F.P. Journe Watches

F.P. Journe is one of the most sought-after independent watchmakers in the world. Founded in Geneva in 1999 by François-Paul Journe, the brand makes every one of its watches in-house, with movements in solid 18K gold, and produces only around a thousand watches a year. Luxury Bazaar carries pre-owned and unworn F.P. Journe watches, each authenticated and backed by our 2-year warranty.

The History of F.P. Journe

François-Paul Journe was born in Marseille in 1957. After training at the watchmaking school in Paris, he joined his uncle’s workshop restoring antique clocks and watches, and in 1983 he completed his first tourbillon pocket watch, made entirely by hand. He then spent years making complicated pieces for collectors and other brands before launching his own name in Geneva in 1999.

His first two watches, the Tourbillon Souverain and the Chronomètre à Résonance, set the tone for everything since: original movements built around precision, signed “Invenit et Fecit,” Latin for “invented and made.” Since 2004 F.P. Journe movements have been made in 18K rose gold, and in 2018 Chanel took a minority stake in the company, which remains independent and is still run by its founder.

F.P. Journe Collections

• Souveraine: the founding collection of complicated watches, including the Tourbillon Souverain, the Chronomètre à Résonance with its two balances beating in resonance, and the Chronomètre Souverain, an elegant time-only chronometer.
• Chronomètre Bleu: a time-only watch with a tantalum case and a deep blue dial, and one of the brand’s most famous designs.
• Octa: automatic watches built on the same base movement with a large date and power reserve, including the Octa Automatique Lune with its moon phase, the Octa Divine and the Octa Chronographe.
• LineSport: sportier versions of Journe’s movements in light aluminum and titanium cases, from automatic watches to the Centigraphe and the split-seconds chronograph.
• Élégante: an electro-mechanical watch with a tonneau-shaped case. When it is not being worn, it stops its hands and goes into standby to save energy, then resets itself to the correct time when picked up again.

How Much Does an F.P. Journe Watch Cost?

F.P. Journe makes so few watches that most models sell for well above their original retail price on the secondary market. Here is roughly what F.P. Journe watches have sold for at Luxury Bazaar recently:

• Élégante: about $110,000 to $125,000 for the 40mm in titanium, with or without diamonds, and about $205,000 for the Élégante 48.
• Octa: about $150,000 to $180,000 for the Octa Automatique Lune, and about $250,000 for the Octa Divine in platinum.
• LineSport: about $140,000 to $200,000.
• Chronomètre Bleu and Chronomètre Souverain: about $195,000 to $200,000.
• Tourbillon Souverain: about $400,000.

Every listing above shows its current price. For the brand’s rarest pieces, see our guide to F.P. Journe limited edition watches.

F.P. Journe Frequently Asked Questions

Why are F.P. Journe watches so expensive?

F.P. Journe makes only around a thousand watches a year, every movement is designed and made in-house in solid gold, and demand from collectors far exceeds supply. As a result, most models trade for well above their original retail price.

Where are F.P. Journe watches made?

In Geneva, Switzerland, where F.P. Journe makes its movements, cases and dials in its own workshops.

Who owns F.P. Journe?

F.P. Journe is an independent company run by its founder, François-Paul Journe. Chanel has held a minority stake in the brand since 2018.

What does “Invenit et Fecit” mean?

It is Latin for “invented and made.” It appears on F.P. Journe dials to show that each watch was both designed and built by the brand.

How do you pronounce F.P. Journe?

“Journe” is pronounced roughly “zhoorn,” with a soft French “j.”