Unless you have been on a watch media fast the announcement of the “piece unique” watches from some of the biggest and the best in the watch world has had virtually wall to wall coverage.
It is not normally our style to just fall in with reporting on every watch press release that hits the wires, but for this particular F.P Journe, I will make an exception to that rule.
Firstly for those who don’t know what Only Watch is the best thing to do is have a look here but in summary, it is world famous brands donating unique watches for a charity auction hosted by Monaco royalty with the proceeds going to research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, so a no doubt worthy cause.
So why report on this watch specifically, well that is because I think it has just bumped my unobtainium watch the Krayon Everywhere from my one watch unobtainium list, my ultimate grail if you like.
The Journe certainly qualifies as unobtainium as being piece unique but let us look at the complications of this watch, Journe has thrown the works at it.
Firstly the case is in Tantalum like some of F.P’s previous gifts to the auction. Tantalum gives the watch case an unusual but alluring blue hue.
This watch would certainly win “rear of the year” and is one of the few that makes use of the display case back as a further opportunity to put more indications on it, so that rear of the watch contains a multitude of fun thing to read like an equation of time and annual calendar with zodiac readout as well as the fun things to watch like the 60 second tourbillon and the remontoir.
Already I would just wear this watch back to front and be content with just using it to read the date, my mobile phone will be fine for the time or I can do it the old fashioned way and just ask a passer by for the time!
But there is a front and that is just as spectacular.
It has got the lot, sunrise and sunset (I assume not programmable like the Krayon but set to your desired location, comon F.P make an effort!) and what looks like the most stunning day night complication, which I am sure will be a keeper into future releases, sidereal hours and minutes, which will confuse you no end but is just fun to have, and at least means you will always be early for any meetings.
We also have dead beat seconds and a stunning moon phase indicator both tucked away below the main dials and then you notice it also has a minute repeater and that it this officially it, this becomes the unobtainium watch, and then he goes and puts it on an orange strap…my man…and all set from a single crown….how is that even possible!
So what will this sell for, my guess is at least CHF 1.5m which would break some record but could it do even more.
Cant wait to see,
