Exploring the F.P.Journe Manufacture & It’s Savoir Faire

The name F.P.Journe has long been seen as synonymous with high-end watchmaking. The Swiss manufacturer has been regarded as one of the best independent watchmakers of the modern era, and for good reason. It has won the Aiguille d’Or grand prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie on three occasions. The first came in 2004 with the Tourbillon Souverain à seconde more, the second was in 2006 for the Sonnerie Souverain, and the third was in 2008 for the Centigraphe Souverain.

F.P.Journe also won four category prizes at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie that featured the Men’s Watch Prize in 2003 and 2005 for the Octa Lune and the Chronomètre Souverain respectively. It also won the 2002 Special Jury Prize for the Octa Calendrier and the 2010 Complicated Watch Prize for the Chronomètre à Résonance. But what is it about François-Paul Journe and his eponymous brand that has since seen it become the go-to choice for collectors and connoisseurs alike?

F.P.Journe – A History

Despite starting in 1999, François-Paul Journe was already very well-known within the watchmaking space due to his impeccable eye for design and craftsmanship. Having grown up in Marseille, France for most of his adolescent life, François-Paul had always been an overly curious child who had a knack for tinkering with mechanisms. His need to create and invent was evident from very early on, which would be the foundation of his ever-imaginative mentality that would see him create some of the most stunningly beautiful creations of the modern era.

François-Paul was first introduced to the world of watchmaking by his uncle Michel Journe, who was a watch and clockmaker with a workshop of his own in Paris. After moving from the port city of Marseille for the hustle and bustle of Paris, François-Paul would begin down the long winding road of becoming a watchmaker. Despite only being in Paris for the summer, his one-on-one sessions at his uncle’s workshop were enough to convince François-Paul to join Marseille’s technical training school for the first year of horology.

At only 15 years of age, this was the start of François-Paul’s path that would eventually lead him to the heights of haute horlogerie.

The Start of the Manufacture

The planetarium clock that François-Paul created for Asprey.

Before François-Paul became the household name of independent watchmaking, he came through humble beginnings that saw him move from Marseille to Paris full-time to attend the Ecole d’Horlogerie de Paris for his final few years of schooling. This also saw him work at his uncle’s workshop in Paris during his free time where he went on to meet some of the most important collectors of its generation. François-Paul would end up restoring multiple important clocks and watches from their yesteryear. This allowed him to further expand his knowledge and breadth in watchmaking.

This took place in 1979 when François-Paul was first introduced to one of his uncle’s clients and despite only being in his early 20s, he was soon put to work on several projects. One of them was a commissioned planetarium clock for Asprey, the revered high-end retailer that specialises in jewellery and watches amongst other things. It soon made its debut during the Basel Fair as the white and yellow-gold planetarium clock was showcased with an adornment of diamonds, rubies, and twelve lapis-lazuli plaques.

The first-ever pocket watch created by François-Paul.

Aside from his intricately detailed planetarium clock, François-Paul was also busy with another project: a two-barrel tourbillon watch complete with a detent escapement. Created and assembled entirely by hand, he would go on to complete his first watch in January of 1983 when he was just 25 years old, which further alludes to his ability as a more than proficient watchmaker well beyond his age. Since then, François-Paul has been part of a small group of elite watchmakers who transcend their abilities like Abrahan-Louis Breguet and George Daniels.

Interestingly enough, George Daniels was the only other person who replicated such a feat back in 1969, 14 years before F.P.Journe.

Invenit et Fecit

The Latin phrase “Invenit et Fecit” is the company motto for F.P.Journe, which indicates its approach towards watchmaking. It directly translates to “invented and made” and shows how involved François-Paul is with the entire process. Back then, it was customary for watchmakers to sign their creations with ‘Invenit et Fecit’, which was something the likes of Breguet were known for doing.

However, it means so much more than just being “invented and made”. The entire phrase that has become F.P.Journe’s motto is about a watchmaker that came up with the entire concept for the watch, designed it, and then proceeded to create it with their own two hands. This means being a part of the entire development and manufacture of the watch – a hallmark of a true master-watchmaker.

All of the watches created by F.P.Journe are still assembled in its Geneva workshops to this very day. From the movement to the creation of the dial and even the case, all of this is done in-house with François-Paul at the forefront of it all. Being the master watchmaker, he has made it a point of honour to design and manufacture mechanical watches one by one and in a small series.

The first wristwatch was created by François-Paul and resides in the F.P.Journe museum.

However, the eponymous brand was not founded until 1999 but by then, François-Paul was already well-renowned within the watchmaking community. This was further enunciated in 1991 when he created his first-ever wristwatch that featured the world’s first tourbillon with a remontoire d’égalité constant force mechanism. That watch would go on to be the very first model offered by the namesake brand in 1999 and it remained in François-Paul’s personal collection to this day.

The F.P.Journe company headquarters alongside its manufacturing facilities and even an exhibition space with a library are all housed under one roof in a converted gaslamp factory in the neighbourhood of Coulouvrenière Rois, which is located in central Geneva. This is where the manufacture of movement components as well as decoration and watchmaking workshops are situated. The Manufacture also own the Cadraniers de Genève and Boîtiers de Genève – which are the dial-making and case-making facilities respectively – and are located in a new building in the municipality of Canton on the outskirts of Geneva.

Cadraniers de Genève

Known as the ‘Dial Maker of Geneva’, the Manufacture’s dial-making facility has been located in Meyrin since 2012 but more recently moved into a new building back in June 2023. This has ensured that every watch created by F.P.Journe is done exclusively in-house, which further accentuates the brand’s motto and dedication. The custom-designed facility was built for a specific purpose, which includes a climate control system.

This detailed know-how of creating most of its components in-house harkens back to François-Paul and his early days as a watchmaker, who was well-known for creating everything by hand. This mentality saw the emergence of having both its dial- and case-making facilities that emphasise its expertise in savoir-faire. Each watch from Montres Journe features a unique look and feel, which represents the very idea and vision of François-Paul.

Boîtiers de Genève

Le Boîtiers de Genève, also called the ‘Case Maker of Geneva’, started from another case-making company, Elinor. It was founded back in 1957 at the small French commune of Clamart, which F.P.Journe eventually acquired after they were a notable client for many years prior. Elinor had also worked with François-Paul many years before the birth of his eponymous brand as they made the case for his first-ever pocket watch.

Montres Journe wholly owns both Le Cadraniers de Genève and Le Boîtiers de Genève, a point of reference to its relentless pursuit and commitment towards in-house manufacturing. Across both entities alongside F.P.Journe, they have around 200 employees with 80 staff members being a part of the Manufacture in Geneva while 70 are in Meyrin and split between Le Cadraniers de Genève and Le Boîtiers de Genève.

And unlike Le Cadraniers de Genève, the Case Maker of Geneva produces all its cases and bracelets exclusively for F.P.Journe.

A Future for Young Watchmakers with F.P.Journe

Both François-Paul and the eponymous brand have been supporting young watchmakers and recent graduates when it comes to entering the space of independent watchmaking since 2015 with the introduction of the F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition. This is aimed at discovering the next great watchmaker with the potential to carve out new avenues in a centuries-old industry. As there aren’t many who know how hard it is to break into the circle of high-end watchmaking, the F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition is all about rewarding talented and aspiring watchmakers to ensure they are known across the world while also putting their creations in the spotlight.

Registration for the F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition is currently open with the last date of submission falling on 16th February 2025. The winner will be selected by 1st March next year but will only be announced in the following month with the date yet to be confirmed. There will also be a presentation of the winner during the F.P.Journe Salon in April 2025 as well. Not only will the winner receive a diploma signed by François-Paul Journe as well as other members of the jury, but they will also receive a CHF 50’000 grant from both F.P.Journe and The Hour Glass.

Speaking of which, The Hour Glass has been an ardent supporter and part-organiser of the F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition since 2018 with the Group Managing Director, Michael Tay being a part of the jury panel as well.

Be sure to discover more about F.P Journe with The Hour Glass.