F.P. Journe - The New York Watch Auction: NINE New York Saturday, December 9, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: F.P. Journe
    Year: 1999
    Case No: No. 43 / 99T
    Model Name: Tourbillon Souverain
    Material: Platinum
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 1498, 25 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
    Clasp/Buckle: Platinum F.P. Journe pin buckle
    Dimensions: 38mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by original F.P. Journe guarantee card dated March 31st, 2000, instruction manual, original fitted wooden presentation box, and original white outer box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    F.P. Journe’s interpretation of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s masterful invention of the tourbillon has catapulted his creations into the most esteemed and venerable collections worldwide. He completed his first tourbillon wristwatch, Tourbillon No. 1, in 1991, to little if any fanfare from the industry. He revisited his tourbillon wristwatch in 1999 to fund the launch of his own eponymous brand – with a very different outcome. He sought to fund the acquisition of a workspace in the heart of Geneva where he would be able to finally create watches under his own name, after years of working on projects for other brands. Once again taking after Breguet, he implemented a “Souscription” model: the client would pay a portion up front, without seeing the watch, and Journe would complete and deliver the watch at a later date.

    At Baselworld in 1999, Journe officially presented his Tourbillon Souverain, the very first wristwatch tourbillon with a remontoire, which would start him on the path to his present success. Launching the Chronomètre à Resonance in 2000, the Octa collection in 2001, and the superb Grand et Petit Sonnerie in 2006 – and in contrast to his first Tourbillon, the intervening six years had seen appetites grow for handmade, high-end watchmaking with true individuality. Collectors, retailers, and enthusiasts were enamored with Journe’s vision, and through a sprawling global network of retailers, Journe was not only able to establish a workshop, but a reputation as one of the greatest living independent watchmakers.

    The original owner of the following two lots – and indeed his successor, the present lots’ consignor – was no doubt one of those for whom Journe’s vision resonated. Almost unheard of at the time, he purchased both the Tourbillon and the Resonance within two months of each other, the T in March of 2000 and the R in May of 2000, both from the same Geneva-based retailer.

    A set like this is unprecedented in the realm of collecting F.P. Journe. Not only do both watches have matching serial numbers, but they are also both complete with all the original accessories that would have accompanied the watches upon their delivery in 2000. Having seen only two owners in the past 23 years, they have been carefully and sparingly worn and cherished. Even more extraordinary, both watches have never been serviced or experienced any intervention. They are completely and entirely as they were made at the turn of the millennium – it is very likely, even, that the last person to touch the dial and movements of these two watches was François-Paul himself.

    Being immaculate in their originality, and bearing all the fascinating, early hallmarks of their respective series, this set of Journe’s pioneering creations are sure to spark arguments as to which is the rarer, the more special, the more significant. But those arguments are the ones that are welcomed, for perhaps which side one falls on is more a barometer of personality than a banal discussion of facts.

    Observing, presenting, and sharing these two timepieces of historical value has been a true honor, and Phillips is thrilled to offer both side by side.

    TOURBILLON NO. 43

    Emblematic of the third generation of F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, all with cases ending in /99T, the present Tourbillon No. 43 is a specimen of the highest quality and state of preservation.

    F.P. Journe made his dials out of solid gold, and polished and finished them by hand himself. In the early days of production, he was the only watchmaker designing, finishing, and assembling the watches. This individualism is reflected in the watches themselves, which display many idiosyncrasies and quirks that make them all the more desirable. On the earliest Tourbillons – scholars estimate halfway through the third generation – the dial features a much-sought-after shiny texture, with a layer of reflective lacquer on the dial. This allows the text and elements of the dial to appear as if they are floating above the dial itself. At certain angles, a straight line pattern is evidence of the hand-finishing technique of Journe himself, according to collector lore. Apparently, Journe would polish the dial until he felt tired, then he would stop, leading to a variety of different outcomes in dial texture and color. No. 43 is a rich, deep yellow gold with a slightly rosy patina, covered in a highly lacquered finish and displaying multi-dimensional floating graphics.

    Significant to distinguishing the third generation T from others is the flat remontoire cock visible on the dial. Journe’s incorporation of a visible remontoire almost anchors the two halves of the dial, one for precision timekeeping and one for precision time telling.

    Though the present-day Journe produces cases and dials in-house, as well as most of the components, in the early days these parts were outsourced and then finished in-house by François-Paul. One trick to recognizing early cases that have not experienced any intervention is the presence of slotted screws securing the caseback. Journe transitioned to a special tricorn-style screw that only Journe watchmakers – and those who wish to manufacture their own screwdrivers – have access to, so that the unqualified could not enter the case. Early pieces sent back to the manufacture for service had the early iteration, simple slotted screws, replaced by the updated versions.

    Another characteristic element of the early T cases are the shallow, handmade engravings to the outer rim of the caseback. These are perhaps the most well-known identifier of the first generations of T and one that is easily lost with a few polishes of the case. Tourbillon No. 43, in its unpolished state, perfectly displays the eccentricities of the early hand-engraving, which have an almost unfinished nature. Later cases were engraved using laser technology, and thus lost their imperfectly perfect nature. A sapphire caseback reveals the straight Côtes-de-Genève finishing to the rhodium-plated brass base plate, covering up much of the intricacies of the movement. Brass movements are the tell-tale indicator of any early Journe, having been replaced by full gold movements beginning in 2004.

    In essence, the present Tourbillon No. 43 displays every conceivable detail a Journe aficionado would look for in an all-original third generation T. According to the consignor, the original owner from whom he purchased the pair, ordered the Tourbillon and the next lot, the Résonance, six months apart from the same Geneva retailer, and according to the guarantees, he received them about two and a half months apart in 2000.

  • Artist Biography

    F.P. Journe

    Swiss • 1999

    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.

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Σ110

Numbered 43/99T, a sublime, extremely well-preserved, and important platinum tourbillon wristwatch with remontoire d’egalité, “shiny” yellow gold dial, guarantee, and presentation box

1999
38mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.

Estimate
$500,000 - 1,000,000 
CHF442,000-884,000
€458,000-915,000
HK$3,900,000-7,790,000
S$670,000-1,340,000

Sold for $698,500

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros
Deputy Chairman and Head of Watches, Americas
+1 (212) 940-1293
WatchesNY@Phillips.com
 
Isabella Proia
Head of Sale, New York
+1 (212) 940 1285
iproia@phillips.com

The New York Watch Auction: NINE

New York Auction 9 - 10 December 2023