108
F.P. Journe
Octa Réserve de Marche "Prototype"
An extremely rare, very early, and exceptional prototype platinum automatic wristwatch with asymmetric hour and minute display, large date aperture, power reserve, gold dial, brass movement, and certificate of authenticity, numbered ‘Proto/00A’
Estimate
In excess of $500,000
Manufacturer
F.P. Journe
Year
2000, Switzerland
Case No
No. Proto / 00A
Model Name
Octa Réserve de Marche "Prototype"
Material
Platinum
Calibre
Automatic, cal. 1300, 30 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
Leather
Clasp/Buckle
Platinum F.P. Journe pin buckle
Dimensions
38mm Diameter
Signed
Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
Accessories
Certificate of authenticity signed by François-Paul Journe dated September 23rd, 2019.
Full-Cataloguing
GOOD TO KNOW
• Early Journe protoype, one of three examples made
• Case stamped ‘No. Proto / 00A’
• Earliest incarnation of the caliber 1300 with straight Côtes de Genève finishing
If the Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance demonstrated Journe's mastery of chronometry, the Octa represented an altogether different challenge: the creation of an automatic movement conceived for everyday use, yet uncompromising in its technical ambition. Introduced commercially in 2001, the revolutionary calibre 1300 offered an extraordinary chronometric power reserve of 120 hours while providing an architecture sufficiently adaptable to accommodate numerous complications without substantially altering its dimensions. It was a remarkably forward-thinking concept and would ultimately provide the mechanical foundation upon which an entire family of F.P. Journe wristwatches was built.
Believed to have been first conceived on a napkin in 1994, these seminal pieces were available in a 38mm platinum cases and were fitted with 18K gold dials. Journe himself says regarding the development of the Octa:
“The creation of the Octa calibre was a real challenge for me, partly in terms of chronometry and timekeeping, but also in terms of respect of day-to-day comfort. I thus devised an automatic winding mechanical movement with a large power-reserve that could incorporate many future complications within the same volume.”
Though no stranger to horological challenges, what is particularly incredible about the Octa is the foresight of its creator in creating an adaptable movement and case. It displays Journe’s confidence in the longevity of his own brand, and his technological aptitude.
The present watch predates that commercial introduction and represents an exceptionally rare surviving chapter in the development of the Octa. Dating to 2000 and bearing the extraordinary case number “No. Proto / 00A,” it is one of only three prototypes believed to have been produced before the model entered serial production. These prototypes were given to longstanding members of the board of F.P. Journe who supported the young manufacture during its formative years. Two of the prototypes – including this one – are known to the public, while the other example has a more “matte” dial. The dial of the present watch is fitted with the subtly luminescent, grained gold dial and bright, sparkling timekeeping dial that experienced Journe collectors adore.
At first glance, the watch already possesses virtually all of the characteristics that would come to define the early Octa Réserve de Marche: the compact 38mm platinum case, asymmetric display of the hours and minutes, oversized date aperture, power reserve indication, and solid gold dial. Turning the watch over, however, reveals its remarkable experimental character. Visible beneath the sapphire caseback is the earliest incarnation of the automatic calibre 1300, constructed with rhodium-plated brass bridges and plates rather than the 18K pink gold construction that would later become synonymous with F.P. Journe. Even among early brass-movement Octas, the prototype displays fascinating details of its own, including straight Côtes de Genève across the bridges rather than the circular striping encountered on subsequent examples.
More than simply an exceptionally rare variation of an important F.P. Journe model, the present watch is a tangible artifact from the formative years of the manufacture. It documents the development of Journe's first automatic calibre before the Octa entered production and before the manufacture grew into the institution it is today. The present “No. Proto / 00A” offers collectors an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the foundational prototypes of François-Paul Journe's early career.
• Early Journe protoype, one of three examples made
• Case stamped ‘No. Proto / 00A’
• Earliest incarnation of the caliber 1300 with straight Côtes de Genève finishing
If the Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance demonstrated Journe's mastery of chronometry, the Octa represented an altogether different challenge: the creation of an automatic movement conceived for everyday use, yet uncompromising in its technical ambition. Introduced commercially in 2001, the revolutionary calibre 1300 offered an extraordinary chronometric power reserve of 120 hours while providing an architecture sufficiently adaptable to accommodate numerous complications without substantially altering its dimensions. It was a remarkably forward-thinking concept and would ultimately provide the mechanical foundation upon which an entire family of F.P. Journe wristwatches was built.
Believed to have been first conceived on a napkin in 1994, these seminal pieces were available in a 38mm platinum cases and were fitted with 18K gold dials. Journe himself says regarding the development of the Octa:
“The creation of the Octa calibre was a real challenge for me, partly in terms of chronometry and timekeeping, but also in terms of respect of day-to-day comfort. I thus devised an automatic winding mechanical movement with a large power-reserve that could incorporate many future complications within the same volume.”
Though no stranger to horological challenges, what is particularly incredible about the Octa is the foresight of its creator in creating an adaptable movement and case. It displays Journe’s confidence in the longevity of his own brand, and his technological aptitude.
The present watch predates that commercial introduction and represents an exceptionally rare surviving chapter in the development of the Octa. Dating to 2000 and bearing the extraordinary case number “No. Proto / 00A,” it is one of only three prototypes believed to have been produced before the model entered serial production. These prototypes were given to longstanding members of the board of F.P. Journe who supported the young manufacture during its formative years. Two of the prototypes – including this one – are known to the public, while the other example has a more “matte” dial. The dial of the present watch is fitted with the subtly luminescent, grained gold dial and bright, sparkling timekeeping dial that experienced Journe collectors adore.
At first glance, the watch already possesses virtually all of the characteristics that would come to define the early Octa Réserve de Marche: the compact 38mm platinum case, asymmetric display of the hours and minutes, oversized date aperture, power reserve indication, and solid gold dial. Turning the watch over, however, reveals its remarkable experimental character. Visible beneath the sapphire caseback is the earliest incarnation of the automatic calibre 1300, constructed with rhodium-plated brass bridges and plates rather than the 18K pink gold construction that would later become synonymous with F.P. Journe. Even among early brass-movement Octas, the prototype displays fascinating details of its own, including straight Côtes de Genève across the bridges rather than the circular striping encountered on subsequent examples.
More than simply an exceptionally rare variation of an important F.P. Journe model, the present watch is a tangible artifact from the formative years of the manufacture. It documents the development of Journe's first automatic calibre before the Octa entered production and before the manufacture grew into the institution it is today. The present “No. Proto / 00A” offers collectors an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the foundational prototypes of François-Paul Journe's early career.
F.P. Journe
Swiss | 1999Founded by watchmaker François-Paul Journe in 1999, the F.P. Journe brand is relatively young, but already is as highly regarded by collectors as many distinguished manufacturers with centuries-old heritage. In the minds of the world's savviest collectors, Journe is producing some of the finest wristwatches the market has ever seen. Mastering his craft from restoring historical timepieces, he was the first to create a wristwatch incorporating two escapements that benefit from the phenomenon of resonance — the Chronomètre à Résonance.
Key models include the Résonance, tourbillon wristwatches incorporating a remontoir and the limited edition Vagabondage series. Especially sought-after are his earliest "souscription" watches, made in 1999.