FP Journe Chronomètre à Résonance RT

The RT series Resonance (RT stands for Resonance Trois) is the most bizarrely distinct in all his five series so far. For no logic I can understand, Journe decided to make the left hand time zone a disc display, while the right remained unaltered. It was the tenth anniversary of the Chronomètre à Résonance, and FP wanted to make a more drastic change than a new metal or dial material. I understand that, but what I don’t understand is why orbital digital time and why revert right back to the original classic display in following generations? As a result of this whimsy, the RT is one of the most divisive yet charming Resonance made, even if it does have the least sexy nickname of all time: the ‘Parking Meter’.

As an enthusiast, I appreciate Journe’s refusal to greet a significant anniversary with a placating easy choice, like a new material. Designing this disc time display required different power demands, and so the asymmetry is far more than skin deep. This really is a very different calibre to the second RN series. And, in the current RQ series, there’s now a single mainspring with a differential to split power, it’s altogether. This is the opposite with two very different trains to time display. All other Resonances have dials which highlight the balance’s similarities through their mirrored aesthetics, at least in many respects. If you want to read a bit deeper and anthropomorphize, you’re looking at two very different faces that share very similar hearts.

Journe’s Resonance was inspired in many ways from Breguet resonance pocket watches and Antide Janvier pendulum resonance clocks, which worked on the same principle. But in both of the earlier attempts and all previous resonance, the displays were mirrored. This is the first resonance watch of any kind to output its two heartbeats to two different types of displays, and that’s not really been talked about much. Does it matter? I suppose that depends on your definition of import. But it is different, which has seen the RT go from initial derision and memes about FP dressed as a meter maid to cult following in a few short years. I suspect the future will look back upon the RT increasingly fondly, as something a bit brave but also unnecessarily awesome, which is really just more of what we love Journe for anyway, surely.

This example is in pink gold, a beautiful metal. The listing, though, notes, ‘the watch is accompanied by Journe service history confirming a dial upgrade to rose gold in 2019’, which makes me wonder if this movement was borne in a different metal and recased during service at a client’s request? Or really just what the story is. That can effect value, so ask all kinds of questions if you’re seriously interested. But it is, nonetheless, a very pretty Resonance. Well documented, at least, if it has been altered. It comes from Phillips retail arm, Perpetual.