Octa Quantième Perpétuel, Platinum

The Octa Quantième Perpétuel was the F. P. Journe’s first production perpetual calendar released in 2015. A Tokyo limited edition of just 99 pieces was produced in 2009, featuring a display similar to the Octa Calendrier. The Quantième Perpétuel is distinct in its dial configuration bringing both day and month apertures to the 12 o’clock position, a power reserve indicator at 9, and oversized date apertures at 6 replacing the long-arc date indication of the Octa Calendrier. Leap year is displayed at the dial’s center. Most notably, the Quantième Perpétuel features a central hours and minutes display, made possible by Journe’s calibre 1300.3 This calibre is the modular base for his Octa collection, allowing numerous complications to be integrated without changing movement dimensions and therefore its 40mm case size. 

Journe’s ingenuity did not stop at the modularity of the movement, the rose gold calibre features an off-center 22 karat guilloché engraved gold rotor, straight line lever escapement, shock absorber mechanism, 4 arm balance, a self-compensating free-sprung balance spring, and massive 160 hour power reserve. The Quantième Perpétuel allows tool-free adjustment of all calendar displays. Its multiple position crown adjusts time, day, and date, while month and leap year are adjusted through a hidden corrector beneath the 1 o’clock lug. Flipping this latch out from beneath the lug creates a lever for advancement of the month and leap year hand. It is an instantaneous perpetual calendar, all indications jump simultaneously in just 0.016 seconds at midnight.

The Octa Quantième Perpétuel is available in two configurations, pink gold and platinum. This platinum example from 2019 features the original dial design–whitened silver with tapering arabic numerals to accommodate an ovular dial center. Held in place by a mirror polished steel ring, the dial center is made of either platinum or pink gold to match the case. In 2020, the dial design of the Quantième Perpétuel was modified, replacing the 3 part dial design with a whitened silver guilloché dial, with no framing element, and applied numerals.

The Octa Quantième Perpétuel is the pinnacle of Journe’s technical ability in calendar mechanics, a genre explored within the Octa range and its impressive calibre 1300.3 base. The instantaneous perpetual calendar addition is equally innovative, with its no-tool adjustment allowing a clean and streamlined case exterior. The Octa Quantième Perpétuel, Journe’s first standard production perpetual calendar, represents a meaningful step in his pursuit of further complication. This platinum example with early dial configuration is the watch in its originally intended aesthetic.

This Octa Quantième Perpétuel presents in excellent condition. The dial is flawless, with no wear, marks, or signs of patina. The case is sharp and full and shows only light signs of surface wear. Its calibre 1300.3 is running well within specification and all calendar functions are operating as expected. It comes with its full set.

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