like pattern. The entire watch is polished and mirror-finished, while the crown itself is engraved.
The Movement
The sapphire caseback reveals a movement which, at first glance, appears centuries old. Manufactured from softly-grained gilt brass, the movement is further accented by highly-polished and beveled edges - with bridges, plates and large blued screws reminiscent of 19th century Breguet.
The F.P. Journe Calibre 1412 is constructed with 178 components, oscillating at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The movement features 19 working jewels, monometallic balance with 4 inertia weights, a flat anachron balance spring with Breguet overcoil and a fixed stud holder. Two parallel barrels power the tourbillon below. It has a power-reserve of 56 hours.
The Set
This Ten Years Anniversary Tourbillon is accompanied by its original box and Certificate of Origin. It comes on one of our Stockholm grey leather straps (measuring 20 x 19mm), as well as an F.P. Journe alligator strap and platinum tang buckle.
