by Claire Papon
François Paul Journe, men's wristwatch, classic Octa Calendrier collection (No. 054-03Q), in platinum, with yellow gold and silver guilloché dial, annual calendar with retrograde date, day and month windows, mechanical self-winding 1300 movement, c. 2004, diam. 3.8 cm/1.5 in. Estimate: €100,000/150,000
It is not fragile and can be worn every day…which is reassuring. But only if you can afford it. For the past three years, François-Paul Journe's watches have achieved a price index previously enjoyed only by top names in the field like Patek Philippe and Rolex —starting with his first pieces, like this Octa Calendrier, which combines a gold dial, a platinum case and a calendar with retrograde date. Produced for a few years, this model was not a limited series, even if it was reserved for wealthy watch lovers. The one here comes with its box and original papers: important assets for collectors. A graduate of the École d'Horlogerie de Paris, Journe continued his training in the workshop run by his uncle, an eminent restorer of antique watches in central Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In 1991, he created a company in Switzerland to make his innovations available to watchmakers. Five years later, in his Geneva workshop, he began to design his own movements. And in 1999, he scored his first success at the Baselworld exhibition with his Invenit et Fecit collection. Time is money—especially in Switzerland.