F.P.Journe Tourbillon Souverain à remontoir d’égalité avec seconde morte

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In 1999, François-Paul Journe launched his F.P.Journe –Invenit et Fecit– brand with the Tourbillon Souverain, the first model in the Souveraine collection and the only wristwatch tourbillon watch with a constant force device. A mechanism “invenit et fecit” – invented and made – by François-Paul Journe, providing unique timekeeping performances for this tourbillon, which is still the most accurate on the market today.

Driven by his thirst for timekeeping research and his creative needs, François-Paul Journe now presents the new generation of the Tourbillon Souverain, in the shape of the:Tourbillon Souverain à remontoir d’égalité avec seconde morte.

This model replaces the existing Tourbillon Souverain with remontoir and places the latter in the category of collector’s watches. The fact that production of this first tourbillon model has been limited to just a few hundred confers on it a rare and now highly sought-after status. The new Tourbillon Souverain is endowed with the aesthetic characteristics and technical demands inherent to creations by F.P.Journe – Invenit et Fecit.

Its mechanism uses the remontoir or constant force device system, which the brand values since 1983 for its timekeeping performances, and has now been enriched with an independent seconds system. This complication, representing a unique feature on a contemporary wristwatch, provides a more accurate read-off of time. The French term for “independent seconds”, called “seconde morte” or “dead-beat seconds”, stems from the fact that the hand remains motionless (“dead”) for as long as the second has not actually elapsed, which means the hand thus indicates the second once it has actually gone past.

This exceptional mechanism is housed in an equally noble 38 or 40 mm case in 18-carat red gold. The beauty and sophistication of this technical and aesthetic feat are revealed through the transparent sapphire crystal case-back. The dial features the distinctive identity of the F.P. Journe chronometers with the 18-carat red or white gold dial and guilloché silver hour, minute and seconds circles screwed to the watch face (a patented feature).

The 42-hour power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock perfectly counter-balances the independent seconds display at 6 o’clock. Case in platinum or red gold. Leather strap with platinum or red gold pin buckle, or platinum or red gold bracelet with folding clasp.

Technical Specifications

Indications
Hours and minutes at 3h00
Sub-seconds at 6h00
Power reserve at 12h00

Movement
Calibre : 1403
Dimensions : Overall diameter : 32.40 mm
Cased-up diameter of mvt : 32.00 mm
Overall height of mvt : 7.15 mm
Height of winding stem: 2.53 mm
Diameter of stem thread: S1.20 mm

Main features
Tourbillon with constant force and dead seconds
Manual winding
Time adjustment by crown in position 2
Manual winding : 20 turns of the crown.
Characteristics: 15 tooth escape wheel
90° Anchor fork.
Balance with 4 inertia weights.
Flat Anachron balance spring with Breguet overcoil.
Pinned stud.
Free-sprung
Spring pinned to collet
2 positions winding crown
Frequency : 21’600 VPH, 3 Hz
Inertia : 11.00 mgcm2
Angle of lift : 52°
Amplitude : 0 h dial up : > 280°/ 24 h dial up : > 280°
Power reserve : 42 ± 2 hours
Number of jewels: 26

Finishing
High quality
Circular stripes on the bridges
Geneva waves on baseplate
Screw heads polished and bevelled
Pegs with polished rounded ends

Number of components
Movement: 179
Cased on leather strap: 218