TOURBILLON SOUVERAIN REMONTOIRE D’EGALITÉ RUTHENIUM MODEL , NO. 5⁄99-01T, CIRCA 2004

The present limited edition Ruthenium Tourbillon Souverain is number 05 of only 99 pieces produced between 2001 and 2003. This special series in platinum was made at the end of the period when F.P. Journe was using brass movements. From 2004 onwards, Journe’s movements have famously been made from 18k gold. With the tremendous and continually growing interest in François-Paul Journe’s work, collectors have focused their attention on early production and pre-production watches with brass movements. As a result, these watches - an important part of F.P. Journe’s history - have become extremely sought after and are very difficult to obtain.

Superbly preserved, the present watch is accompanied by its original large-size paper certificate, which confirms the 40 mm platinum case, ruthenium-covered movement, and 18k gold ruthenium-covered dial. In addition, this watch is offered with a magnifying glass, polishing cloth, spring bar tool, presentation box, and outer packaging

Tourbillon Souverain
The ‘Tourbillon Souverain’ is the one that is arguably Journe’s most famous wristwatch model and still one of the most accurate on the market today. Launched in 1999, it was the first ever tourbillon with a remontoire d’egalité, the first time a remontoir device had ever been used in a wristwatch. The remontoire d’egalité is a mechanism which delivers a constant force throughout the duration of winding, therefore the variable force delivered by the mainspring to the escapement as it unwinds is equalized. The Tourbillon Souverain’s combination of remontoire with tourbillon successfully showcases F. P. Journe's technical and design genius in the creation of a highly complicated modern wristwatch yet one whose roots are firmly in the great horological traditions. François-Paul Journe's ingenious masterpiece.