F.P. Journe Octa Reserve de Marche

So you’ve bought a Patek, maybe an Audemars Piguet, a few Rolexes or a Vacheron Constantin. You think you’ve seen it all and are ready to move on to spicier horizons, and then you stumble on F.P. Journe.

Arguably the father of the modern independent watchmaking renaissance, Journe has paved the road for countless other small manufactures to make a name for themselves and share their creative eye with the industry. Journe’s legacy truly extends far beyond the watches he’s designed and executed.

Leaving school early to study horology, and working in his uncle’s clock repair shop, Journe discovered his knack for all things horology at a young age. Studying the works of Breguet and George Daniels, Journe had an eye for complication and classicism which would go on to influence the look of his later creations.

After completing his studies and designing a number of commissioned pieces for private clients, Journe decided to set out on his own crafting wristwatches. Never slacking off, his earliest designs were tourbillons with constant force remontoirs — mechanically sophisticated and extremely difficult to execute. The ambitious young watchmaker was already punching above his weight, and by the time he started his own eponymous brand, collectors were already getting excited about Journe’s promise.

The Octa Reserve de Marche, introduced in 2001, was the first watch released with automatic winding and over 120 hours of power reserve. A guilloché dial center, Journe’s own typeface on the dial, and the funky layout of the watch all come together to present a luxurious, but distinctive look. 

While the Octa Reserve is a great watch no matter the configuration, this particular piece is simply screaming for the Journe enthusiast. Firstly, this piece is a 38mm Octa Reserve. Produced only until 2005, these smaller Octa Reserves are especially desirable. Today, Octa collection watches are only made in 40 and 42mm configurations. While these sizes are fantastic for many clients, the 38mm variants allow those with smaller wrists to enjoy the watch. Furthermore, because of the broad lug profile, the watch doesn't look or feel out of place on a larger wrist at all. As a result, these early, rare 38mm offerings always are a bit more special. 

If you’re not sold yet, that’s not all this piece has going for it. Additionally, while all Journe movements from around 2004 on were made of rose gold, this piece features one of Journe’s early brass movements. This is yet another point that will get Journe enthusiasts extremely excited. This piece is analogous to an Enzo Ferrari era Ferrari. It is the earliest, purest representation of everything that was F.P. Journe in the late 20th century and into the early 2000s. 

Adorned with a 18K rose gold dial, this piece features a power reserve indicator at 9 o'clock, displaying its impressive 120 hours of power reserve, outsized date at 11 o'clock, and time at 3 o'clock. 

In actuality, the watch will remain running for closer to 180 hours. Journe only advertised 120 hours because he wanted to display power for the portion of reserve that the watch would maintain extreme timekeeping precision. 

Fantastic.

A chemin de fer minute track encircles the periphery and all hands have been blued — once more calling upon the look of classic Breguet dials. While there’s certainly a lot going on, the dial doesn’t feel cluttered or messy. Actually, it feels pretty damn elegant.

While Journe has a number of more complicated offerings, even his simpler designs have his creative flavor undeniably evident with every minute detail. This watch is truly a celebration of the success of independent watchmaking and Journe’s role in perpetuating it.

François-Paul Journe is one of the most well respected independent watchmakers in the world. A three-time winner of the Aiguille d’Or grand prize from the Fondation du Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, he is a watchmaker’s watchmaker, focusing on complicated pieces made in-house to the tune of roughly 800 watches per year.

Born in Marseille in 1957, Journe began his watchmaking education at just 15 years old, receiving his watchmaking diploma at the École d'Horlogerie in Paris in 1976. He opened a studio in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in 1985, and subsequently relocated to the Swiss Jura in 1989, where he began work on his first tourbillon wristwatch. Ten years later, he established his eponymous firm in Geneva.

F.P. Journe builds precision chronometers outfitted with cases from its own case maker, and dials from its own dial maker. Each timepiece is printed with the motto ‘Invenit et Fecit,’ Latin for ‘(He) invented it and made it,’ indicating in-house construction, vertical integration, and the highest possible standards. The recipient of numerous patents, Journe’s horological innovations have earned him plaudits from across the industry.

Today, F.P. Journe operates 10 boutiques around the world. Its incredibly well regarded wares have raised over two million CHF for various charities via auctions, only furthering to cement both the brand and the man in the annals of horological history.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.