The PHILLIPS New York Watch Auction: XIII takes place on 6-7 December 2025, at our Park Avenue headquarters. The auction includes more than 140 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it's one of the best catalogues we've ever put together. We'll be highlighting several of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale right here, including the eight F.P. Journe watches seen below.
– By Logan Baker
François-Paul Journe’s story reads like the archetype of the modern independent watchmaker: gifted, rebellious, and completely unwilling to compromise.
He grew up in Marseille, France, and demonstrated a remarkable mechanical aptitude early on, despite school never holding his attention. Everything changed when his uncle, a watchmaker and clock restorer in Paris, brought him into the workshop and gave him a place to learn and work with his hands.
Journe moved to Paris, trained at the Pierre Girard School of Watchmaking, and graduated with top marks in 1976. He then spent close to a decade restoring clocks with his uncle, a period that shaped his respect for traditional mechanics and historical solutions.
When his uncle retired in 1985, Journe opened his own workshop, focusing on creating bespoke timepieces for private clients and major brands, such as Cartier and Piaget. He also began attending Baselworld with the AHCI, often with no watches to show – only the tourbillon wristwatch with remontoir d’égalité he had built for himself in 1991. Collectors eventually took notice, and encouraged by their enthusiasm, he decided to launch a brand under his own name.
Funds were limited, so Journe followed the Souscription (subscription) model once employed by Abraham-Louis Breguet. Collectors placed deposits up front, and Journe delivered their watches later. The first Souscription run of 20 Tourbillon Souverain watches appeared in 1999. A second souscription series, the Chronomètre à Résonance, followed a year later in 2000. These early pieces established the signature ideas that define Journe to this day: inventive mechanics grounded in history, strict control over production, and a clear personal vision.
Journe went on to explore everything from classical complications to less traditional concepts, including the quartz élégante and, more recently, the FFC, born from a conversation with the legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola.
Today, Journe stands as one of the most influential creative forces in contemporary watchmaking. His watches remain both deeply technical and unmistakably personal, and his influence is visible across the entire landscape of independent watchmaking.
The upcoming Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIII brings together a truly mind-blowing selection of 15 different F.P. Journe wristwatches. In recent articles, we've already shown you the two F.P. Journe watches from Francis Ford Coppola's personal collection that will be offered in the sale, including his prototype FFC; the three early "Souscription"-series watches in the catalogue; and two pieces from Journe's extremely rare and desirable "38mm Steel Set" – the final time Journe offered any of his signature models in the 38mm case size.
Now it’s time to look at the remaining eight F.P. Journe watches in the catalogue.
Lot 97: A 2006 F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 'Sincere Fine Watches' Limited Edition in 18k Pink Gold with Black Mother-of-Pearl Dial
Estimate: USD $300,000 - 600,000
The present Chronomètre à Résonance 40mm in 18k pink gold appears, at first glance, to be one of F.P. Journe's later Boutique Edition models, but it actually belongs to an even smaller circle.
The more familiar boutique-edition configuration of the Chronomètre à Résonance with a black dial and pink gold case did not enter production until 2010. Here, the “black” dial reveals something else the moment you turn the watch toward the light. The surface immediately shifts through an endless series of deep, iridescent tones – because it isn’t a conventional black lacquer dial at all. It’s actually an ultra-thin slice of natural black mother-of-pearl.
Black mother-of-pearl, often associated with Tahitian shells, forms only in a tiny fraction of mollusks. It has long been valued for both its beauty and rarity, as it occurs only once in every 10,000 natural white mother-of-pearl shells. The dial's shimmer disappears in low light, but it will immediately flash exotic shades of blue, purple, and other warm sunset colors once it catches the light again. The color-shifting effect suits the Résonance quite well. The complication is already an exercise in subtle complexity, and the dial adds another artful twist.
This piece belongs to a small, limited-edition series created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Singaporean retailer Sincere Fine Watches in the mid-2010s: only 10 Résonance examples were made, along with five Tourbillon Souverain, ten Octa Calendrier, and five Octa Divine watches.
The watch comes with its certificate of authenticity, warranty, and all its original accessories. For anyone who loves early special-series Journe production, the Sincere-edition Résonance is one of the most unusual and visually striking executions of one of his signature watches.
Lot 16: A 2012 F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier 'Black Label' 40mm in Platinum
Estimate: USD $130,000 - 260,000
This Octa Calendrier belongs to Journe's "Black Label" series, a small group of platinum-cased, black-dial watches reserved exclusively for existing F.P. Journe clients.
Collectors must apply through their boutique, and each Black Label reference is produced in extremely limited quantities. In this case, the 40mm platinum case houses Journe’s signature 18k pink-gold self-winding Octa calibre.
Produced from 2005 through 2014, the Octa Calendrier combines an annual calendar with a retrograde-style date display, all set within the familiar asymmetrical layout that defines the Octa collection. A 22k gold off-centered rotor drives the automatic system, maximizing winding efficiency. The watch combines a crisp, contemporary look with unmistakable traditional cues, including blued steel hands for hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as an elegant guilloché pattern on the timekeeping dial.
Only one other 40mm Octa Calendrier Black Label has appeared at auction to date, lending this example added intrigue. Completed in 2012 and delivered through the New York boutique, it comes with its Black Label certificate, instruction manual, and presentation box, and remains in excellent condition.
Lot 91: A 2015 F.P. Journe Chronomètre Optimum in Platinum
Estimate: USD $120,000 - 240,000
The Chronomètre Optimum originated as a concept in 2001, but it didn’t reach production until 2012.
It's Journe’s clearest statement on the importance of precision timekeeping, pulling together solutions he’d refined across earlier models. You'll find the twin barrels of the Chronomètre Souverain alongside the remontoir d’égalité and overcoil hairspring first explored in the Tourbillon Souverain. The Optimum brings all these elements together, then adds an escapement designed specifically for this watch.
The 18k pink gold movement construction hosts his patented BHP, or Bi-Axial High Performance Escapement. Inspired by Abraham-Louis Breguet’s natural escapement, it uses two escape wheels instead of one. This layout, combined with the special geometry of the gear train, enables the escapement to operate without lubrication while enhancing reliability and minimizing wear. The remontoir d’égalité, escape wheels, and pallet fork are all made of titanium to maintain low mass and high efficiency. A dead-beat seconds display is visible through the exhibition caseback, taking its impulse directly from the remontoir.
The present 42mm platinum example dates to 2015 and features an 18k white gold dial. It remains in like-new condition and comes with all its original accessories, offering a clean and complete presentation of one of Journe’s most technically ambitious wristwatches.
Lot 147: A Circa 2002 F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance in 18k Pink Gold with White Gold Dial
Estimate: USD $120,000 - 240,000
The first-generation Chronomètre à Résonance sits at the center of Journe’s early work.
This 38mm version with brass movement traces its roots to the experiments of Antide Janvier, the 18th-century horologist who first experimented with the natural phenomenon of resonance in clocks. Journe began studying the idea in earnest in 1983, building a pocket watch to test the phenomenon. Sixteen years later, he unveiled the wristwatch that carried the concept into modern watchmaking. It was the first-ever wrist-worn expression of resonance.
The movement uses two independent balance wheels. One acts as the exciter, and the other as the resonator. When the watch is running, the balances fall into sync through resonance, and their opposing deviations help stabilize the rate and improve precision.
Journe produced the first-generation Résonance, reference R, from 2000 to 2005. These early pieces all featured rhodium-plated brass movements inside 38mm cases.
A large majority of the second-year Résonance production (identifiable by the -02 suffix on the case number, as seen in the present watch) was placed in platinum cases. The best estimates place the figure at roughly 70-80 percent, which leaves pink-gold examples, such as lot 147, in short supply. What makes this watch even rarer is the striking combination of the pink gold case with a white gold dial – an extremely infrequent configuration.
This example is fresh-to-market and comes with all original accessories.
Lot 89: A 2023 F.P. Journe Octa Divine 'Black Label' 40mm in Platinum
Estimate: USD $70,000 - 140,000
The Octa Divine has held a steady place in the F.P. Journe catalogue since 2003. Across its three generations, it has always relied on the Octa self-winding calibre 1300.3, but each version introduced its own design language and dial architecture.
The first-generation, reference D, ran from 2003 through 2021 in 36mm, 38mm, and 40mm cases. These watches were available with either brass or pink gold movements, always featuring a classic dial layout with printed numerals, a numerical power reserve indicator, running seconds, an oversize date aperture, and a moon-phase display.
The second-generation, reference DN, was introduced in 2017 in both 40mm and 42mm case sizes. These models, including the present watch, exclusively utilize pink-gold movements and feature a trefoil-style dial orientation with printed numerals. The oversize date and power reserve remain the same, while the moon-phase display is now photorealistic.
The third, and current, generation was born in 2023. It maintains the same overall mechanical profile but returns to a classic dial layout, featuring applied gold numerals and a partial guilloché decoration.
This Octa Divine "Black Label" comes from the final year of production for the second generation. Only two examples were delivered that year to the Los Angeles boutique, including the present watch. It remains in excellent condition and includes its Black Label guarantee certificate, international guarantee card, fitted presentation box, and outer box.
Lot 14: A Circa 2020 F.P. Journe LineSport Automatique Réserve No. 001 in Platinum with Blue Dial
Estimate: USD $60,000 - 120,000
Journe introduced the Octa Sport in 2011 after three years of development. The idea came from a longtime client who wanted a watch that was both tough and light enough to wear during a marathon or triathlon. The result was an entirely new model, with a case, bracelet, and movement all crafted from lightweight aluminum and designed for real-world use. The Octa Sport joined the Centigraphe Sport at launch as the inaugural members of the nascent lineSport collection.
In 2014, Journe moved away from the aluminum case and bracelet construction, shifting the outer elements of all lineSport models to grade 5 titanium.
A few years later, in 2018, Journe officially unveiled the second-generation of the Octa Sport concept, the Automatique Réserve 2, in three metals: platinum with a blue mauve dial, 6N red gold with a ruthenium dial, and Grade 5 titanium with either anthracite or yellow accents.
This platinum example measures 44mm across – two millimeters larger than the original version – and includes a new ceramic bezel insert. The dial layout strikes a balance between information and clarity. There's a power reserve display at ten o’clock, a day and night aperture with a soft gradient, an oversize date display, and applied white gold hour markers. Of course, inside it's still the in-house automatic Octa calibre 1300.3 in 18k pink gold, the movement that anchors the entire Octa collection.
The platinum bracelet features a matte sheen and wears comfortably on the wrist, tapering cleanly and providing the watch with a surprising sense of comfort for a piece of this weight.
Delivered through the Tokyo boutique in 2020, this platinum example has a surprise: the case number is 001, a distinction that usually signals it was allocated to an important early client. It is in nearly flawless condition and includes all its original accessories.
Lot 11: A Circa 2022 F.P. Journe élégante 40 in Platinum with Diamond-Setting
Estimate: USD $30,000 - 60,000
From the Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance at the turn of the millennium to the Sonnerie Souveraine and Astronomic Souveraine, F.P. Journe built his reputation on inventions that balanced technical ambition with classical design.
The élégante followed that same line of thinking. It spent more than eight years in development and debuted as his first dedicated collection for women, though it has since found a much broader audience. It offers a modern solution to quartz timekeeping that aligns seamlessly with Journe’s watchmaking philosophy.
The movement is electromechanical and completely proprietary to the F.P. Journe brand. A motion detector is located in an aperture on the dial, positioned near the 4:30 mark. When the watch isn't being worn, it enters a "rest mode," where the hands pause to conserve energy while the internal circuit continues to operate. Once the watch is picked up or moves again, the hands automatically jump to the correct time along the shortest route, either clockwise or counterclockwise. The luminous dial makes the entire display visible in the dark and has become one of the model’s signatures.
This example is especially unusual. It is the only known élégante 40 cased in platinum to appear at auction and is believed to be part of a very small group produced during the model's early years. The platinum case is set with diamonds along its sides and lugs, giving the watch a sharper presence without losing the clean tortue case geometry.
It comes from the original owner, complete with full accessories, and arrives fresh to the market.
Lot 141: A Circa 2020 F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain 40mm in Platinum
Estimate: USD $20,000 - 40,000
The Chronomètre Souverain brings Journe’s work back to the fundamentals of precision timekeeping. The layout is straightforward. Hours and minutes, small seconds, and a power reserve at three o’clock (next to the winding stem). Inside the watch is the thin, manual-wind calibre 1304, a movement featuring two mainspring barrels working in parallel to stabilize torque and improve the chronometric rate.
Journe introduced the Chronomètre Souverain in 2005. Collectors have followed it closely ever since, both for its mechanical clarity and its dial design, which centers around a hobnail guilloché pattern. Interestingly, the power-reserve display is actually inverted from convention, where it indicates the number of hours that have passed since it was last wound, a reference to 19th-century marine chronometers.
This 40mm platinum example is in excellent condition, comes with all its original accessories, and has been consigned by its original owner.
You can view the complete Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIII auction catalogue here.