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Lot Essay
“A watch filled with emotions that carries the tribute of one legendary watchmaker for another”
This unique and very special platinum Chronomètre Souverain is a personal celebration of the admiration of one great contemporary watchmaker for another. Especially dedicated by François-Paul Journe to Dr. George Daniels, it was presented on the 24th June 2010 as an expression of F.P. Journe’s gratitude to George Daniels for inspiring his journey into horology and his ongoing encouragement. This very personal timepiece is probably the only watch from the entire F.P. Journe collection that reveals his veneration of his mentor, the great English watchmaker Georges Daniels (1926-2011).
Inscribed ‘FP to George Daniels my Mentor 2010’ on the balance bridge, the watch was accompanied by a heartfelt letter in which Journe expressed his gratitude to Daniels for showing others how to make watches of artistic rather than utilitarian merit. It was when he saw a watch by Daniels, he writes, that ‘without knowing it my path in life was determined and I decided in 1997 to make a watch for myself. Thanks to your books such as The Art of Breguet and Watchmaking, I learned patiently on my workbench how to make my first watch.’
This watch was originally sold as part of the personal collection of George Daniels in 2012. Now, almost a decade later, Christie’s is very excited to be able to offer to collectors of both F.P. Journe and George Daniels watches the unique opportunity to acquire this important piece of modern watchmaking history.
François-Paul Journe is now becoming fully appreciated as one of the most inventive and important contributors to modern watchmaking. He is also widely regarded as the greatest living watchmaker. Journe took a long and rigorous path on the way to achieving his aspirations in making his own watch brand to take full advantage of his genius watchmaking talent. After studying at watchmaking school in Paris, he first spent around 10 years mastering the craft of constructing pocket watches. Then in 1992, realising that any commercial future lay in the production of wristwatches, he decided to create his first prototype wristwatch - a watch that was inspired by his first pocket watch creations. That prototype is remarkable in combining a one-minute tourbillon with a remontoir – this was eventually to become known as the ‘Tourbillon Souverain’. Launched in 1999 with the now familiar inscription ‘Invenit et Fecit’, the model remains a mainstay of the collection to this day.
Journe’s original fascination with pocket watches came about due to his early background in the restoration of antique marine chronometers and pocket watches while working for his uncle, an antique clock and watch restorer, in Paris. This, coupled with a deep desire to understand the inventions of the great watchmakers of history, gives his wristwatches their completely distinctive and absolutely unique character. In common with many watchmakers, Journe’s early inspiration was the work and inventions of Abraham-Louis Breguet, perhaps the greatest watchmaker of all time and also that other great French watchmaker of the 18th century, Antide Janvier. Indeed, Journe’s first series of the ‘Tourbillon Souverain’ was made possible by using Breguet’s idea of the ‘Souscription’ watch, whereby the client paid an upfront sum to finance the construction the watch, the remainder being paid upon its completion.
However, what set François-Paul Journe apart from his contemporaries is his ability to interpret and construct watch movements of incredible complexity, often with unique takes on historic complications, within the confines of a wristwatch. In this regard, his acknowledged inspiration was the work of the great English watchmaker George Daniels. It was Daniels’s writings that first gave Journe the know-how and confidence to construct his own watches. Later, personal encouragement from Daniels helped to establish the Journe style which is now so instantly recognisable.
The roll-call of F. P. Journe’s wristwatches includes some staggeringly complicated haute horology – Chronométre à Resonance, Centigraph, Grande et Petite Sonnerie, Octa Lune, Tourbillon Remontoire d’Egalité, to name only the most famous.
In recent years, François-Paul Journe’s charitable contributions of unique wristwatches have, with no surprise, been among the most anticipated and talked about pieces for the biannual ‘Only Watch’ auction to benefit Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. In 2015 came the tantalum cased ‘Tourbillon Souverain Bleu’, in 2017 the tantalum ‘Monopusher Split-Seconds Chronograph’ and in 2019 he produced the spellbinding and immensely complicated double dialled ‘Astronomic Blue’ which sold for 1.8 Million Swiss Francs, a world record for an F. P. Journe watch.
George Daniels, CBE, Dsc, FBHI, FSA, AHCI (1926-2011)
George Daniels is so well known in the field of horology and beyond that he needs almost no introduction. Considered by many to be one of the best watchmakers in the world in the field of mechanical watches during his lifetime. Daniels opened his first watch repair and cleaning shop in 1960 in London. Becoming interested in the works of the early 19th-century French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, Daniels soon became the leading expert on Breguet and was often involved in advising on Breguet’s watches for both repair and sale. His own watches were extraordinary and he prided himself on building the complete watch entirely by hand, including the case and dial. A highly complicated gold watch by George Daniels, the ‘Space Traveller's Watch I’, sold for £3,615,000 in London in 2019. It was however his creation and development of the coaxial escapement for which he is most remembered. The movement, which theoretically removed the need to add a lubricant, has been used by Omega in most of their collections since 1999 except of the Speedmaster Moonwatch until the introduction of the caliber 3861 in 2021. Daniels was the author of seven books including ‘Watches’ published in 1965, the definitive ‘The Art of Breguet’ published in 1974 and ‘Watchmaking’ in 1981.
The Chronomètre Souverain
Is inspired by early 19th century marine chronometry, fitted with an ultra slim manually wound 18K pink gold movement of only 3.7 mm that beats to a frequency of 21,600 alt/hour. The two barrels, supplying a power reserve of over 50 hours, operate in parallel to provide a constant force for unequalled precision.
It is the first model in the Souverain collection to feature the brand's favorite blued hands. For the first time, the small subsidiary seconds dial is positioned to the left to 7 o'clock, while the 55-hour power reserve is placed to the right to 3 o'clock.
Provenance
Presented by François-Paul Journe to Dr. George Daniels on 24th June 2010.
Sold: Sotheby’s, The George Daniels Horological Collection, 6th November 2012, lot 27.
A distinguished private collection.
This unique and very special platinum Chronomètre Souverain is a personal celebration of the admiration of one great contemporary watchmaker for another. Especially dedicated by François-Paul Journe to Dr. George Daniels, it was presented on the 24th June 2010 as an expression of F.P. Journe’s gratitude to George Daniels for inspiring his journey into horology and his ongoing encouragement. This very personal timepiece is probably the only watch from the entire F.P. Journe collection that reveals his veneration of his mentor, the great English watchmaker Georges Daniels (1926-2011).
Inscribed ‘FP to George Daniels my Mentor 2010’ on the balance bridge, the watch was accompanied by a heartfelt letter in which Journe expressed his gratitude to Daniels for showing others how to make watches of artistic rather than utilitarian merit. It was when he saw a watch by Daniels, he writes, that ‘without knowing it my path in life was determined and I decided in 1997 to make a watch for myself. Thanks to your books such as The Art of Breguet and Watchmaking, I learned patiently on my workbench how to make my first watch.’
This watch was originally sold as part of the personal collection of George Daniels in 2012. Now, almost a decade later, Christie’s is very excited to be able to offer to collectors of both F.P. Journe and George Daniels watches the unique opportunity to acquire this important piece of modern watchmaking history.
François-Paul Journe is now becoming fully appreciated as one of the most inventive and important contributors to modern watchmaking. He is also widely regarded as the greatest living watchmaker. Journe took a long and rigorous path on the way to achieving his aspirations in making his own watch brand to take full advantage of his genius watchmaking talent. After studying at watchmaking school in Paris, he first spent around 10 years mastering the craft of constructing pocket watches. Then in 1992, realising that any commercial future lay in the production of wristwatches, he decided to create his first prototype wristwatch - a watch that was inspired by his first pocket watch creations. That prototype is remarkable in combining a one-minute tourbillon with a remontoir – this was eventually to become known as the ‘Tourbillon Souverain’. Launched in 1999 with the now familiar inscription ‘Invenit et Fecit’, the model remains a mainstay of the collection to this day.
Journe’s original fascination with pocket watches came about due to his early background in the restoration of antique marine chronometers and pocket watches while working for his uncle, an antique clock and watch restorer, in Paris. This, coupled with a deep desire to understand the inventions of the great watchmakers of history, gives his wristwatches their completely distinctive and absolutely unique character. In common with many watchmakers, Journe’s early inspiration was the work and inventions of Abraham-Louis Breguet, perhaps the greatest watchmaker of all time and also that other great French watchmaker of the 18th century, Antide Janvier. Indeed, Journe’s first series of the ‘Tourbillon Souverain’ was made possible by using Breguet’s idea of the ‘Souscription’ watch, whereby the client paid an upfront sum to finance the construction the watch, the remainder being paid upon its completion.
However, what set François-Paul Journe apart from his contemporaries is his ability to interpret and construct watch movements of incredible complexity, often with unique takes on historic complications, within the confines of a wristwatch. In this regard, his acknowledged inspiration was the work of the great English watchmaker George Daniels. It was Daniels’s writings that first gave Journe the know-how and confidence to construct his own watches. Later, personal encouragement from Daniels helped to establish the Journe style which is now so instantly recognisable.
The roll-call of F. P. Journe’s wristwatches includes some staggeringly complicated haute horology – Chronométre à Resonance, Centigraph, Grande et Petite Sonnerie, Octa Lune, Tourbillon Remontoire d’Egalité, to name only the most famous.
In recent years, François-Paul Journe’s charitable contributions of unique wristwatches have, with no surprise, been among the most anticipated and talked about pieces for the biannual ‘Only Watch’ auction to benefit Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. In 2015 came the tantalum cased ‘Tourbillon Souverain Bleu’, in 2017 the tantalum ‘Monopusher Split-Seconds Chronograph’ and in 2019 he produced the spellbinding and immensely complicated double dialled ‘Astronomic Blue’ which sold for 1.8 Million Swiss Francs, a world record for an F. P. Journe watch.
George Daniels, CBE, Dsc, FBHI, FSA, AHCI (1926-2011)
George Daniels is so well known in the field of horology and beyond that he needs almost no introduction. Considered by many to be one of the best watchmakers in the world in the field of mechanical watches during his lifetime. Daniels opened his first watch repair and cleaning shop in 1960 in London. Becoming interested in the works of the early 19th-century French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, Daniels soon became the leading expert on Breguet and was often involved in advising on Breguet’s watches for both repair and sale. His own watches were extraordinary and he prided himself on building the complete watch entirely by hand, including the case and dial. A highly complicated gold watch by George Daniels, the ‘Space Traveller's Watch I’, sold for £3,615,000 in London in 2019. It was however his creation and development of the coaxial escapement for which he is most remembered. The movement, which theoretically removed the need to add a lubricant, has been used by Omega in most of their collections since 1999 except of the Speedmaster Moonwatch until the introduction of the caliber 3861 in 2021. Daniels was the author of seven books including ‘Watches’ published in 1965, the definitive ‘The Art of Breguet’ published in 1974 and ‘Watchmaking’ in 1981.
The Chronomètre Souverain
Is inspired by early 19th century marine chronometry, fitted with an ultra slim manually wound 18K pink gold movement of only 3.7 mm that beats to a frequency of 21,600 alt/hour. The two barrels, supplying a power reserve of over 50 hours, operate in parallel to provide a constant force for unequalled precision.
It is the first model in the Souverain collection to feature the brand's favorite blued hands. For the first time, the small subsidiary seconds dial is positioned to the left to 7 o'clock, while the 55-hour power reserve is placed to the right to 3 o'clock.
Provenance
Presented by François-Paul Journe to Dr. George Daniels on 24th June 2010.
Sold: Sotheby’s, The George Daniels Horological Collection, 6th November 2012, lot 27.
A distinguished private collection.