ThisF.P. JourneChronomtre Souverainis one of only a small number of examples from the brand's current collection housed within a 38mm case, which was approved upon the special request of an existingJourne client. With very few custom ordersaccepted by the manufacture each year, this rose gold Souverain is anunusual combination of F.P Journe's present design, paired with their most classically sized case diameter.

The Chronomtre Souverain

One of the brand's most pared back pieces,this precision chronometer is inspired by the marine chronometers of the early 20th century. TheChronomtre Souverainspeaks to Journe's long-standing commitment to accuracy andrestrained design.

According to Pierre Halimi, the current General Manager for the brand in North America, Journe wanted theChronomtre Souverainto be the very first watch he would launch in 1999, after establishing his eponymous brand. However, he was shrewd enough to realise that he needed to prove his worth as a watchmaker, before he could pursue a passion project such as this. A few years later, having cemented his reputation, the Chronomtre Souverain became a reality.

In 2005, theChronomtre Souverainwon the Favourite Mens Watch award at theGPHG, orGrand Prix dHorlogerie de Genve,the most prestigious award ceremony in the watch industry. Since then, it has established itself as one of the brand's most popular models, withonly a handful of limited pieces being produced, alongside a small number of custom requests from existing clients.

The Design

The dial forgoes Journe's traditional Clous de Paris pattern, instead displaying a fine, granular texture on the surface of the solid gold base. The appliqu Arabic numerals are polished with a diamond tool, creating a mirror-like finish, forming an excellent contrast against the grainy dial. A five-layer pad printing technique is used to transfer the time indications and classic F.P Journe logo, further complementing the silvered, opaline appearance.

The signature F.P. Journe style hands are rose, in uniformity with the hour markers and helping with legibility. Between 7 and 8 oclock is a subsidiary seconds and at 3 oclock is a power reserve indicator which states a power reserve of 56 hours.

An interesting aspect of this timepiece lies in the power reserve, as when winding, instead of the indicator heading from 0 to 56, it goes the other way, towards 0. This was a deliberate choice from Franois-Paul Journewho borrowed the feature from marine chronometer clocks. The reasoning behind this lies in the idea that the power reserve indicator on this Chronomtre Souverain is not meant to tell you how many hours there are left, but instead how many hours have elapsed since you wound the watch.

The distinctive dial is combined with a 38mm F.P. Journe case in rose gold, which was custom ordered by special request, with the case size since no longer in production. With all the original F.P. Journe models, from the Tourbillon Souverain to the Chronomtre Rsonance, having first been released in this size, it holds a special place in thebrand's history.

The Movement

While this piece is undeniably attractive, it is the movement that F.P. Journe is famed for. Part of the manual-winding , it captures the spirit of independent haute horlogerie at its finest, with the in-house calibre 1304being made entirely of 18k rose gold. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the movement has two mainspring barrels in parallel, which work together, powering the movement.

Most impressively, is the chronometric balance fitted into the movement, which helps to provide the accuracy that F.P. Journe has based his watchmaking around. The watchmaker himself explains it as such, "chronometrywas invented by the 18th century English and French watchmakers, when their respective governments organised a competition that would reward the first watchmaker capable of making a timekeeper that could be carried on board a ship."

The hand finishing is expertly conducted, mixing a combination of circular graining with sunburst and wave patterns. All screw heads are polished and all edges neatly chamfered with a Cte de Genve motif on the bridges.

The Set

This F.P. Journe Chronomtre Souverain comes with its originalF.P. Journeboxes and guarantee card. It comes fitted to one of ourstraps with curved-ends, and includes the originalF.P. Journe alligator strap and rose gold pin buckle.

Closer look