FP Journe Linesport Chronographe Rattrapante

Journe’s Linesport collection, and particularly this monopoussoir rattrapante in rose gold, doesn’t fall neatly into any one bucket. It’s sporting, but no Tudor FXD Red Bull Chronograph. It’s independent and highly complicated, frosted rose gold, integrated, and like very little else out there. Despite the rattrapante, it’s not even Journe’s motorsport watch, that honor goes to either the Centigraphe developed from conversation with Jean Todt or the Jean Alesi Indy 500 Octa Sport. Linesport might sound like a Kia trim level, but actually, it’s sort of the Aquanaut-ethos entrant of the modern Journe catalogue.

The Aquanaut, by comparison, aimed to bring Patek to a younger audience through versatility. It defied expectations of what luxury meant, championing rubber over leather. In the same way, the original Linesport brought the most haute of independent horology into a more casual format, a Journe which could be paired with shorts whilst not watering down the watchmaking whatsoever. That might not seem like a feat, but those two attitudes are, for watch lovers, so disparate that Journe might as well have been long-jumping the Grand Canyon. While Linesport remained significantly overlooked for some time, that’s changing from an auction result and scholarship standpoint.

Linesport went through a fairly major revamp in 2018 where it grew out of one of its most contentious elements: rubberized lug-less case details to prevent wear. This retreat happened rather quietly and does change the look of the chronograph rather significantly. That year also saw the introduction of the chronograph you’re looking at, a split seconds monopusher that is really the only modern rattrapante poised to give Lange or Patek a run fair fight. Find another integrated case rattrapante 6.8mm thin, I dare you. The calibre 1518 stems from an Only Watch project, made in rose gold at 285 components with twin column wheels. The finishing impresses on the finger bridges and split wheel in particular, but does use some machine techniques. You could have it in titanium platinum, or this rose gold, which is frosted to give a hard-wearing and scratch-friendly surface. This isn’t even to mention the ruthenium guilloché dial for Les Cadraniers with big date at 6, interestingly. Linesport is daring, versatile, and adventurous fine watchmaking. Think of it as a Journequanaut in spirit, sans rubber, if that’s not too sacrilegious. Or Offshore for adults (I jest).

This example presents in excellent condition. I can see light surface wear on the highly polished sections and that’s about it. It comes from a well-regarded Hong Kong retailer with its full set.