Independent & Innovative: The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Vertical

Contemporary watch brands that are led by living watchmakers and brand founders are exciting to observe, as they often push the boundaries of what is technically possible both in terms of timekeeping and design. Perhaps due to the fact that they aren’t steeped in the history of older legacy brands, these younger independents often focus on avant-garde, futuristic designs. For collectors looking for something unique but at the same time slightly traditional, the De Bethune’s and MB&F’s of the world might not be for you. This is exactly where F.P. Journe comes in though. The combination of an independent, contrarian spirit with a more conventional form factor is one of the key reasons for F.P. Journe’s mainstream success. With the F. P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Vertical, Francois Paul has managed to create a modern watchmaking marvel cased within the maison’s traditional, yet distinctive, round case shape.

History

Francois Paul Journe, founder of the eponymous brand, found interest in mechanical objects at an early age. While his first attempt at watchmaking school resulted in expulsion due to rowdy behavior, he was drawn to the craft and completed watchmaking school in Paris in 1976. The following years found him working with his uncle and would culminate with the completion of his first tourbillon pocket watch in 1983. The tourbillon would go on to serve as a lifelong horological fascination. Journe didn’t actually produce his first wristwatch until 1991, a watch that incorporated the remontoire from his second pocket watch as well as a chain-driven tourbillon caliber that served as the prototype for the Tourbillon Souverain.

In 1999, Francois launched his brand with a set of of watches that established the maison’s now distinctive design language, including the famed Tourbillon Souverain. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of that model, F.P. Journe unveiled the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical in 2019 which housed a vertically mounted tourbillon cage so that the tourbillon’s functions remain constant whether the watch lies flat or is placed on its side. It appears that Journe’s rowdy childhood demeanor led to an adult with a strong desire for independence, a creative mind, and a respect for tradition, all of which can be felt in the brand’s creations today.

Design Details

One of the most interesting aspects of the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical is that the dial is also part of the movement and functions as its bridge/baseplate. The movement itself is fashioned in 4N 18k gold, with a beautiful Clous de Paris pattern.

Looking at the dial, it is quintessentially, undeniably Journe. The main subdial for the time at 3 o’clock is crafted from Grand Feu enamel and is constructed from white gold. Just to the left of the sub-seconds at the bottom of the dial is an open-worked section that highlights the constant force mechanism. This remontoire d’egalite allows for the energy of the mainspring to be evenly distributed throughout the complete power reserve. The star of the show, however, is definitely the tourbillon. Vertically mounted at 9 o’clock, the 30-second tourbillon features a high polished outer flange and a reflective plate within the movement to direct light to the rapidly rotating escapement. It is truly something special to see, especially when in motion.

The 42mm case is available in either 18k rose gold or platinum (as seen here) and clocks in at a hefty 13.6mm thick. While that may seem fairly large, it is actually quite impressive considering that the tourbillon is mounted vertically. Even given the extra depth required by the tourbillon, the watch remains wearable, especially by the standards of contemporary, innovative watchmaking. The back side of the movement is on display through a sapphire caseback, allowing for an additional view of the constant force mechanism and tourbillon.

Available on a strap or a bracelet, the buyer gets to choose just how flashy they want their Journe to be.

Inner Workings

As the design of the watch is largely driven by its functions, it should come as no surprise that our main focus here is on the movement (and the tourbillon, in particular).

The manually wound Caliber 1519 is an impressive piece of engineering in its own right. It has a diameter of 34.6mm, is 10mm thick, and is crafted out of 18k rose gold. The rear of the baseplate is finished with circular Geneva striping and mirror anglage on the movement edges. The rementoire d’egalite is high polished with mirror anglage on the components edges. The functions include hours, minutes, dead-beat seconds, power-reserve indication, and the show-stopping vertical 30-second tourbillon.

The tourbillon mechanism was originally developed to negate the effects of gravity on the balance spring of a conventional clock. Since a clock rests in a single stationary position, gravity pulls down on the balance, causing the clock to lose time. A tourbillon mounts the balance on a rotating cage, allowing gravity to act more evenly which makes for a more accurate timekeeping mechanism.

Modern watches worn on the wrist are in constant movement throughout the day, making a traditional tourbillon effectively useless other than as a display of horological excellence. Aside from in certain watch cases, most owners keep their watches flat on a surface (i.e. pieces with a pin buckle) or on their side (i.e. pieces with a deployant clasp or bracelet) when not being worn. The vertically mounted tourbillon allows the tourbillon to rotate in a fashion that allows gravity to act evenly on the balance in either of these positions.

Adding a constant force mechanism, making the tourbillon rotate once every 30 seconds instead of the standard 60, and mounting the tourbillon vertically shows that Francois Paul Journe is not only a master watchmaker, but keen to think about his craft creatively, preserving an element of wit and whimsy that is all too often lost in modern watchmaking.

Versus the Competition

There are very, very few pieces that compete with the Vertical Tourbillon, but there are a few pieces out there that offer unique approaches to counteracting the effects of gravity. They might not be direct competitors for the Journe, but they are worth a look!

When it comes to modern, high-end, creative tourbillons, one of the first brands that comes to mind is Greubel Forsey. The Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Technique features an outer tourbillon that rotates every 4 minutes, and an inner tourbillon that rotates every 60 seconds, all mounted off-axis at 30°. With it’s fully skeletonized dial and movement and measuring 47.5mm in diameter and 16.8mm thick, it definitely has a more modern look, but like the Journe, the Greubel represents the absolute pinnacle of what is possible in modern watchmaking.

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Technique

The Zenith Defy Zero G “Gravity Control” offers a slightly different take on negating the effects of gravity in a wrist watch. This 44mm 18k rose gold watch features the Zenith El Primero 8812 movement, which in addition to it’s 36,000 VPH also features a balance that is mounted within a cage that allows it to rotate, effectively turning it into a gyroscope. While it is not a tourbillon, it is impressive that Zenith found a way to engineer a functioning, fully mobile balance as a way to negate the effects of gravity on the balance wheel.

Personality

With the popularity and collectability of F.P. Journe in recent years, it can be hard to separate truly desirable models from pieces that are just the ultimate “one-up” watch. The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Vertical is the rare piece that is both. Originally allocated to collectors with extensive F.P. Journe buying histories, if you are looking to buy the watch second-hand, you will still need to be a die-hard fan of haute-horology, and the brand, to fully appreciate the level of finishing and engineering displayed by this watch. The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Vertical is the heaviest of heavy hitters.

Final Thoughts

The Tourbillon Souverain Vertical from F.P. Journe is not for the faint of heart, both in terms of price and the level of engineering involved in the complicated mechanism of this watch. For those that can rise to the occasion, this watch is a complete no-brainer. Journe produces some of the most inspired, luxurious, and masterful watches available from a living watchmaker and is already one of the greats even when compared to the biggest names in the history of horology.