One does not typically associate FP Journe with either titanium or integrated sports watches, casual Journe is almost an oxymoron. Yet Francois-Paul anticipated the swell of sports watch interest well ahead of the trend with the Octa Sport in 2012. In typical fashion, the Octa Sport's philosophy runs far deeper than the surface. The bracelet is woven with rubber accents and the case sports rubber bumpers as armor to daily life. Further, the light-weighting extends to the movement. This entire calibre 1300.3 is made from aluminum. For context, a titanium Lange Odysseus is considered very light and weighs 105 grams. This Octa Sport, just 65 grams. The mass of this Octa Sport defies belief, the mind cannot comprehend that this a mechanical FP Journe upon picking one up.
The Journe Sport line began as a request from one of his most avid collectors back in the 2000s, when very few collected Journe. The man was a competitive marathoner and triathlete, and wanted something he could wear during both. In characteristic fashion, Francois-Paul refused the impurity of a screw-down crown, but otherwise agreed to develop such a watch. In 2011 the Centigraphe CTS launched the 'lineSport' collection, which was then quickly followed in 2012 by the dedicated Octa Sport. Initially, both cases were made of aluminum. However, time quickly proved that these cases were not structurally robust or strong enough for the demands of daily life. FP Journe switched the entire collection to titanium cases in 2014, which is the year this watch was made.
The design brief was met in full. The watch blends to your wrist like few others in wearing. This is not just the insane lightness, but 11.5mm height. The rubber inserts fixed into the 42mm (replaced by 44mm in 2018) titanium case and bracelet mean one does not have to think quite as hard about careful wearing. The attitude, despite the haute independent watchmaking, is fully casual. Its dial comprises a petite seconds with an almost porcelain multi-layer construction that gives the increments a shadow, screwed titanium surround, date, 160 hour power reserve, and day/night indication all arranged artfully yet legibly, with the sporting attitude underscored with red accents. Similar to the Chronomètre Souverain, the numerals shrink down in size near the petite seconds for balance. Despite aluminum construction, the caseback does not let the experience down. FP Journe even figured out how to still perform circular Côtes de Genève and graining on the baseplate despite it being made of aluminum.
The Octa Sport is decidedly esoteric and one of very few independent, integrated sports watches. But it accomplished that job with a remarkable thoroughness that extended beyond the rubber and titanium case to mechanics. The aluminum calibre was a challenge that only a vertically integrated independent could possibly overcome. The result is that the 42mm Octa Sport remains to this day one of the lightest (possibly the lightest still) full-bracelet titanium case wristwatches ever made, roughly half the weight of the new titanium Yacht-Master 42. It is a sports watch designed carte blanche with Francois-Paul's maniacally exacting approach, as capable as it is distinct in history.
