Important Collector's Wristwatches, P...

Grand Havana Room, May 26, 2004

LOT 299

F. P. Journe,"Invenit et Fecit","Remontoir d'Egalité, Tourbillon Souverain", No. 44/99T. Produced in a limited edition of 99 examples, circa 2000. Very fine and rare, platinum gentleman's chronometer wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and constant force remontoir, 42-hour autonomy and a platinum F. P. Journe buckle.

C. Three-body, solid, polished, transparent case back with 6 screws, winding crown engine-turned with a knurled pattern, sapphire crystals. D. 18K brushed yellow gold, at 3 guilloché matte silver off-center dial with painted Arabic numerals for the hours and minutes, apertures at 6 for the constant-force remontoir and at 9 for the tourbillon with its polished steel bridge, up-and-down indication at 11."Journe"-style blued steel hands. M. Cal. 1498, rhodium-plated,"fausses côtes" decoration, 25ewels, lateral lever escapement with one-minute tourbillon regulator and ?A?-shaped tourbillon frame, polished steel bridge,"Gyromax"-type balance with 4 timing weights, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance-spring. The constant-force remontoir with an 18K gold wheel seeks extreme precision by equalizing the mainspring's varying power-supply. A blade spring, controlled by a spinning vane, is armed once a second by the force of the mainspring, feeding a steady flow of power to the balancefor a more constant rate.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 38 mm.