F.P. Journe

With the Ruthenium Collection, which was launched in 2001 and produced until 2003, François-Paul Journe ended the production of watches with movements traditionally made of brass with galvanic coatings. Instead, since 2004, almost all of the brand's new watches have been fitted with 18k rose gold movements, which are produced without plating. Naturally, movements made of solid gold seem more valuable and desirable, as movements of this type are a rarity in watchmaking. Nevertheless, collectors and connoisseurs of F. P. Journe watchmaking are showing a steadily growing demand for watches with brass movements that represent the early days of the brand. Their interest is fueled by the fact that the total number of F. P. Journe watches with brass movements is estimated at around 2,000 pieces and they are achieving ever better results at auction.
The Ruthenium Collection was the first limited edition collection by F. P. Journe and consists of five platinum models: Tourbillon Souverain, Chronomètre à Résonance, Octa Chronographe, Octa Jour et Nuit and Octa Calendrier, each limited to 99 pieces and numbered. Both the gold dial and the brass movement are coated with ruthenium, hence the name of the collection. In addition, for the first time, F. P. Journe has used a 40 mm case for the watches in the collection, which is larger than the 38 mm case that the brand has produced since its inception.
François-Paul Journe is known as an outstanding tourbillon maker and is one of the few watchmakers to produce wristwatches with a tourbillon and a constant-force complication. This combination of complications, which is supplemented by a power reserve indicator, is the most sophisticated of the “simple” tourbillon wristwatches and guarantees the best in terms of rate accuracy and stability.
The caliber 1498 and the timepieces based on it will always stand as an impressive monument to the early years of the brand. The history of the brand began when François-Paul Journe decided to release a first series of 20 tourbillon wristwatches with this movement in 1999, which were offered as subscription watches – the Souscription Tourbillon. Later, until 2003, no less than 410–420 and no more than 510–520 Tourbillon Souverain watches were produced, including the Tourbillon Souverain Ruthenium Collection watch (according to estimates by Osama Sendi, alias The Journe Guy).
Only watches equipped with caliber 1498 have a small round window at the bottom of the dial, above which there is a bridge that holds the axis of the star wheel of the constant-force mechanism. It produces a jump rotation once a second while the flat intermediate spring of the constant-force mechanism is being charged - this process is visible from the back of the movement through the sapphire window. Instead of this window, through which the operation of the constant-force mechanism can be observed, the second-generation movement (caliber 1403), which was produced from 2003 to 2018, has a sub-dial with a dead-beat small seconds hand.

This Tourbillon Souverain appears to be an extremely attractive opportunity to acquire a beautiful, rare and complicated watch from the historic Ruthenium Collection, a famous limited edition that was to mark the end of the use of traditional brass movements in F. P. Journe watches. The combination of impeccable technical craftsmanship, a historically significant complicated caliber with tourbillon and constant force complication, exquisite artisanal finishing of the movement, a classic case design and a charismatic asymmetrical dial with characteristic Arabic numerals and blued steel hands undoubtedly contribute to the appeal of this watch.

Another interesting feature of this watch is the way in which the power reserve indicator is marked, in the tradition of 19th century chronometers. The hand indicates the time that has elapsed after the movement has been fully wound, i.e. when the movement is fully wound, it points to zero.