François-Paul Journe is a modern master who brings technical skill and innovation to wristwatches that are classically designed with a contemporary vibe. His company was established in 1999 and follows the motto “Invenit et Fecit” ([He] invented it and made it), an indication the brands’ watches are both designed and produced in-house. His first Tourbillon Souverain Remointoir d’Egalité was designated as the “T”, and in 2003, Journe pushed the boundaries of his timekeeping masterpiece further, upgrading the “T” to the “TN” model (“Tourbillon Nouveau”) – the Tourbillon Souverain Remontoire d’Egalité avec Seconde Morte.

“Seconde Morte,” the art of making time stand still, is the French term for “dead beat seconds.” This complication requires the utmost precision to reliably stop and restart the seconds hand as the escapement continues to beat – not moving until one second has elapsed, then jumping forward to the next second. The combination of a tourbillon with a constant force mechanism created a timepiece designed for precision timekeeping. With an 18 karat pink gold movement, and cased predominantly in platinum as well as pink gold, the 40mm Tourbillon Souverain was discontinued in 2018.

Offered for the first time at auction by the original owner, the present tourbillon is powered by the in-house, manually wound 18 karat pink gold caliber 1304, featuring a central twin barrel for 56 hours of power reserve. It also features the coveted and extremely elegant pink gold bracelet. The present pink gold example was freshly serviced by F.P. Journe and is offered with its authentication certificate and original presentation box.

CONSIGNED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER