From his ground-breaking Tourbillon and Résonance models in 1999 and 2000, to his Répétition Souveraine, F. P. Journe launched a contemporary brand with now iconic timepieces revered as much for their technical innovations as they are for their classic designs. In development for more than eight years, the Élégante, initially launched as Journe’s first collection for women, is a masterful 21st century horological solution to the quartz movement and perfectly fits the philosophy of the master horologist.

The Élégante has garnered the attention of many with soaring demand and long waiting lists in recent times. Equipped with a proprietary electro-mechanical movement that features a motion detector visible on the dial through an aperture at 4:30, the watch can conserve its energy by stopping the hands and motors while keeping time in its internal memory. Once the watch is moved again, it awakens and miraculously readjusts to the current time by taking the shortest path—either clockwise or counterclockwise. Furthermore, the luminous dial provides the ability for the wearer to view the entire dial at night with ultimate legibility.

The present Élégante is incredibly rare – the only known platinum production Élégante to ever be offered at auction. Believed to have been made in very few examples during the first year of the Elegante’s production, the platinum case is highlighted by the diamond-set case sides and lugs. Offered by the original owner with its full accessories, this fresh-to-market Élégante presents an exciting opportunity for the discerning collector to own an Élégante that very few knew existed.