F.P. Journe debuted in 1999 as an independent watchmaker and with that, his inaugural Tourbillon Souverain was also unveiled, featuring a world premiere remontoire system. A true revolution, Journe’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of haute horology pulled the heartstrings of both critics and collectors, and by 2004, his ingeniousness was taken to a whole new level as he radicalised the way we see tourbillons with the addition of a deadbeat seconds, which became the Remontoire d’Egalité avec Seconde Morte.

Encased in a 38mm stainless steel case, the present Tourbillon Souverain is indeed part of the highly exclusive boxset of five limited edition timepieces, made to mark the discontinuation of Journe’s 38mm watches. While the other watches in this set are equipped with movements indistinguishable to those in the regular production models, the movement in this tourbillon is unique. First generation F.P. Journe tourbillons (1999-2003) are strictly fitted with the conventional brass movements with a ‘Remontoir d’Egalité’; rather than a dead-seconds complication as per the pink gold movements in the current production. As a nod to his original design, Journe combines the two in the 2015 stainless steel tourbillon, resulting in a movement that is mechanically identical the initial brass cal. 1498 with a base plate and bridges in pink gold. Incrediby rare, only the 38-piece limited edition steel tourbillons will ever have this movement.

Moving onto the dial, the tastefully executed layout draws attention to each individual feature without overcrowding the brilliant bronze-coloured canvas. The one-second Rementoir d'Egalité system is deliberately placed in line with the hours and minutes dial which suggests it is an equal counterpart to the time display. Visible via the large aperture, it emphasises its status as a complication as it provides a constant force to the escapement, acting as a transmission and balancing system for the transfer of power between the mainspring and the escapement. The two large apertures invite its wearer to peek into the fantastic movement within, along with its striking perlage finishes.

Numbered 27 of a limited edition of 38 examples, the present Tourbillon Souverain offers the ideal opportunity for connoisseurs to acquire a well-preserved and esteemed masterpiece. It is extremely rare for luxury watches to be encased in steel and other watches from the set, including the Octa Réserve de Marche, the Octa Calendrier, the Chronomètre Souverain and the Chronomètre à Résonance are all available in our current auction.