Octa Automatique Réserve Havana, Platinum

The Octa Automatique Réserve Havana debuted the desired warm Havana dial to the FP Journe catalogue in 2016. This was the first Havana dial reference, alongside the Octa Lune, often forgotten but ahead of the Chronomètre Souverain. Havana dials have historically lived in the more approachable side of the FP Journe catalogue, although recently productions have sold out for years in advance. That’s not without reason, as the beauty of this dial speaks for itself. 

FP Journe Havana pieces are defined by their tone, a Clous de Paris hobnail guilloché dial colored by mixing gold and ruthenium in a advanced process to create a deep warm tone. This deep warm dial took Les Cadraniers de Genève (FP Journe’s dial manufacture) months of development to perfect. This brown is offset by cream-tone hands and warm printed numerals (not stark white). The precise tone which results has developed its own cult following within FP Journe collecting. 

Cased at 40mm in platinum, the resulting watch stays true to the Octa case proportion with just 10.6mm thinness despite a 22 karat gold rotor. Powered by calibre 1300.3, the third major iteration of the 1300 movement, this model features an offset uni-directional ball-bearing winding mass, meter-long mainspring for more than five day reserve, and pink gold construction. Finishing standards remain traditionally Journe, with circular côtes de Genève, hand polished bevels, raw engraving work, barleycorn-guilloche winding mass, and base plate perlage. 

This is the original Havana FP Journe, understated, warm, and with a refined usability in its detail. FP Journe no longer makes the Octa Havana, production ceased near this example in 2020. Initially intended to be the start of a collecting journey with the brand, the Havana iteration has since become an end to many collectors in its own right. While not the most complicated FP Journe made, the aesthetic of this restrained model is inherently deeply appealing—the model has enjoyed a trajectory that is correctly a result of its outright beauty. 

This Octa Automatique Réserve Havana presents in excellent overall condition. Its case bears only light signs of wear with little signs of occasional use, no signs of refinishing. There are light scratches and signs of frequent cleaning surrounding the caseback sapphire, pictured. Light marks only Its dial is excellent with no faults. It comes with its full set and an additional olive FPJ strap (pictured).

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