GENERATIONS

A rare reunion: past generations of F.P. Journe’s Chronomètre à Résonance

EXPLORING THE F.P. JOURNE RÉSONANCE

BY JUSTIN MASTINE-FROST

When it comes to the many impressive creations launched by F.P. Journe over the years, few if any have garnered more attention than the Chronomètre à Résonance. It’s quite well known that François-Paul has always had an interest in the early works of Abraham-Louis Breguet, justifiably recognized as the “Godfather” of modern watchmaking. In the early 1800s, Breguet experimented with the concept of resonance in a watch movement, crafting three pocket watches with a pair of movements/geartrains in a single housing, affixed to the same mainplate. In 2000, FrançoisPaul became the first watchmaker to scale this principle down into a wristwatch, cementing himself into the watch industry record books one of many times through his illustrious and ongoing career. Since the turn of the millennia, the Chronomètre à Résonance has seen a delicate evolution through to its present day state, as well as a handful of special variations for some of the different F.P. Journe boutiques around the globe.

Introduced as part of a special limited series in 2015, this Chronomètre à Résonance features a 38mm stainless steel case, marking the discontinuation of the 38mm size.

Series R

Series RT

THE FIRST CHRONOMÈTRE À RÉSONANCE, SERIES R As noted above, the first variant of the Chronomètre à Résonance arrived in 2000 as a subscription series wristwatch using the principle of resonance in its movement design. Only the second wristwatch to come from the manufacture of F.P. Journe, and preceded by the Tourbillon Souverain—an equally complex creation in its own right—the subscription series was soon followed by a proper first edition collection of the Résonance. This version was produced from 2001 until 2003, initially launched with a rhodium-plated brass caliber fitted into a 38mm platinum case, with either a white, yellow, or rose gold dial. Within this period, Journe also produced a limited 99-piece series of Ruthenium dial Chronomètre à Résonance watches, whose grey dials differ quite dramatically from their gold counterparts.

The principles behind the caliber development draw very closely on those early works of Breguet, where its pair of unregulated balances oscillate side by side with very little clearance between them. The idea, fundamentally, is that the inertia of one’s oscillation will resonate through their shared mainplate, bringing the pair of balances into sync. To make this task even more challenging, the balances need to remain within five seconds of one another in order to remain in sync. Given Journe’s obsession with performance and accuracy that runs far beyond the conventional “Chronometer Certified” status pursued by countess other brands, him developing a caliber like this makes sense, and given its longevity and desirability over the years, he was more than capable of making it happen. VERSION 2: THE GOLDEN ERA, CHRONOMÈTRE À RÉSONANCE SERIES RN One of the biggest shifts in Journe’s overall watchmaking strategy was the move to crafting all of his calibers out of 18k rose gold. This shift began in 2004, and of course the Chronomètre à Résonance was part of this transition. As this second generation of the watch appeared, Journe also announced the availability of two different case sizes, deciding to offer it both in 38mm and 40mm versions. Overall proportions remained the same, however the second generation was also offered in a 18k rose gold case, matching its new caliber material. When it comes to time indication and other details, the watch remained unchanged, and this marked the beginning of special limited editions of the Chronomètre à Résonance hitting the market. Among others, 2005 saw the arrival of a titanium-cased boutique edition for the second anniversary of F.P. Journe’s boutique in Tokyo, a darker dial variant in platinum made for Orologeria Pisa of Milan in 2009, and a unique rose gold model with a black mother-of-pearl dial that appeared somewhere within that same timeframe are just a few of the variations that surfaced along the way.

VERSION 3: DESIGN CHANGES COMMEMORATE A DECADE, SERIES RT As the tenth anniversary of the Chronomètre à Résonance came around, François-Paul decided it was time to update his masterpiece in a way that involved more than a simple change in materials. Rather than sticking with its conventional and symmetrical dual subdial display of hours and minutes on a 12-hour scale, Journe scrapped the original time indication on the left side

Series RQ

The RTA features a 12-hour indication at 3 o’clock, and a 24-hour indication at 9 o’clock

and opted for an orbital digital time display on the first half of the caliber. This was only part of the equation, however, as the leading time display now indicated time on a 24-hour scale rather than 12. This modification also meant that the drive system and power required to run each of the two movements was now different, adding to further technical challenges in bringing the watch to market. While some might not be sold on the lack of symmetry that came with the 2010 model, there’s something to the digital time indication and metal plating that surrounds it which gives the piece an almost industrial/steampunk sort of charm that is both uncommon and yet oddly well-fitting in the F.P. Journe lineup.

VERSION 4: THE SINGLE-YEAR AND RARE, SERIES RTA 2019 saw a bit of a twist on the reference, and one that only lasted the course of a year. Effectively a hybrid of the three previous series of Chronomètre à Résonance models, we see a return to the symmetrical subdials, albeit with a bit of a twist. Using the mechanics developed for the series three, the subdial on the left presents home time on a 24-hour scale. These pieces were only available in rose gold or platinum, fitted in 40mm cases and either leather strap or bracelets of their corresponding case metals.

VERSION 5: A NEW ANNIVERSARY, AND A NEW CALIBER, SERIES RQ The twentieth anniversary of the Résonance called for a major update. Meet the thoroughly reworked Caliber 1520. Its power reserve of 42 hours is stored in a single mainspring barrel, rather than having a pair each supplying their own half of the movement. A differential of sorts is used to split the power between each of the geartrains, and on each side, a remontoir d’égalite is used to ensure steady power transmission through the unloading of the mainspring. Though the total power reserve is considered as 40 hours, a resonance movement is a different beast altogether, so it is said the movement design ensures the two balance wheels stay synchronized.

Aesthetically speaking you’ll notice a few key changes to this latest Chronomètre à Résonance. The subdial layout remains unchanged from the last edition, aside from an opening at the center of the dial. This opening shows the differential below the mainspring barrel, noting the key change in its movement configuration. At 12 o’clock, its power reserve has been reduced and simplified. Rather than sweeping across the majority of the upper quadrant of the dial, it takes up far less real estate, and has a clear indication of when it needs to be wound. Lastly, you’ll note two separate crowns; the top for winding and setting; and the bottom to reset and sync the subdials.

With the change in movement, the Chronomètre à Résonance has gotten only a touch larger. Available in 40 and 42mm diameter variants (in either red gold or platinum, as usual), its case thickness has increased by 2mm, bumping up from nine to 11.