So you’ve bought a Patek, maybe an Audemars Piguet, a few Rolexes, or a Vacheron Constantin. You think you’ve seen it all and are ready to move on to brighter horizons — and then you stumble on F.P. Journe.
Arguably the father of the modern independent watchmaking renaissance, Journe has paved the road for countless other small manufactures to make a name for themselves and share their creative eye with the industry. Indeed, Journe’s legacy truly extends far beyond the watches he’s designed and executed.
Leaving school early to study watchmaking and working in his uncle’s clock repair shop, Journe discovered his knack for all things horology at a young age. Studying the works of Breguet and George Daniels, he had an eye for complication and classicism that would go on to influence the look of his later creations.
After completing his studies and designing a number of specially commissioned pieces for private clients, Journe decided to set out on his own crafting wristwatches. Never one to slack off, his earliest designs were tourbillons with constant-force remontoirs — mechanically sophisticated complications that are extremely difficult to execute. The ambitious young watchmaker was already punching well above his weight, and by the time he started his own eponymous brand, collectors were excited about his promise.
The Octa Reserve de Marche, introduced in 2001, was Journe’s first watch with automatic winding and over 120 hours of power reserve. A guilloché dial center, Journe’s signature typeface, and the funky layout of the watch all come together to present a luxurious but distinctive look.
While the Octa Reserve is an excellent watch no matter the configuration, this particular piece is a cut above due to its smaller 38mm rose gold case, which wears beautifully on a wide variety of wrists due to its shorter lug profile. Featuring a signed crown, a sapphire crystal, and a smooth bezel, it’s adorned with a grained, 18K rose gold dial with main timekeeping and subseconds dials between 2 and 5 o’clock; an outsize date window at 11 o’clock; and a power reserve indicator between 9 and 11 o’clock. (Despite the 120 hours of displayed power reserve, the watch will remain running for closer to 180 hours. Journe only advertised 120 hours because he wanted to display power for the portion of reserve in which the watch would maintain extreme timekeeping precision.) Blued steel hands complete the elegant picture.
Powering the watch is the FPJ Calibre 1300, an automatic movement with a 22k gold winding rotor visible via a sapphire caseback. Hand-finished to perfection and developed in-house, this stunning movement is ample proof of Journe’s horological prowess and artistic acumen. Finishing the package, meanwhile, is a signed, turquoise blue alligator strap with a signed, rose gold pin buckle; the watch also comes with its factory goodies.
