Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
New York - The Fuller Building, Dec 07, 2006
LOT 395
?Platinum Vagabondage? F P. Journe, ?Invenit et Fecit?, ?Vagabondage?, No. 50/69 V. Made in 2004 in a limited edition of only 69 pieces in platinum and 3 unique ones in each gold color. Very fine and very rare, "tortue"-shaped, platinum gentleman?s wristwatch with ?wandering hour? indication and 18K pink gold movement. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate.
USD 50,000 - 70,000
EUR 40,000 - 55,000
Sold: USD 63,720
C. Two-body, "Tortue", inclined lapidated bezel and lugs, sapphire crystal, front and back. D. Black Arabic chapter ring, outer minute track, central aperture to view the balance, revolving sapphire glass with luminous hour and minute-indicating frame. M. Cal. 12??? in 18K pink gold, tonneau-shaped with 50-hour power-reserve, rhodiumplated, ?fausses-côtes? decoration, 19 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance with screws and a frequency of 3 Hz/ 21,600 Alt/hour, self-compensating flat balance spring, 2 barrels. Dim: 42 x 34 mm. Thickness: 6,5 mm.
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Grade: |
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Case: 1 |
As new |
Movement: 1 |
As new |
Dial: 1-01 |
As new HANDS Original |
Notes
"Vagabondage" is the name chosen by F. P. Journe, and suggested by the French collector Jean Aube, to express the wandering of the revolving frame, which captures the hour and keeps it, while continuing its journey around the dial, to indicate the minutes. The ?Vagabondage? watch, with its elegant "tonneau"-shaped case marks a departure for François-Paul Journe from his classic round style. In addition to the series of 66 watches in platinum, 3 unique examples were made in 18K yellow, pink and white gold to celebrate Antiquorum?s 30th anniversary in 2004. The remaining 66 platinum pieces were available through F.P. Journe retailers, only 2 pieces were delivered to each boutique around the world.
François-Paul Journe was born in Marseille in March 1957. In 1976 he graduated from the Paris Ecole d'Horlogerie, and two years later he began working in an antique watch restoration workshop in Paris. Journe's first workshop was in the rue de Verneuil in Paris. Among his exceptional early creations are: a tourbillon pocket watch in 1978; a planetary pocket watch in 1985; an automatic chronometer pocket watch in 1986; a "sympathique" clock for the House of Asprey in London. In 2000, Journe established the workshop of his brand in Geneva, and in 2003 the Japanese branch of "Montres Journe" was opened. François-Paul Journe has received many distinctions for his work, among them, the prize of the Fondation de la Vocation Bleustein-Blanchet in 1987; the "Balancier d'or" at the Madrid Watchmakers' Convention in 1989; the Gaia "Watchmaker of the Year" award from the Musée de l'Homme et du Temps, in 1994; the special "Grand Prix de l'horlogerie de Genève" prize of the jury in 2002; the "Grand Prix d'horlogerie de Genève" for men's watches in 2003; the "Gold Hand" Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in 2004; and the prize for the watch of the year in Japan in 2005. In 2006, he was made "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" by the French Minister of Culture.