Fingers-On with the F.P. Journe Black Label Minute Repeater
Inside F.P. Journe‘s small annual manufacturing of about 900 watches is the rarefied Black Label Assortment of watches. These have black dials, platinum cases, and will be discovered solely to current householders of an F.P. Journe wristwatch. Furthermore they’re produced in restricted numbers, with each F.P. Journe boutique getting solely 12 Black Label watches a 12 months (there are 10 boutiques worldwide), with a most of two examples per model.
Given that F.P. Journe Sonnerie Souverain is simply not offered in Black Label livery, most likely essentially the most tough model throughout the Black Label line is the Souveraine Minute Repeater. The repeater happens to be the one Black Label watch with a stainless-steel case. In short, the Black Label Minute Repeater is a specific watch.
Steel is the one and solely case supplies for all hanging F.P. Journe watches, being a lot much less dense than treasured metals, transmitting the chimes of the movement greater. The case is 40mm, the default dimension for a lot of F.P. Journe watches, whereas the dial is subtly coloured.
Comprised of a secure gold disc, it is galvanically coated black, or maybe a really darkish grey at some angles, with the markings and lettering in ivory lacquer fairly than white. The result is a additional nuanced palette than a additional typical white-on-black colour scheme.
An aperture at 10 o’clock reveals the twin hammer of the minute repeating mechanism, which reverse to customized, sits beneath the dial.
The repeater is activated by a slender slide beneath the bezel, which sits on the equivalent diploma as a result of the repeating mechanism, which is beneath the dial.
Typical of F.P. Journe actions, the calibre 1510 inside is constructed in any other case from convention, whereas being terribly slim. The format of the minute repeater calibre 1510 identical to the 1304 movement contained within the time-only Chronometre Souverain, being recognisable comparable from the once more. It has twin barrels – for a longish 56-hour vitality reserve – and a clutter-free constructing that hides most of the transferring components beneath the bridges.
Most minute repeating actions have the hanging mechanism built-in on the once more, which tends to make the movement wider. Instead Journe designed a thin repeating mechanism that sits on the movement and beneath the dial, with every the hammers and gongs being flat and unusually fashioned. Whereas repeater gongs usually take the kind of spherical steel wire, the calibre 1510 has scythe-shaped gongs. Consequently the movement is a flat 4.04mm extreme, trumped solely by the Bulgari (actually Gerald Genta) calibre BVL 362 and the Vacheron Constantin 1731, which are every traditionally constructed.
An exploded view of the under-dial mechanism, with the repeater gongs and hammers highlighted
Nevertheless the sort and decreased dimension of the gongs suggest that the sound they produce is completely totally different from that on a regular repeater, with barely a lot much less amount. It’s a tradeoff nonetheless one which shows Journe’s idiosyncratic and ingenious technique to watchmaking.
With virtually your complete repeater beneath the dial, the one part of the hanging mechanism seen on the once more is the governor, which sits merely beside the stability wheel.
Like all F.P. Journe actions the calibre 1510 has its bridges and base plate in 18k pink gold. The bridges are accomplished attractively and cleanly, albeit a tad mechanically. Though the steel components, considerably the repeater governor, appear additional artisanal of their finish.
Worth and availability
The F.P. Journe Minute Repeater Souverain is priced at S$307,100, or about US$219,000, along with 7% tax.
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