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Lot Essay
In the words of F.P. Journe himself: 'The combination of 18k rose-gold movements with 38 mm steel cases makes this set the rarest of all F.P. Journe’s collections.'
The ultra-exclusive '38 mm. Steel Set' of 5 watches was created in 2015 by F.P. Journe to appeal specifically to true connoisseurs of the brand with each potential buyer personally vetted by François-Paul Journe himself. It was the first time, with the exception of a Grande & Petite Sonnerie strking watch, that Journe’s watches had been available cased in steel. The present watch, the stunning steel Chronomètre Souverain, reference CS, is one of the 5 incredible timepieces that originally graced 'Steel Set' no. 28 of only 38 sets to be made. The limited edition comprised a specially boxed set of 5 different steel watches, each an iconic F.P. Journe classic. The launch of the set also marked the discontinuation of the 38 mm. case size. For this exceptional edition, the Chronomètre Souverain, launched in 2005 and one of the brand’s most popular models, is a timepiece with power reserve that shares the same overall colour scheme as the other four watches of the set.
The Chronomètre Souverain
Launched in 2005, the Chronomètre Souverain is regarded as a cornerstone model and F.P. Journe classic, being easy to wear as an everyday watch and is widely appreciated for the elegant beauty of its construction and design. François-Paul Journe himself said of the Chronomètre Souverain: “I’d have to say the Chronomètre Souverain is my favorite, since it is the watch I wanted to do from the beginning”. The present model was also the one chosen by F.P. Journe to pay tribute to his inspiration and mentor, Dr. George Daniels, in 2010. That uniquely personal platinum Chronomètre Souverain was sold by Christie’s Hong Kong, 22 May, 2021, lot 2206. Inspired by early 19th century marine chronometry, the Chronomètre Souverain is fitted with an ultra slim 18K pink gold manually wound caliber 1304 movement with a thickness of only 4 mm that beats to a frequency of 21,600 alt/hour. The two barrels, supplying a power reserve of 56 hours, operate in parallel to provide a constant force for unequalled precision. It was the first model in the Souverain collection to feature the brand's favourite blued steel hands. For the first time, the small subsidiary seconds dial is positioned to the left to 7 o'clock, while (for the standard models) the 56-hour power reserve is placed to the right to 3 o'clock. The Chronomètre Souverain received the Best Men’s Watch Prize at the Geneva Grand Prix d’Horlogerie in 2005.
The ultra-exclusive '38 mm. Steel Set' of 5 watches was created in 2015 by F.P. Journe to appeal specifically to true connoisseurs of the brand with each potential buyer personally vetted by François-Paul Journe himself. It was the first time, with the exception of a Grande & Petite Sonnerie strking watch, that Journe’s watches had been available cased in steel. The present watch, the stunning steel Chronomètre Souverain, reference CS, is one of the 5 incredible timepieces that originally graced 'Steel Set' no. 28 of only 38 sets to be made. The limited edition comprised a specially boxed set of 5 different steel watches, each an iconic F.P. Journe classic. The launch of the set also marked the discontinuation of the 38 mm. case size. For this exceptional edition, the Chronomètre Souverain, launched in 2005 and one of the brand’s most popular models, is a timepiece with power reserve that shares the same overall colour scheme as the other four watches of the set.
The Chronomètre Souverain
Launched in 2005, the Chronomètre Souverain is regarded as a cornerstone model and F.P. Journe classic, being easy to wear as an everyday watch and is widely appreciated for the elegant beauty of its construction and design. François-Paul Journe himself said of the Chronomètre Souverain: “I’d have to say the Chronomètre Souverain is my favorite, since it is the watch I wanted to do from the beginning”. The present model was also the one chosen by F.P. Journe to pay tribute to his inspiration and mentor, Dr. George Daniels, in 2010. That uniquely personal platinum Chronomètre Souverain was sold by Christie’s Hong Kong, 22 May, 2021, lot 2206. Inspired by early 19th century marine chronometry, the Chronomètre Souverain is fitted with an ultra slim 18K pink gold manually wound caliber 1304 movement with a thickness of only 4 mm that beats to a frequency of 21,600 alt/hour. The two barrels, supplying a power reserve of 56 hours, operate in parallel to provide a constant force for unequalled precision. It was the first model in the Souverain collection to feature the brand's favourite blued steel hands. For the first time, the small subsidiary seconds dial is positioned to the left to 7 o'clock, while (for the standard models) the 56-hour power reserve is placed to the right to 3 o'clock. The Chronomètre Souverain received the Best Men’s Watch Prize at the Geneva Grand Prix d’Horlogerie in 2005.