Manufacturer: F.P. Journe Year: 2014 Reference No: T30 Case No: 15/99 Model Name: 30th Anniversary Tourbillon Material: Silver and 18K pink gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 1412, 19 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18K pink gold F.P. Journe pin buckle Dimensions: 40mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and (buckle) signed Accessories: Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity dated January 8, 2014, presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
In 1977, after finishing his studies at watchmaking school, a young François-Paul Journe apprenticed to his uncle Michel assisting with the repair and restoration of antique clocks. During this time he was exposed to some of the greatest horological inventions: tourbillons, minute repeaters, and the grand and petite Sonnerie. It’s not easy to imagine now that they are so ubiquitous, but at the time, no modern watchmaker was building tourbillons other than the great George Daniels (a mentor and later friend of François-Paul Journe). Inspired by these ancient masters of horology, Journe began the painstaking and difficult task of building his own tourbillon pocket watch, using his uncle’s workshop and tools during the weekend, and he finally completed it at the beginning of 1983.
To celebrate thirty years since he set out to create unique masterpieces a this remarkable feat, Journe decided to produce ninety-nine examples of a tourbillon wristwatch – of which the present example is number 15 - directly inspired by this original pocket watch. Journe decided to use the same metals he had used 30 years prior: a guilloché case in silver enhanced by a front and back bezel in pink gold. Furthermore the hunter caseback is also guilloché. And a brilliant, radiating guilloché pattern encircles the number of the watch on the outside of the hunter caseback.
The layout of the dial is almost exactly the same as the original pocket watch, only shrunk to fit a 40mm case. To recreate the pocket watch dial, Journe employed the technique of engraving the dial and then filling the engravings with lacquer, something usually associated with the finest vintage wristwatches and pocket watches. The tourbillon is hidden in the back and can be admired when the hunter caseback is opened. The movement is made in grained and gilded brass, identical to the original of 1983 with two parallel barrels to distribute the energy. The detent escapement of the original pocket watch has been replaced by a lateral pallet escapement. A historically relevant timepiece and a must have for the Journe collector the present T30 is number 15 of a limited edition of 99 pieces, one of the earliest examples to ever appear in the auction market. The T30 is one of two tourbillon models ever produced by Journe where the escapement is not visible from the dial side.
Founded 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.
Ref. T30 An extraordinarily rare, inventive, and historically important silver and pink gold tourbillon wristwatch with hinged caseback, certificate, and presentation box, number 15 of a limited edition of 99 pieces
2014 40mm Diameter Case, dial, movement and (buckle) signed