This rare and importantF.P. Journe Souscription Chronomtre Rsonance is one of the first twenty Rsonance wristwatches offered by Franois-Paul Journe to his clients. These pieces,each individually numbered on the back from 1 to 20, were initially offered to the same friends and clients who purchased the twenty Souscription Tourbillons.

These tourbillons - the first wristwatches made and sold by Journe under his own name - were produced by the watchmaker in order to raise the resourcesneeded to launch his own brand in 1999. Releasing the Chronomtre Rsonance shortly thereafter, Franois-Paul thanked his earliest supporters by offering each owner the opportunity to reserve a Souscription Rsonance with a matching number. This example bears one of the first ten numbers found on any Rsonance.

The Story of the Souscription

Prior to launching his own brand, had already proven his skillas a talented watchmaker. Having spent time restoring clocks and pocket watches from the likes of Janvier and Breguet, he had also completed complex commissions for Asprey and Cartier, among others. In his own time, the young watchmaker had also already assembled a pocket watch integrating a tourbillon, by following the writing of , as well as a handful of prototype wristwatches integrating a tourbillon and remontoir dgalit. However, F.P. Journe had not yet established his own brand, lacking the capital to do so.

One day, while out to lunch, his friend Camille Berthet suggested a subscription model. The idea was simple. A few trusting clients would put the money forward for a watch that was yet to be made. In exchange for this good faith, they would receive a 50% discount on its retail value, allowing Journe to raise just enough money to start the production of pieces under his own eponymous brand. The project behind the Souscription Tourbillon was born, with twenty close clients and friends of the watchmaker committing a deposit, sight unseen. These early wristwatches became the foundation of the manufacture we know today.

With the first prototypes displayed at his first Basel Fair in 1999, the Chronomtre Rsonance followed shortly thereafter.As a gesture to thankhis clients for their early support, those who purchased the Souscription Tourbillons were also offered the chance to buy a Souscription Rsonance, with a matching number engraved on the rear. This is an example of one of the first ten of those pieces, as indicated by the number engraved on the caseback.

THE CHRONOMTRE RSONANCE

The Chronomtre Rsonancemovement is comprised of two balance wheels, inspired by a natural phenomenon called resonance. The complication is explained by thusly;

In a watch, never mind which, there is energy which dissipates. When you listen to a watch, the tic-tac of the balance is dissipating energy. In a resonance chronometer, there are two balance wheels which are placed sufficiently close to one another, and the dissipated energy of each is caught by the other, leading to a unique type of frequency regulation.

The discovery is said to have been made in 1665, by Dutch mathematician Christiaan Hygens, who reported that two pendulum clocks, hanging from the same mounting beam, would beat in such perfect duplicity, that the sound of the escapements were indistinguishable from one another. The concept was later researched and developed by Antide Janvier, to be refined by Abraham-Louis Breguet. Early sceptics suggested that air-resistance played a role, however, extensive testing by Breguet (the first to test a dual-train resonance watch with a double-balance system, placing rings around the balance wheels, to negate the effects of air), and more recently by Franois-Paul, proved this to be untrue.

Whilst the concept was long established, the term resonance was in fact coined by Monsieur Journe himself, likening the phenomenon to that of a stringed musical instrument, which resonates.Initially, unsuccessfully attempted in a pocket watch in 1983, Journe was able to hone the phenomenon of acoustic resonance in a wristwatch some fifteen years later, with the prototypes displayed at the Basel Fair in 1999. Ever since, the model has gained a cult status among collectors.As , an independent watchmaker who previously worked for Journe, put it, When I think of Franois-Paul Journe, I think of the Resonance.

A FOUNDATIONAL DESIGN

The design of this Souscription Rsonance has come to define the visual aesthetic of all Rsonance wristwatches from the manufacture to this very day. It demonstrates a whole range of hand-made details, which lend a sense of craftsmanship and charm to this early piece. Indeed, the dial layout reinforces this artisanal spirit, with exposed screws and stark, contrasting surfaces. This aesthetic was honed by Franois-Paul Journe during the creation of his early prototype wristwatches, which had the sub-dials screwed directly onto the base plate of the movement, made of traditional gold-plated brass.

The yellow gold dial is wonderfully textured and displays two separate silver guilloch dials for the hours and minutes (the two opposing dials capable of displaying multiple time zones). The words Invenit et Fecit are inscribed below the two subsidiary seconds (Latin for Invented and Made or more literally 'Designed and built by F.P. Journe') in classic F.P Journe style - a nod to signing conventions of a century ago. At 12 oclock, a power reserve indicator of 42 hours is displayed, with a thinner font used for the numerals than is found on later models.

The intensity and shimmer of the dials gradually diminish throughout the lifespan of the Rsonance. As with the tourbillon, the production process and lacquer on the dial was progressively upgraded, resulting in dials that didnt oxidise. As is to be expected, this particular example shows a rather remarkable level of intensity and shimmer. It also features early two-tone subdials, where the minute and hour track is silver and the guilloch pattern in the middle is a crisp white colour, which lends further contrast to the design.

The watch is housed in a 38mm platinum case, integrating F.P. Journes signature 'flat crown with a rope-like pattern. The serial number on the back correctly displays the Souscription Rsonances serial number, in the 0XX/00R format.

THE MOVEMENT

This manual-winding, F.P. Journe calibre 1499movement is rhodium-plated brass, with Ctes de Genve, constructed with 36 jewels. It features a resonance-controlled, twin independent gear-train, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic 4-arm balance with 4 timing weights, self-compensating free-sprung flat balance spring, oscillating at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour. Further to this, a winding crown at 12 oclock adjusts both time-zones, with a crown at 4 oclock to synchronise the seconds hands.

THE SET

This F.P. Journe Souscription Chronomtre Rsonancecomes with an original F.P Journe, alligator strap, a bespoke nubuck leather strap with curved ends (measuring 20 x 19mm) and corresponding platinumF.P. Journe tang buckle.It's also accompanied by its original F.P. Journe outer box, inner wooden box and Certificate of Origin.

An important piece in the history of the brand and the man himself, we feel privileged to have had the opportunity to handle this piece and play a role in sharing its story.

To find out more about Franois-Paul Journe and his early pieces, you can read our .

Closer look