F.P. JOURNE

Francois-Paul Journe, born in Marseille and a graduate of the Paris School of Watchmaking, plied his trade as an independent watchmaker and restorer of complicated timepieces for other entities, including brands and museums, before starting his eponymous brand in 1999. Then as now, his motto is “Invenit et Fecit,” meaning “invented and made,” which means that all of his watches are both conceived and built under the same roof. Over more than two decades, F.P. Journe has acquired an avid and knowledgeable following of collectors while still producing watches in very small numbers each year. Journe is known for consistently using gold in his array of in-house-produced calibers and for distinctive aesthetic elements like the silk-rope-pattern crown on the cases and blued teardrop-shaped hands on the dials. F.P. Journe’s boldest horological triumphs include the Tourbillon Souverain, Sonnerie Souverain, and Centigraphe Souverain. The company has even pioneered a new type of quartz caliber for its ladies’ Elegante collection, whose battery stops when the watch is not worn, thus extending its life for up to 18 years. 

Founded: 1999

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Ownership: Privately held, with Chanel holding 20% stake

Notable models: Chronomètre Souverain, Tourbillon Souverain, Centigraphe, Octa, Eleganté

Did you know: F.P. Journe is the only watchmaker to win three Aiguille d’Or top prizes in the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix (GPHG)