OCTA CHRONOGRAPHE 38 MM., CIRCA 2007

With the Octa Chronographe, François-Paul Journe revolutionized the classical conception of a chronograph. Integrated within the Octa automatic winding calibre measuring 30 mm in diameter and 5.7 mm in thickness, the chronograph is housed in a space just 1 mm thick. This space is also occupied by the twin concentric large date display discs. To achieve such a performance, François-Paul Journe imagined flattening the usual column wheel to transform it into a cam wheel. This means it is the profiled rim instead of the column which actions the chronograph levers. A single sliding lever returns the chronograph seconds and minutes to zero by disengaging the brakes at the precise moment when it hits the specially profiled reset parts. These two innovations make it possible to reduce the mechanism to three levels. In this more compact version, the result is a sturdy movement ensuring long-term reliability.

It is fitted with flyback and reset functions and a 60 minutes counter, the date is shown by large, separate numerals, according to a patented display mode.