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Lot Essay
This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The watch will be supplied with a calf leather strap.
This awesome Centigraphe Souverain is without doubt the most important and historically significant Centigraphe of all. A unique piece, it was specially made for the man who inspired and contributed to the very conception of the Centigraphe model – Jean Todt. Aesthetically, this watch has a magnetic beauty and visual appeal, the Ferrari red dial is a one-off with the Ferrari badge featured at 12 o’clock with the initials ‘JT’ and is accurately colour-matched to the correct Ferrari colour which Jean Todt sent to François-Paul Journe in order for him to achieve a completely authentic Ferrari red.
Numbered 1/3, the second timepiece was created for Michael Schumacher and the third example for François Paul Journe.
The story of the creation of the Centigraphe Souverain is recounted in François-Paul Journe’s own words:
“A spectacular watch, the Centigraphe Souverain is a mechanical chronograph unlike any other. For the creation of the Centigraphe, things happened slightly differently than for other creations. I met Jean Todt through the ICM foundation, and during the course of our meetings we discussed the ideal chronograph for the world of car racing. I thus remember research I carried out over 15 years ago for the creation of an exponential chronograph quickly showed me that a chronograph with 3 hands revolving at different speeds was a good starting base. I followed up with research on chronograph pushers, on questions of the balance of power in the movement, requirements, and energy loss, and I made use of a patent registered for the Sonnerie Souveraine. I patented 2 additional innovations concerning motricity. I am proud that Jean Todt has agreed to be the Centigraphe’s godfather.”
The Centigraphe also had an important charitable aspect, with the sale of each watch contributing to the medical research of the ICM – Institute of Brain and Spinal Cord in Paris - to help fight brain and spinal cord diseases such as alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. 30% of the profits from the sale of each centigraphe goes to the ICM whose patrons include: Professor Gérard Saillant, Luc Besson, Jean Réno, Jean Todt, Michelle Yeoh and Michael Schumacher.
Centigraphe Souverain
Produced between 2008 and 2018, it was born from the encounter between François-Paul Journe and collector Jean Todt, through the ICM foundation, the Centigraphe Souverain was developed with the aim of producing the ideal chronograph for the world of car racing. Following extensive research on the balance of power in a movement, energy loss, motricity and pushers, François-Paul Journe created an unprecedented chronograph able to measure elapsed time from a 100th of a second to ten minutes. The hand of the second dial at 2 o’clock is making a tour in 20 seconds, and the third hand of the dial at 6 o’clock, makes a tour in 10 minutes, the hand of the first dial at 10 o’clock makes a turn in one second on a scale marked in hundredths of a second, making it possible in theory to time an object moving at 360,000 km/h, or approximately 1/3000ths of the speed of light. The Centigraphe lead F.P. Journe towards winning the top prize of the Golden Hand Award at the Geneva watchmaking Grand Prix for the third time since the opening of his manufacture in 2000, the Centigraphe Souverain was recognised as an unprecedented creation.
The manually-wound mechanical movement is the first in the world equipped to measure elapsed times from from a 100th of a second to ten minutes. The watch is equipped with a patented re-set button in the band at two o'clock, which can be rocked back and forth to make the chronograph start, stop or return-to-zero. This system is an ingenious variation of the standard buttons used in chronograph watches on each side of the crown. Moreover, the maintaining power and power reserve in this watch are highly efficient. The mainspring barrel features a maintaining power system to ensure that the driving force does not decrease during winding. Without utilizing the chronograph function, the mainspring can supply a minimum of 100 hours of power reserve and 24 hours if the chronograph is being operated continuously.
This awesome Centigraphe Souverain is without doubt the most important and historically significant Centigraphe of all. A unique piece, it was specially made for the man who inspired and contributed to the very conception of the Centigraphe model – Jean Todt. Aesthetically, this watch has a magnetic beauty and visual appeal, the Ferrari red dial is a one-off with the Ferrari badge featured at 12 o’clock with the initials ‘JT’ and is accurately colour-matched to the correct Ferrari colour which Jean Todt sent to François-Paul Journe in order for him to achieve a completely authentic Ferrari red.
Numbered 1/3, the second timepiece was created for Michael Schumacher and the third example for François Paul Journe.
The story of the creation of the Centigraphe Souverain is recounted in François-Paul Journe’s own words:
“A spectacular watch, the Centigraphe Souverain is a mechanical chronograph unlike any other. For the creation of the Centigraphe, things happened slightly differently than for other creations. I met Jean Todt through the ICM foundation, and during the course of our meetings we discussed the ideal chronograph for the world of car racing. I thus remember research I carried out over 15 years ago for the creation of an exponential chronograph quickly showed me that a chronograph with 3 hands revolving at different speeds was a good starting base. I followed up with research on chronograph pushers, on questions of the balance of power in the movement, requirements, and energy loss, and I made use of a patent registered for the Sonnerie Souveraine. I patented 2 additional innovations concerning motricity. I am proud that Jean Todt has agreed to be the Centigraphe’s godfather.”
The Centigraphe also had an important charitable aspect, with the sale of each watch contributing to the medical research of the ICM – Institute of Brain and Spinal Cord in Paris - to help fight brain and spinal cord diseases such as alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. 30% of the profits from the sale of each centigraphe goes to the ICM whose patrons include: Professor Gérard Saillant, Luc Besson, Jean Réno, Jean Todt, Michelle Yeoh and Michael Schumacher.
Centigraphe Souverain
Produced between 2008 and 2018, it was born from the encounter between François-Paul Journe and collector Jean Todt, through the ICM foundation, the Centigraphe Souverain was developed with the aim of producing the ideal chronograph for the world of car racing. Following extensive research on the balance of power in a movement, energy loss, motricity and pushers, François-Paul Journe created an unprecedented chronograph able to measure elapsed time from a 100th of a second to ten minutes. The hand of the second dial at 2 o’clock is making a tour in 20 seconds, and the third hand of the dial at 6 o’clock, makes a tour in 10 minutes, the hand of the first dial at 10 o’clock makes a turn in one second on a scale marked in hundredths of a second, making it possible in theory to time an object moving at 360,000 km/h, or approximately 1/3000ths of the speed of light. The Centigraphe lead F.P. Journe towards winning the top prize of the Golden Hand Award at the Geneva watchmaking Grand Prix for the third time since the opening of his manufacture in 2000, the Centigraphe Souverain was recognised as an unprecedented creation.
The manually-wound mechanical movement is the first in the world equipped to measure elapsed times from from a 100th of a second to ten minutes. The watch is equipped with a patented re-set button in the band at two o'clock, which can be rocked back and forth to make the chronograph start, stop or return-to-zero. This system is an ingenious variation of the standard buttons used in chronograph watches on each side of the crown. Moreover, the maintaining power and power reserve in this watch are highly efficient. The mainspring barrel features a maintaining power system to ensure that the driving force does not decrease during winding. Without utilizing the chronograph function, the mainspring can supply a minimum of 100 hours of power reserve and 24 hours if the chronograph is being operated continuously.