Introduced in 2019 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tourbillon Souverain, the Ref. TV represents one of François-Paul Journe’s most significant technical innovations. Departing from the conventional horizontal arrangement used since Breguet, Journe reoriented the tourbillon cage vertically so that the regulating organ remains effective whether the watch lies flat or rests on its side. This thoughtful redesign addresses a long-standing limitation of the tourbillon in wristwatches and ensures more consistent amplitude across the positions in which a modern watch is typically worn and stored.

The cage completes one revolution every thirty seconds and is combined with Journe’s signature remontoir d’égalité and natural deadbeat seconds. The present example is housed in a 42 mm platinum case and features the characteristic 18K pink gold dial plate with Clous de Paris guilloché, supporting the off-centre grand feu enamel hour and minute dial, small seconds, and power-reserve indication. Powered by the manually wound Calibre 1519 in 18K rose gold, the movement offers an 80-hour power reserve. The vertical architecture results in a case thickness of approximately 13.6 mm, a deliberate consequence of prioritising chronometric consistency.

The Tourbillon Souverain Vertical replaced the preceding horizontal models in the permanent collection and stands as a refined yet original contribution to contemporary haute horlogerie.