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A Movement That Created a Collection: The Octa
In 2001, François-Paul Journe released the 3rd model under his brand name F.P. Journe. Whereas the first two were manual-winding movements, being the Tourbillon & Resonance, the choice to debut his 3rd as an automatic was one obviously taken in order to reach a wider audience. He named it “Octa” and referenced it as caliber…
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Traveling Through Time with F.P. Journe’s Resonance: Part 2
Recapping Part 1; we took a look at the occurrence of Resonance in watchmaking history right up to François-Paul Journe’s first encounter with one of Breguet’s double pendulum clocks; ending with Mr. Journe’s determination to make the first ever wristwatch to make use of the phenomenon. Following, we continue specifically with F.P. Journe’s Resonance wristwatch…
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F.P. Journe’s Moonphase: Gaining a New Appreciation
When it comes to pure poetry, it’s difficult to top a moonphase complication. To start, a watch alone is poetic and there’s nostalgia in it, but add a moonphase onto the dial and it becomes a lot more. I’d say that for many people who first jump into this hobby, a moonphase is definitely…
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When Two Geniuses Meet: François-Paul Recounts Meeting Ray Charles
If you’ve ever attended one of F.P. Journe’s annual January shows, you might have noticed some background music playing. If you have, or haven’t, then the next time you go, try to listen closely and you might pick up on a rather well-known song called, “Georgia on my Mind” by Ray Charles. As someone who…
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F.P. Journe Prototypes and the N°000 Resonance
The Chronomètre Résonance was first released in 2000 as the second model in the Montres Journe SA collection, only one year into the brand’s existence. Whereas I’ve recently wrote an article on the history of Journe & Resonance, let’s take a closer look at N°000, for it is far more interesting than one would…
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Interview: François-Paul Hints at his Latest Masterpiece
Last year, F.P. Journe officially announced that the brand’s top-tier Sonnerie Souveraine would be completely discontinued by the end of 2018. The decision to discontinue the Masterpiece would pave the way for the Sonnerie’s replacement, shortly after. You can find the original press release here. During my recent trip to Geneva, I had a…
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In Pursuit of Precision: Breaking Down the Chronométre Optimum
Wind the clock back nearly 200 years to the 18th century and you enter what is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of watchmaking. It was during this period where the works of some of the most prominent watchmakers to ever roam could be sourced back to, and you will come across names…
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Traveling Through Time with F.P. Journe’s Resonance: Part 1
It is fair to say that alongside the Tourbillon Souverain, the Chronomètre à Résonance is one of the most cherished F.P. Journe timepieces within the world of Journe collectors. First introduced at Baselworld in 2000, it has gone through an array of changes over the years but still remains one of the most unique creations…
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Deep Discussions with François-Paul Journe
In the past, I have had the honor of interviewing François-Paul over various topics and through several events (more to be posted). We often speak about watches which is a fair topic to discuss but to me, I’ve always pushed to interview the man for whom and what he is. It’s the more personal…
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Found: A Resonance with a Case Ordered in 1999
I recall my first trip to Geneva in 2016 and one evening I was sitting next to one of François-Paul’s good friends. We were in the middle of a conversation and I couldn’t help but notice (obviously) that he was wearing an early Resonance; very early since the dial had a very glamorous sheen to…