Messages: 2187 Location: New York
Registered: November 2003
Two ends of the Souverain Collection
Fri, 22 February 2013 11:20
I've realized over the years that because I like almost every watch (there are a few exceptions, of course), I need to place some constraints on my collection. It's been a long process, but through a lengthy series of expansions and contractions, my collection is now limited to a handful of pieces from each of four manufactures. One of the four--and the only small, independent manufacture of the group--is F.P. Journe.
I've stuck with F.P. Journe because his watches appeal to me on both an aesthetic and emotional level. First, I just like the way Journes look. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, so I guess I'm lucky that his designs appeal to me. Second, I like the way he goes about designing his watches. Because each of his movements is particular to the individual watch reference, he can play with the layout of functions on the dial, enabling his different watches to be truly different from one another. Third, I like the concept and look of the beautifully finished movements, mostly done in all gold (aside from the Sports collection). And, I confess, I like the exclusivity of Journe. I'm not talking about price (I'd always rather pay less), but rather the limited number of pieces produced each year. You don't often run across an F.P. Journe watch in the "wild."
All that said, I figured I'd share two of my Journes, which in some respects represent two ends of the Souverain collection. First is the Tourbillon Souverain, a beautifully complicated watch that showcases much of Journe's great abilities. With the classic Journe subdial, the large tourbillon cage, and the beating dead seconds hand, it is a wonderful watch to wear and observe. At the other end is the comparatively simple Chronometre Bleu. While it's a time-only piece, its movement is just as beautiful, and the dial layout and finish are fantastic. (I've heard from one reliable source that the CB actually has the most expensive Journe dial to create. Perhaps that's accurate.)
I can't honestly say that I like my Journe watches more or less than the others in my collection, since I thoroughly enjoy all of them. But I can say that his designs, and the concept of his watches, are perhaps the most creative and interesting ones that I have.
- Bob L.