FP Journe Unveils First Ladies’ Model

By Adrienne Faurote January 28, 2014

Luxury watchmaker François-Paul Journe has unveiled the first ladies’ collection for his eponymous brand FP Journe. The Elégante timepiece goes above and beyond typical women’s creations, literally allowing time to be stopped and started again.

At the heart of the Elégante is the Calibre 1210, an electro-mechanical movement which was 8 years in the making. This innovative movement features a mechanical motion detector, which is visible on the dial at 5 o’clock. When the watch is not worn, it stops after about 30 minutes. In standby mode, the microprocessor continues to keep time, while the mechanical parts – gears, rotors and hands – stop moving in order to save energy. When the timepiece is put back on, it automatically sets itself to the correct time, taking the shortest path – either clockwise or counter clockwise. As a result, it offers the wearer 10 years of use when worn and up to 18 years in standby mode.

This unique movement is housed in a flat 34mm x 35mm tortue case of either platinum, 18K red gold or titanium, decorated with rubber partitions. Each edition is also available in a diamond-set version. The luminescent dial can be read day or night, and features hours and minutes, as well as a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The caseback features a heart showcasing the location of the microprocessor.

The titanium version is available with 7 colored rubber partitions and a matching rubber strap: white, rose, light blue, mid- night blue, chocolate, burgundy red, and khaki green. The red gold version comes with a chocolate strap. The platinum version comes with a dark blue strap.

François-Paul Journe commented on the unveiling, “I created this watch because for 20 years, women have been asking me to design a watch for them; a watch that was different and comfortable to wear, and that suited their needs and desires. I therefore created this long-lasting watch es- pecially for them. Today the “élégante” features the only electromechanical movement conceived and created for the luxury market and offering a true vision of luxury.”