10Σ︎
F.P. Journe
Tourbillon “Souscription, No. 13”
A historically important, impressively well-preserved, and seminal platinum tourbillon wristwatch with remontoir d’egalité, number 13 of a 20 piece souscription series
Estimate
In excess of $1,000,000
Manufacturer
F.P. Journe
Year
1999, Switzerland
Case No
No. 13
Model Name
Tourbillon “Souscription, No. 13”
Material
Platinum
Calibre
Manual, cal. 1498, 25 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
Crocodile
Clasp/Buckle
Platinum F.P. Journe buckle
Dimensions
38mm Diameter
Signed
Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
Accessories
Accompanied by original F.P. Journe souscription contract dating to 1998 and signed by F.P. Journe, 3-part burlwood presentation box, product literature, and original outer box with handwritten configuration and serial number.
Full-Cataloguing
GOOD TO KNOW
• Number 13 souscription Tourbillon Souverain, part of the first 20 pieces made to finance the launch of the F.P. Journe brand
• With original presentation box, packaging, and souscription contract
• Shiny, hand-finished yellow gold dial, shallow caseback engravings, and numbered on the dial
• Outstanding state of preservation
Born on March 22nd, François-Paul Journe is an Aries – and his journey from potential butcher in Marseille to antique clock restorer to small independent watchmaker to the leader of the most desirable independent watch brand in the world comes with all the unfettered determination and passion of those who share this same Zodiac sign.
Journe opened his own workshop in 1985 making private commissions and repairing watches. His first pocket watch, made by his own hand, was a tourbillon – and this horological feature would go on to be intrinsic to the seminal model which launched his brand.
Journe decided to transpose Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention into a wristwatch but also to improve it via the addition of a remontoir system - a constant force device used to provide an equal amount of energy no matter the winding level of the mainspring, thus resulting in greater accuracy and amplitude. This was the very first time this system, invented by John Harrison for the H2 marine chronometer, was ever used in a wristwatch.
The first prototype was made in 1991 (he subsequently made two more) but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that Journe decided to set out to create his eponymous brand. He left Paris for Geneva where he believed it would be easier to produce a series of watches and opened his first atelier on the Rue des Maraichers.
Journe also faced a new problem: how to finance the launch of his brand and the creation of his first model. A friend suggested that he use the subscription system already used by the great Abraham-Louis Breguet whereby a few trusting clients would make a down payment for a watch that had not been made in exchange for a discount on the retail price. This would allow Journe to finance his workshops, tools, and components.
Journe thus made his first 20 “Souscription” (subscription in French) tourbillons delivered in 1999, each featuring its individual number on the dial. In 1998, he solicited a handful of wealthy private clients, with the promise in the contract to have the first right to purchase subsequent creations, for the price of 25,000 CHF. An additional 2,500 CHF would be charged upon delivery for the option of a platinum case, buckle, and crown, dependent on the price of platinum at the time.
When inspecting the legendary 15/93 alongside the souscription series, one can see each element as it was refined or transformed into what would become Journe’s current brand ethos. Since the launch of the souscription tourbillons in 1999, very little has changed in terms of the broader design language. However, tiny details within the souscription series set them apart from later generations of tourbillons.
Firstly, the dials. Made of gold treated with a satin finish, the known dials are in yellow gold exclusively. They are highly reflective and bear signs of hand-finishing – almost like fine brush strokes upon the dial. The souscription number is stamped to the right of the power reserve, which has notably smaller fonts than later examples.
The cases. Though it wasn’t until 2003 that Journe would offer his watches in 40mm, the known souscription pieces are 38mm, though this measurement is not explicitly stated in the contract. They have the souscription number repeated in small, italic engraving on the caseback, coupled with very shallow case engravings throughout.
These 20 timepieces are often considered the “genesis” of the F.P. Journe brand, and indeed, their creation and subsequent success gave Journe the financial confidence to create all subsequent masterpieces for commercial consumption. No longer “making pearls for swine”, he was able to realize his dream of making the watches that inspired and challenged him. So to say that the souscription tourbillons are the genesis of the brand is limiting. Really, they are the launchpad to a lifelong dream, propelling his brand into the next millennium.
Number 13 comes to market 3.5 years after the last publicly offered Souscription Tourbillon. It had previously appeared on the market in 2021, and reappears at a time of dramatic, yet long overdue, appreciation for the brand. It is an incredible timepiece, accompanied by its original souscription contract, original 3-part burlwood presentation box, and even the hand-numbered cardboard outer box. Its historical importance – for the brand F.P. Journe and horology as a whole – as well as a delightfully aged yellow gold dial, well-preserved case, and significant and auspicious “13” designation, makes it the top contender for the crown jewel of any independent watch collection.
• Number 13 souscription Tourbillon Souverain, part of the first 20 pieces made to finance the launch of the F.P. Journe brand
• With original presentation box, packaging, and souscription contract
• Shiny, hand-finished yellow gold dial, shallow caseback engravings, and numbered on the dial
• Outstanding state of preservation
Born on March 22nd, François-Paul Journe is an Aries – and his journey from potential butcher in Marseille to antique clock restorer to small independent watchmaker to the leader of the most desirable independent watch brand in the world comes with all the unfettered determination and passion of those who share this same Zodiac sign.
Journe opened his own workshop in 1985 making private commissions and repairing watches. His first pocket watch, made by his own hand, was a tourbillon – and this horological feature would go on to be intrinsic to the seminal model which launched his brand.
Journe decided to transpose Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention into a wristwatch but also to improve it via the addition of a remontoir system - a constant force device used to provide an equal amount of energy no matter the winding level of the mainspring, thus resulting in greater accuracy and amplitude. This was the very first time this system, invented by John Harrison for the H2 marine chronometer, was ever used in a wristwatch.
The first prototype was made in 1991 (he subsequently made two more) but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that Journe decided to set out to create his eponymous brand. He left Paris for Geneva where he believed it would be easier to produce a series of watches and opened his first atelier on the Rue des Maraichers.
Journe also faced a new problem: how to finance the launch of his brand and the creation of his first model. A friend suggested that he use the subscription system already used by the great Abraham-Louis Breguet whereby a few trusting clients would make a down payment for a watch that had not been made in exchange for a discount on the retail price. This would allow Journe to finance his workshops, tools, and components.
Journe thus made his first 20 “Souscription” (subscription in French) tourbillons delivered in 1999, each featuring its individual number on the dial. In 1998, he solicited a handful of wealthy private clients, with the promise in the contract to have the first right to purchase subsequent creations, for the price of 25,000 CHF. An additional 2,500 CHF would be charged upon delivery for the option of a platinum case, buckle, and crown, dependent on the price of platinum at the time.
When inspecting the legendary 15/93 alongside the souscription series, one can see each element as it was refined or transformed into what would become Journe’s current brand ethos. Since the launch of the souscription tourbillons in 1999, very little has changed in terms of the broader design language. However, tiny details within the souscription series set them apart from later generations of tourbillons.
Firstly, the dials. Made of gold treated with a satin finish, the known dials are in yellow gold exclusively. They are highly reflective and bear signs of hand-finishing – almost like fine brush strokes upon the dial. The souscription number is stamped to the right of the power reserve, which has notably smaller fonts than later examples.
The cases. Though it wasn’t until 2003 that Journe would offer his watches in 40mm, the known souscription pieces are 38mm, though this measurement is not explicitly stated in the contract. They have the souscription number repeated in small, italic engraving on the caseback, coupled with very shallow case engravings throughout.
These 20 timepieces are often considered the “genesis” of the F.P. Journe brand, and indeed, their creation and subsequent success gave Journe the financial confidence to create all subsequent masterpieces for commercial consumption. No longer “making pearls for swine”, he was able to realize his dream of making the watches that inspired and challenged him. So to say that the souscription tourbillons are the genesis of the brand is limiting. Really, they are the launchpad to a lifelong dream, propelling his brand into the next millennium.
Number 13 comes to market 3.5 years after the last publicly offered Souscription Tourbillon. It had previously appeared on the market in 2021, and reappears at a time of dramatic, yet long overdue, appreciation for the brand. It is an incredible timepiece, accompanied by its original souscription contract, original 3-part burlwood presentation box, and even the hand-numbered cardboard outer box. Its historical importance – for the brand F.P. Journe and horology as a whole – as well as a delightfully aged yellow gold dial, well-preserved case, and significant and auspicious “13” designation, makes it the top contender for the crown jewel of any independent watch collection.
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.