FP Journe Chronomètre Souverain Boutique Edition

If one Googles ‘FP Journe Chronomètre’, it will autocomplete Bleu. But the time-only Souverain extends well outside Google’s tastes. It is quite unusual that in the lesser complicated Journe, it’s the non-guilloché Bleu that everybody knows. When, if you can enjoy a reserve, you get a guilloché dial as well. In most all other brand catalogues, it is the guilloché dial variant which is the rare and unusual one which gets everyone hot and bothered: PP 2523, VC 43041, even Lange 1. But no, in Journe, it’s backwards. I understand the appeal of both, but let’s investigate the less-investigated guilloché sibling.

Any Journe with a black dial is always slightly special. If platinum with an inky lacquer, that’s what is known as a black label (nothing to do with the drink) and if pink gold with a black dial, that’s what Journe calls a Boutique Edition. Both are collections with a smaller production, usually only made available to existing FP Journe clients with decent purchase history. It’s often said that each boutique receives no more than one black label or boutique per month for their client base. That’s not the kind of thing that’s very interesting or indeed attractive, but black itself is. This is a clous de paris dial with gilt text and the same waxing/waning numerals as the Bleu. Both models, for me, is defined by how that tiny 7 & 8 shrink around the petite seconds almost imperceptibly. The effect is emphasized against the border of guilloché.

I also find it telling that it was in fact a Chronomètre Souverain, and not a Chronomètre Bleu or anything else, which François-Paul chose to gift to Dr. George Daniels in 2010 to express his gratitude for inspiring his journey into watchmaking. The gift you give your mentor says much about how you view your work, and I can’t help but feel the less complicated and purer expressions of Journe’s watchmaking are some of the most expressive. Journe chose a white dial CS to gift Daniels, and if that isn’t an endorsement of the model I don’t know what is. Whether it’s White, Black, Havana, Mother of Pearl, Tokyo Grey, Gold, or Dubai Green (non guilloché, that one), there’s a lot to study and enjoy outside of the Bleu too . . .Google, I’m looking at you.

And as this watch has really only just been born, 2023 production, it looks pretty much perfect. Full set. The premium here is not inconsiderable, but then that’s just the way it goes with rarer Journe. It comes from a well-regarded London retailer, Phillips retail arm.