F. P. JOURNE CHRONOMETER a RESONNANCE 18K ROSE

I can’t think of a more impressive, revolutionary wristwatch than this Chronometre A Resonance by F.P. Journe. Since the 16th Century, scientists studied the physics of resonance. As far back as 1780, Antide Janvier who was head watchmaker to the King of France built a clock mechanism that utilized two pendulums and the error cancelling properties imparted by resonance. In fact, one of these clocks belongs to Montre Journe SA.

In 2000, Journe introduced the Resonance wristwatch. I have always felt that F.P. Journe the man is our generation’s Breguet. He is an horological mastermind, and the Chronometre A Resonance is his masterpiece.

This 38mm wristwatch features the desirable brass movement. The advantages of resonance as a physics principal resides in synchronicity of movement and the symmetry of this watch’s caliber reflects that.

Case is solid 18k rose gold with 38mm diameter and 9mm thickness. Case is comprised of two massive bezels and a center body. Mirror polished throughout. Short and downwardly pointing lugs. Because of the lugs and the case’s relative thinness, this wears very comfortably on the wrist. Sapphire crystals front and back. There are two of Journe’s characteristic knurled crowns with two dots on the top. Top crown winds and sets the watch (turning to the left sets the left time display and turning to the right sets the right time display). The crown at 4 o’clock returns both seconds hands to the 60 second position simultaneously.

Dial is a pane of 18k white gold finished in a burnished rose gold color, while the time displays are silver and screwed onto the white gold dial plate. The silver displays feature both a wonderful barleycorn along with concentric guilloche. The outermost edge of the silver is polished. The dial on this watch is interesting, legible and of the highest quality artisanship. All hands are blued and in Journe’s proprietary shape. Power reserve display from ‘0’ to ‘40’ hours in an arc at the top of the dial.

Movement is the manual winding F.P. Journe Caliber 1499 and made of brass, which I should point out is a collectable feature of this watch. Movement has 37 jewels and beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour. Remarkably, while many companies have all kinds of promotional text on their movement, this movement is the most revolutionary wristwatch caliber of all time and it has no text or numbers engraved or marked anywhere. That’s the kind of irony I love.

As far as the technical nature of how the caliber works in putting the resonance to use, I will defer to a couple of sources. First, from Journe’s booklet about the watch: “The two balances are synchronized by means of the resonance effect and naturally beat alternately. The negative effects of wrist and body movements are thus considerably reduced. The resonance point is obtained through precise adjustment of the difference in motion of the right balance in relation to the left balance. This is adjusted by means of the rack and pinion.”

And this from a review of the movement that I read: “A more scientific demonstration was once given by Georges Alessio, using a Witschi timing machine. For those of you not familiar with this device, it produces a diagram of the sound of the lever escapement. Watchmakers use it to help them with regulation. With the two escapements running, but not exactly in phase, two very similar diagrams appear close together. Georges showed that as resonance occurred, the two diagrams merged into one. The combined rate of the watch then appeared as a straight line.” which is excerpted from F.P. Journe’s Chronometre a Resonance, March 2002, BHI Horological Journal written by Anthony G. Randall.

Strap is hand-sewn brown Journe crocodile with 18k rose gold Journe tang buckle.

Watch is 99% new with box and F.P. Journe signed Certification.