F.P. Journe

When it comes to collecting F.P. Journe, the present lot ticks all the boxes for collectors. The provenance is impeccable, having been bought in July 2003 at Mezger in Basel, Switzerland, by the Swiss collector and sole owner of the watch who is now offering it for the first time at auction. Its condition is exactly what collectors are looking for with wonderful proportions and razor-sharp lugs, as the watch never received any servicing. The most important factors, rarity and collectability, are checked off thanks to the early brass movement and low case number which are revealed on the back when turning the watch around.

F.P. Journe was established in 1999 and during the first few years of existence, the movements were made of brass. Early production figures were low and research estimates an overall production of only around 2'000 brass movements, making them highly demanded on the market today. Starting in 2004, all subsequent movements were made of gold. 

The present 'Brass Movement' Octa Calendrier dates back to the first half of 2003, as indicated by its case number 037-03Q and the documented sale that year. 2003 was the year when the production started for the Octa Calendrier and therefore the present lot must be among the first examples produced. The Certificate of Authenticity further confirms that the watch was delivered to Switzerland in 2003 with the present yellow gold dial. The early brass movement of the watch features a 5-day power reserve and was the first F.P. Journe showcasing an annual calendar function.

Beautiful to the eye, the dial is of contemporary and asymmetrical design with the calendar functions placed towards the left whilst the time indication stays on the right. It features a retrograde date and apertures for the day and month, as well as a small subsidiary seconds. Interestingly and fittingly, it is equipped with an early seconds hand with thicker counterweight, as opposed to the thinner ones used for later gold movement watches or likely as replacement parts during servicing.

This year, F.P. Journe is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Octa automatique calibre, which marked the beginning of the successful 'Octa' collection to which the present example belongs. It is therefore the perfect time to offer this incredibly attractive lot complete with warranty card and original wooden presentation case for the fist time at public auction.