Horological Meandering

AndrewD
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Small Steps … My Journe Journey

I credit François-Paul Journe with my interest in ‘modern’ horology. Seven years ago I picked up a watch magazine while transiting Singapore airport and sat on the plane mesmerised by pictures of the Tourbillon Souverain. Daydreaming about that watch certainly helped pass the time on the return flight home, and it has been my grail amongst grail watches ever since.

I remained patient and happy to wait until the day I would have my own tourbillon. But I recently decided to put my ‘toe in the water’ with my first Journe.

I had thought about a Chronomètre Souverain for some time, and even decided at the HK Boutique last year that the 40mm case best suited my wrist (even though I preferred the 38mm version in photos). However the opportunity arose to obtain an early Octa Rèserve de Marche in platinum with a honey-coloured yellow gold dial and brass movement.

I enjoy horological history and the Octa RdM is a watch that held so much promise for Journe as a young company. The Octa RdM was introduced in 2000 and completed the initial offering of three watches from F.P.Journe (along with the Tourbillon Souverain and the Chronomètre a Rèsonance).

So why an Octa RdM and not another iconic Journe piece, such as the Resonance or CS? Personally I gravitate towards simple watches. The RdM has the classic Journe aesthetic with that instrument-like, sterling silver subdial secured with a polished steel frame. The screwed-on YG dial, contrasting with the Pt case, is also something that I associate with Journe; an unusual and almost signature colour combination.

As is well known, FPJ designed the 30mm x 5.7mm Cal. 1300 movement (so designated because the 13 ligne movement (1 mm=0.443296 L) was introduced in the year 2000) to accommodate additional complications, such as calendar and lunar phase displays and a chronograph, while retaining the elegant and wearable 38.3mm x 10mm proportions of the 2-piece Octa case. While FPJ had always intended to produce movements in gold, up until 2004 the movements were executed in rhodium-plated brass. I do, however, like the contrasting 22K RG rotor with the ‘silver’ bridges of the original movement.

The innovation of the Octa was, of course, the extended power reserve with constant torque. FPJ achieved this by using a 1m long x 1mm wide (and quite soft) mainspring developed in conjunction with specialist spring manufacture Generale Ressorts in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. This provided five days (120h) of autonomy off the wrist and an additional 30+ hours with less rigorous chronometry. At its introduction this was the longest power reserve that had been achieved in an automatic watch. Journe emphasised this long power reserve with the large Rèserve de Marche indicator arcing across the left side of the dial.

We have had many discussions in the past about the benefits and need for power reserve indicators on automatic watches, but personally I like to know the state of wind of my automatics. Some have suggested that the watch doesn’t deserve such a prominent PR indicator, but I enjoy the balance it brings to the dial, the acknowledgement of the value of such an indicator on an automatic watch, and being able to observe the ‘charge’ of the mainspring as I go about my daily activities. The changing position of the pointer, not to mention the lovely tapering blued hand, provide additional interest to the face of the watch.

The other feature of the Octa (which has been extended in the subsequent Cal. 1300-2 and 1300-3 iterations), is the efficiency of the winding system. This original Cal 1300 has bi-directional winding. [The name “Octa” was coined by Mr Journe to highlight the perpetual (automatic) winding system of his watch. While not strictly derived from Greek or Latin, where “octa” usually denotes the number 8, you can easily grasp the concept of infinite/continuous winding if you use your imagination.]

In fact the automatic Octa could be the ultimate WIS watch because of the long autonomy off the wrist. If I want to wear a different watch for a couple of days, or even several watches on the same day, then there is no problem with the Octa; it won’t get in a huff and stop running if I haven’t worn it for a while.

Chronometry is important to me and I keep a close eye on the ‘performance’ of my watches. Although not COSC certified, I like the fact that FPJ focuses on chronometry with the large (10.1mm), high-inertia, 4-arm balance poised in 5 positions using inertia blocks (and beating at a leisurely 21,600vph or 3Hz) as well as the stable (850g of) torque already mentioned. This focus is carried through all Journe timepieces. In fact in the first week the RdM was on my wrist, it deviated from the reference time by only 2 seconds and demonstrated no difference in accuracy on or off the wrist or in different resting positions; remarkable in my experience.

And I also like the nod to history with the “F.P.Journe Invenit et Fecit” (Latin: invented and made/produced) printed on the dial which harks back to the inscription on pocket watches produced by French horologers when their movements were recognised as original by the Royal Academy of Sciences.

The watch is extremely comfortable and balanced to wear with the additional weight of the Pt case, the 20mm wide (but short and thin) lugs, soft, non-tapering strap and simple pin buckle (my preferred method of fastening for a dress watch and also in Pt). In fact this is the first thing I noticed when strapping on a Journe timepiece; more than any other watch it feels like you are wearing a comfy, well worn pair of slippers.

The case itself is simple and elegant and I like the offset dial to the right of the main dial. The time can be read with the watch discretely peeking out from under a cuff. The Glashütte Original and A. Lange & Söhne watches (until the automatic Lange 1) never felt quite right in this respect.

There is quite a lot of open space on the dial of the Octa RdM, but this adds to the allure of the watch for me. As it stands, the large date (which can be quickly set with the knurled crown) and PR indicator provide all the day-to-day information that I need. The date change is instantaneous and always occurs within 90 seconds either side of midnight.

The YG dial contrasting with the Pt case is quirky and interesting and lends versatility to a watch that is, at first glance, more dressy. The Octa RdM works equally well at the office, cocktail party, concert or BBQ (and in that vein is as versatile as my Rolex Submariner, Ref. 5513, although very different of course). And the flame-blued hands, set against the Pt case, are a lovely combination that warms the heart of any horological tragic.

And so this original F.P.Journe Octa Rèserve de Marche with its signature Journe colours, expansive dial and brass movement both held and hold a certain promise of things to come, not only for F.P.Journe as a company but also for me personally in my quest for that grail tourbillon.

Andrew

The basic Octa building block

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