Octa Automatique, Platinum

In 2001, just two years after founding his manufacture, François-Paul Journe unveiled the Octa—his third creation after the Tourbillon Souverain and Chronomètre à Résonance, and his first automatic. The Réserve de Marche spearheaded the creation of a collection, paving the way for the expansion of Journe’s range well beyond his initial two watches through its ingenious calibre 1300.3. While numerous complications were introduced using the Octa’s adaptable design, the Réserve de Marche remained the core offering of the line until the model’s discontinuation in 2014. The Octa Automatique brings the power reserve indicator back into standard production, Journe’s 2022 follow-on to the Réserve de Marche featuring subtle updates to the off-center time display along with modern case proportions. 

The Octa Automatique shares obvious ties to the Réserve de Marche, so much so that the watches are fairly easy to misidentify. The Octa Automatique, however, features subtle design changes to enhance legibility. The power reserve indicator has been shifted down to make room for a larger date aperture, displaying the date with the same unique concentric disc mechanism. It maintains a whitened guilloché minutes dial with intersecting small seconds display, though with larger hour numerals than the Réserve de Marche in Journe’s signature font. Its design builds upon a limited edition, brass movement Automatique released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Octa line, here brought into the standard catalogue. The Octa Automatique is offered in 18k red gold or this platinum case. This example features matching tone gold dial and the more traditional Octa case proportions of 40mm, though 42mm are also on offer.  

The Calibre 1300 within is a thesis against modular watchmaking. Rather than stack complications atop a base movement, François-Paul designed one integrated architecture—30mm across yet just 5.5mm tall—engineered from the outset to accept everything from a simple date to an annual calendar without gaining a millimetre. It is why the movement fills the caseback so completely, and why the Octa remained a wearable dress watch no matter the complication. A full 120 hours of chronometric power reserve is provided by one extraordinarily long mainspring. It delivers just 850 grams of torque, a low value to allow efficient winding of the lengthy spring, with only 25% amplitude loss at the reserve's end. A free-sprung 10.1mm balance with adjustable inertia weights beats at 21,600vph. Its large diameter and high inertia ensure stability despite the low torque provided by the mainspring. The 22k gold guilloché rotor winds unidirectionally, sitting slightly off-centre by design. File marks are left deliberately intact on the anglage, François-Paul's insistence that evidence of hand finishing remain visible in the finish. 

The Octa line and its calibre 1300 represent immense ingenuity and foresight on the part of François-Paul. The Octa Automatique celebrates the success of this line through returning to its origins. At its start, the Octa shifted focus to practicality and functionality rather than on the highly precise chronometry displayed in the Tourbillon Souverain and Résonance. The Octa Automatique is an embodiment of this distinct branch of Journe watchmaking,

This Automatique presents in exceptional overall condition consistent with its recent sale in 2026. The dial and hands are flawless with no signs of wear or patina. Locating even light hairline scratches on the bezel or case is difficult. The watch has likely only been worn sparingly as the original strap is flat and has not been broken in. Its calibre 1300 is running well within spec on our timing equipment.

The watch comes with its full set, including original receipt showing sale in 2026.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.