At the very end of the early brass years, FP Journe chose to send off brass calibres with a limited edition. Between 2001 and 2003, François-Paul created the Ruthenium Collection, before pink gold movements were introduced. For five core models, an individually numbered 99 examples would be made with the new 40mm case but still with a brass movement. No other 40mm Journe cases have been made featuring brass movements. The dial, plates, and bridges were all coated in Ruthenium. The Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance are arguably the two models most core to FP Journe's identity. The pairing of early, ref. 'T' Tourbillon architecture and Ruthenium dial make this example one of the most distinctly impressive and collectable Journes ever made.
François-Paul's mastery of complication and traditional watchmaking began with the Tourbillon. The very first FP Journe pocket watch and wristwatch were both Tourbillons, influenced by Breguet and Daniels. The wristwatch featured a remontoir d'égalité, a signature additional layer of complication in many FP Journe watches today. A remontoir equalizes the level of energy reaching the escapement from the mainspring for chronometric consistency. The first Tourbillon wristwatch laid the foundations for many later complications to come and bears a clear familial resemblance with later watches straight through to this Ruthenium Tourbillon.
The hand-finished dial of the Ruthenium is like no other FP Journe. Ruthenium is a light-absorbing, platinum-family metal with extreme hardness and resistance to oxidation, usually used in aerospace. The underlying white gold dial base is still grain-textured like other early brass Journe examples, but now bears a complex, cool gunmetal tone. The dial is classically Journe in every detail. The opening for the dramatic Tourbillon cage is sized perfectly to match the silver guilloché dial beside it. The openwork at 6 reveals the one-second remontoir d'égalité, providing a balanced constant force to the escapement. Below are the words 'Invenit et Fecit', a nod to signing conventions of a century ago meaning 'Invented and Made' by FP Journe.
The manual calibre 1498 is finished with immense personality. For example, consider the upper tourbillon cage bridge, which features a bercé or completely spherical anglage. The remontoir's is black polished with similarly rounded bevels. Its caseback provides a broad canvas for Côtes de Genève, with muted tones specific to the Ruthenium treatment. François-Paul himself made each of these calibres.
The Ruthenium Collection has come to be seen as the bridge between FP Journe's smaller early souscription, brass years and the larger-volume, modern brand with pink gold calibres. Limited to 99 examples, the Collection included the Tourbillon Souverain (present watch), the Chronomètre à Resonance, the Octa Chronographe, the Octa Calendrier and the Octa Réserve de Marche Jour et Nuit. Four of the five models in the collection, including this Tourbillon Remontoir Souverain, are today discontinued. Moreover, it is the only example of the original FP Journe reference 'T' Tourbillon architecture made in a 40mm case. These 495 watches, but particularly the Resonance and this Tourbillon, are amongst the most coveted FP Journes ever made. More notably, they signal the change from FP Journe establishing his brand to FP Journe as we know it today.
