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Lot Essay
US$60,000-80,000
With Harry Winston Certificate, instruction manual, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Born in 1957, Francois-Paul Journe is a French watchmaker who began training at the watchmaker's school in his native city of Marseilles at the age of fourteen. He went on to complete his studies in Paris in 1976 before training with his uncle whose restoration workshops in Paris looked after major state and private horological collections. It was here that Francois-Paul Journe discovered the most striking timepieces in the history of watchmaking, particularly from the 18th century, commonly known as the golden age of horology. His fascination for the works of Abraham-Louis Breguet and Antide Janvier formed the basis of his research and creative process and inspired him to complete his first constant-force tourbillon pocket watch in 1982. After setting up as an independent watchmaker in Paris in 1985, he built specially commissioned pocket watches and clocks for a select few. clock. He went on to open a workshop in Switzerland manufacturing movements for other brands.
The genesis of Opus 1 started as a story of friendship between Francois-Paul Journe and Maximilian Busser, then Managing Director of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces. A chance encounter on an escalator during Basel Fair between the two friends led to the beginning of the Opus adventure with Francois-Paul Journe and Harry Winston creating in collaboration 18 one-of-a-kind timepieces. For this series, Francois-Paul Journe took inspiration from the first unique timepiece that he created in 1978 - a remontoir constant-force tourbillon pocket watch based on the work of the legendary Abraham-Louis Breguet and produced three movements - the 5-day Automatic, the Resonance Chronometer and the Tourbillon. Each of the three movements is produced in a limited edition of 6 with dials in 6 different colours, with the cases of some of the pieces set with diamonds. Each watch is therefore a unique example combining a technically advanced movement with a visually stunning dial and a transparent back. Referring to the collection of Opus 1, Francois-Paul Journe said, "It is a great honour for me to collaborate with the great Harry Winston, I receive a valuable experience and the people who obtain this Opus, receive the combination of the highest technology and the finest jewellery. The one word to describe this Opus is Adventure."
On offer in the sale is the 5 day automatic chronometer. It is equipped with an automatic movement which maintains the watch's precision for five days without it being worn as well as a power reserve of 120 hours. This unique example has a turquoise dial with a large display of date, hours, minutes and small seconds and is the only one in the limited edition of 6 with a case set with diamonds.
With Harry Winston Certificate, instruction manual, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Born in 1957, Francois-Paul Journe is a French watchmaker who began training at the watchmaker's school in his native city of Marseilles at the age of fourteen. He went on to complete his studies in Paris in 1976 before training with his uncle whose restoration workshops in Paris looked after major state and private horological collections. It was here that Francois-Paul Journe discovered the most striking timepieces in the history of watchmaking, particularly from the 18th century, commonly known as the golden age of horology. His fascination for the works of Abraham-Louis Breguet and Antide Janvier formed the basis of his research and creative process and inspired him to complete his first constant-force tourbillon pocket watch in 1982. After setting up as an independent watchmaker in Paris in 1985, he built specially commissioned pocket watches and clocks for a select few. clock. He went on to open a workshop in Switzerland manufacturing movements for other brands.
The genesis of Opus 1 started as a story of friendship between Francois-Paul Journe and Maximilian Busser, then Managing Director of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces. A chance encounter on an escalator during Basel Fair between the two friends led to the beginning of the Opus adventure with Francois-Paul Journe and Harry Winston creating in collaboration 18 one-of-a-kind timepieces. For this series, Francois-Paul Journe took inspiration from the first unique timepiece that he created in 1978 - a remontoir constant-force tourbillon pocket watch based on the work of the legendary Abraham-Louis Breguet and produced three movements - the 5-day Automatic, the Resonance Chronometer and the Tourbillon. Each of the three movements is produced in a limited edition of 6 with dials in 6 different colours, with the cases of some of the pieces set with diamonds. Each watch is therefore a unique example combining a technically advanced movement with a visually stunning dial and a transparent back. Referring to the collection of Opus 1, Francois-Paul Journe said, "It is a great honour for me to collaborate with the great Harry Winston, I receive a valuable experience and the people who obtain this Opus, receive the combination of the highest technology and the finest jewellery. The one word to describe this Opus is Adventure."
On offer in the sale is the 5 day automatic chronometer. It is equipped with an automatic movement which maintains the watch's precision for five days without it being worn as well as a power reserve of 120 hours. This unique example has a turquoise dial with a large display of date, hours, minutes and small seconds and is the only one in the limited edition of 6 with a case set with diamonds.