Although Francois-Paul Journe is best known for his inventions like the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite and Resonance, not to mention the whole suite of Octa models, the Chronomètre Souverain was also arguably one of his brand’s foundational models.

This year F.P. Journe is marking two decades of the watch with the Chronomètre Souverain 20th Anniversary, which is essentially the original in new dress – the dial is now dark blue with applied gold numerals.

Initial thoughts

When the Chronomètre Souverain debuted in 2005 – the same year as the Breguet Tradition that was recently revived – it was novel and exciting; I remember the buzz amongst enthusiasts then. The F.P. Journe brand was barely six years old.

The Chronomètre Souverain was then one of the rare few time-only watches from an independent watchmaker, and it had an all-new movement to boot. Today it is less exciting for sure, but the movement remains surprising novel for a basic calibre. As an entry-level watch, the Chronomètre Souverain remains excellent (even if availability is an obstacle).

Although the Chronomètre Souverain is the simplest mechanical F.P. Journe watch, the cal. 1304 inside still retains the technical hallmarks of the brand, namely elegant, concise engineering and symmetry. Clever touches include the “invisible” gear train; only the regulator and barrels are visible on the main plate.

From its conception, the cal. 1304 was conceived for chronometry. The utility and strength of the cal. 1304 can be inferred from the simple fact that it’s used as a base for other, far more complex movements, including the cal. 1504 of the Chronomètre Optimum.

With the movement and case unchanged, the anniversary edition has the same appeal as the original models. The new dial, however, is a welcome upgrade. The applied numerals add a subtle new dimension to the dial, while also making it a bit more elaborate, as it should be given the price today. Twenty years on, the simple, printed dial of the original Chronomètre Souverain feels a bit plain though it was perfectly acceptable then, especially considering the price, even by the standards of those days.

While the dial upgrade is the most obvious, the rest of the watch has subtly evolved over the originals as well. The movement decoration has certainly improved. It’s still industrial-artisanal, and probably more industrial than artisanal, but noticeably more refined than that on the originals.

The anniversary edition is only a cosmetic improvement over the original. Naturally, one could wish for a new calibre for the anniversary. But F.P. Journe has instead installed the new calibre derived from this one inside the Chronomètre Furtif.

While it isn’t fancy, the Chronomètre Souverain 20th anniversary is priced correctly – it costs the same as the regular production version – CHF36,000 in gold and a little under CHF40,000 in platinum. By the elevated standards of today’s market for independent watchmaking, that’s almost a bargain. However, the popularity of F.P. Journe watches means obtaining one is difficult, which is a shame as the Chronomètre Souverain is an excellent entry-level watch.

Chronometer

Mr Journe’s inspiration for the Chronomètre Souverain were marine chronometers of old, which similarly had three hands along with a power reserve indicator. That explains the inverted scale on the power reserve, where “0” indicates zero hours since the watch was last wound, just as it was on marine chronometers.

Equally notable is the position of the power reserve indicator just beside the crown, located on the same horizontal plane as the hands. Conventionally this would be impractical as it gets in the way of the keyless works, but a clever twist in the construction of the power reserve display makes it possible.

The anniversary edition preserves the dial design of the original, right down to the scaled down “7” and “8”, a clever trick to avoid cutting into the minute track. The dial centre is similarly finished with clous de Paris guilloche.

But unlike the silvered dial on the original, this is done in a dark, matte blue that’s also found on some regular production models as well as special editions. The more substantive change is not the colour, but the applied numerals – they are solid 18k gold appliqués to match the case.

The dial is dark blue, but the dial disc itself is silver

The anniversary edition wears exactly like the original, as the case remains unchanged. The case style is the trademark F.P. Journe style that is simple but effective.

Available in the usual 18k rose gold or platinum, the case is an impressively thin 9 mm high, while the diameter is 40 mm. The original was also available in a 38 mm case, which unfortunately is no longer offered by F.P. Journe for any model.

The cal. 1304 inside similarly remains unchanged from the original. The movement has a fairly symmetrical layout, with large twin barrels on an engine-turned base plate, along with the balance wheel positioned in between.

The going train is mostly concealed below the base plate, leaving no visible connection between the barrels and balance, enhancing the visual balance.

As is now tradition for F.P. Journe, the bridges and base plate of the movement are 18k red gold

Styling aside, the cal. 1304 was clearly designed well in terms of chronometry. The two large barrels unwind simultaneously, delivering substantial and linear energy to the balance wheel throughout the 56-hour power reserve.

The balance is the same four-spoke, free-sprung balance found in other F.P. Journe movements. It’s attached to a flat hairspring, which is probably a concession for thinness as an overcoil would increase the height of the movement.

While the cal. 1304 is essentially unchanged here, the decoration has improved over the originals. The bevelling, for instance, is a little more polished and reveals less milling marks. This reflects the steady vertical integration and development of F.P. Journe’s manufacture. Overall the quality of execution compared well with high-end industrial brands, though the latest-generation of Patek Philippe movements, for instance, are a little bit more polished.

The anniversary edition in rose gold (left), and platinum. Image – F.P. Journe

Key facts and price

F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain 20th Anniversary
Ref. CS

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 9 mm
Material: 18k rose gold or platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: Unavailable

Movement: Cal. 1304
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 56 hours

Strap: Crocodile with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At F.P. Journe boutiques and retailers
Estimate: CHF39,600 in platinum; and CHF36,600 in gold

For more information, visit Fpjourne.com.

While the invention of the spiral hairspring by Christiaan Huygens in 1675 kickstarted a revolution in terms of portable precision timekeeping, the concept was far from fully developed. It was arguably only with the later invention of the overcoil hairspring that the ideal oscillator in portable watches emerged.

For many years horologists — theoreticians and artisans alike — worked to perfect the balance-hairspring assembly to optimise its performance, notably in terms of isochronism. True isochronism became a sort of holy grail for watchmakers all around the world, who all sought to ameliorate the inherent quirks of the sprung oscillator.

The recent Breguet Soucription features an overcoil hairspring of non-magnetic Nivachron alloy

The need for end curves

The quest for isochronism was a true challenge for horologists. Isochronism is the ability of the balance-hairspring assembly the have the same period of oscillation for small and large amplitudes alike. In other words, the balance oscillation takes the same period of time regardless of the degree travelled.

This is very important, since a balance usually swings with high amplitude with a fully wound mainspring and then runs at progressively smaller amplitude as the barrel unwinds. As a timepiece is required to keep good time regardless of  its winding state, an oscillator whose period is independent from its amplitude is needed. (Another solution to this is to optimise the energy delivery from the mainspring with a constant force mechanism, which is another topic entirely.)

Huygens’ drawing of an early hairspring embodiment

The balance-hairspring model is theoretically isochronous — but only on paper with ideal conditions assumed. In practice friction and slight equilibrium defects can disrupt the oscillator’s ideal running, making the timepiece’s accuracy dependent on the state of winding. 

A large issue that was noticed early by watchmakers was the uneven development of the hairspring. This happens due to a geometrical constraint of the system, with the fixed outer pinning point not allowing the hairspring to “breathe” concentrically. We explained this a little more in our piece on the Ulysse Nardin Freak and the development of the silicon hairspring. 

The uneven development of the hairspring harms the oscillator in two distinct ways: the eccentric movement of the coils displaces the spring’s center of gravity away from the balance’s axis, creating a disequilibrium and the uneven development strains the pivots because the coils apply unwanted side pressure to the axle. 

The displacement in the centre of gravity was found to be negligible, since it tends to virtually cancel out during two alternations — so the net centre of gravity vector displacement over one full oscillation is not really a concern. 

The torque directed onto the pivots however is the larger issue, since the pivots themselves distribute that force into their jewels, increasing friction and creating wear patterns in time. This pressure can’t be cancelled out and the generated friction force actively disrupts the oscillator’s isochronism.

A logical solution to this would be to force the hairspring to develop concentrically so that the residual couple applied to the inner pinning point — thus to the pivots — would be as close to zero as possible. This is where end curves come into play.

An overcool in the Lange Zeitwerk L043.3

A short history of end curves

As early as the 17th century a French watchmaker by the name of Gourdain used a sort of courbes tâtées  — literally “touched” (or more accurately, “corrected”) curves. Empirically formed by the artisan, these curves seemed to improve the balance spring’s “breathing”.

A great breakthrough later came from John Arnold (1736-1799) who shaped the ends of his cylindrical hairsprings into sharp inward curves connecting the spring ends to the balance collet and the upper bridge pinning point respectively. 

Modern cylindrical hairspring in a Moser tourbillon

Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), a friend of Arnold’s, borrowed from his work and adapted the Englishman’s end curves to flat balance springs — giving birth to the Breguet overcoil. The talented watchmaker noticed that raising the last coil of the hairspring into a plane parallel to the other coils and curving it slightly towards the outer pinning point made the spring “breathe” concentrically. 

Edouard Phillips

These early overcoils were empirically shaped by watchmakers, who adjusted and bent the curve as they saw fit after observing how the timepiece performed over a period of time. There was no rigorous theory involved in forming the end curves and watchmakers didn’t have a definitive explanation for how and why the method worked. 

This is where the French engineer and mathematician Edouard Phillips (1821-1889) stepped in and assembled a rigorous mathematical theory of end curves — which still stands as a reference today. 

By trade Phillips was a “mine engineer” who focused on material and structure sciences. He developed his own theories on blade springs of different geometries and the torques they could provide. During his lifetime he was chair of mechanics at the prestigious École Polytechnique and a member of the Académie des sciences. 

During the latter part of his life, Phillips dedicated himself to the study of horology, more precisely to the study of the hairspring — a particular embodiment of a blade spring, after all. In 1860 he published a groundbreaking paper, Mémoire sur le spiral réglant des chronomètres et des montres, where he studied the behaviour of an end curve. Phillips concludes by giving some rules for shaping an ideal hairspring, which are now known as “Phillips conditions”. 

Extract from E. Phillips’ “Mémoire sur le spiral réglant des chronomètres et des montres”

The outer end curve

In his paper Phillips started out by assuming the uneven development of coils exerts some torque on the pivots. Then he started out mathematically exploring what would cancel out that unwanted torque. 

Through a lengthly process involving integral calculus, he applied his own theories of elasticity to the hairspring model and came up with a method of keeping the spring’s coils centred on the balance’s axis. The conditions he found gave birth to the Phillips end curve — a perfected overcoil which reduces the lateral pivot pressure to the point of virtually canceling it out.

The Phillips conditions for overcoils can be summed up in a few words and a short mathematical expression:

The centre of gravity of the terminal curve has to be placed on a radius perpendicular to the line joining the spiral’s centre of gravity and the point where the curve breaks off from the spiral. The distance of the curve’s centre of gravity to the spiral’s centre of gravity needs to be equal to the spiral’s radius squared, divided by the length of the end curve. 

The concept might seem complicated but is straightforward enough to implement in real hairsprings. The figure below may be more suggestive for grasping the proportions. The starting point of the overcoil A is coincident with axis Ox. The gravity centre G of the end curve sits perpendicular to that axis, on Oy.

Interestingly, Phillips’ condition doesn’t mandate any sort of particular geometry of the overcoil; as long as the equation is satisfied the end curve can take on any shape. This explains why different brands and watchmakers use slightly different overcoil geometries. Phillips also noticed that the overcoils were more effective for larger hairsprings. 

Common shapes of overcoils

One of the simplest types of overcoils (which satisfies Phillips’ equation) is the circle arc end curve. The plain shape breaks off from the spiral and arches towards the pinning point. The curve is uniform and circular while the arc it describes is fairly short. Below is figure by L. Defossez, detailing the particular geometry of such a curve. 

Overcoil made of one circle arc. Image – L. Defossez

Other overcoils are made of two circle arcs of different radiuses, giving the final curve an elongated shape. Some movements with a spring regulator use this geometry, as the second arc’s centre coincides with the spring’s centre and a traditional raquette can be employed.

Overcoil made of two circe arcs with different radiuses. Image – L. Defossez

An early 20th century Patek Philippe pocket watch movement with a classic high-end chronometer hairspring set up

Today most brands use a simpler geometry, that of two circle arcs linked by a straight segment. Compared to the purely circular end curve, this shape is easier to bend. Variations of this geometry can be seen in industrially manufactured movements from the likes of Rolex or IWC. 

Overcoil model with two circle arcs joined by a segment. Image – L. Defossez

The MB&F LM QP movement sports a very prominent overcoil

Straight terminal curve which satisfies Phillips’ condition. While theoretically sound, such an overcoil was never used to the author’s knowledge. Image – L. Defossez

The inner (or Grossmann) curve

Edouard Phillips based his studies on helical springs, which would feature two symmetrical curves, one joining the outer pinning point and the other the inner pinning point. This model does not fit entirely with flat springs, which have different diameters for their outer and inner ends. 

Voutilainen tourbillon movement with a hairspring featuring an inner Grossmann curve.

While overcoils may counteract most of the uneven development of the hairspring, reducing the side pressure on the pivot, some argue the innermost coils of the spiral have their own destructive effect as they unwind against the collet. 

The collet is the piece which joins the hairspring with the balance staff. Of circular shape, the collet has its own interactions with the inner coils of the hairsprings, which can exert some side pressures that the overcoil can’t cancel out. 

Jules Grossmann, a respected regleur from Le Locle, found Phillips’ discoveries consistent with his own extensive experience and observations adjusting overcoils. While he recognised the utility of calculus, he could not truly comprehend nor entirely follow Phillips’ methods. The subject stated with him nevertheless. 

Even in chronometers using theoretically perfect overcoils, Grossmann still noticed some running differences between horizontal positions — issue which he addressed by enunciating a set of attach point rules. These rules concern how many full turns a hairspring has and where the inner pinning point sits, relative to the outer pinning point. 

Grossmann also learnt at some point calculus all by himself, using available courses and books on the subject. Using his newly-acquired knowledge, Grossmann adapted Phillips’ theory on the inner end of flat hairsprings, creating the inner — or Grossmann — curve. This adjustment of the inner spiral seeks to cancel out any side pressure from the innermost coils of the hairspring.

Edouard Phillips eventually payed a visit to Jules Grossmann in Le Locle in 1871. The two horologists remained in contact until Phillips’ death in 1889. In his latter years Grossmann wrote an extensive, 450-page volume about precision watch regulation, Théorie du reglage. 

The practical utility of the inner curve is still debatable. George Daniels suggests in Watchmaking that “due to the difficulty of forming so small a curve accurately the results are uncertain”. He is indeed right, as Grossmann inner curves are very difficult to execute, requiring the hand of a highly skilled watchmaker.

Hairspring with both an outer Phillips overcoil and inner Grossmann curve. Image – L. Defossez

Inner curves are a rare find, with Voutilainen being one (if not the only) watchmaker to employ Grossmann curves consistently across his movements. The Vingt-8 series of calibers comes with a large balance, complete with a hairspring with both a Phillips overcoil and Grossmann inner curve. 

Makers using silicon hairsprings also seem to implement a kind of inner curve, which is easy to obtain with an etching process that can accommodate any kind of planar geometry. 

The Voutilainen Vingt-8 balance

Conclusions

The subject of overcoils and terminal curves remains a quite a fascinating topic for horologists. While the first solid theory of overcoils is over 160 years old, new technologies make way for novel end curve types which were inconceivable during Phillips’ time. De Bethune employs a proprietary hairspring, made of two separate pieces, one for the spiral and the other for the flat end coil. De Bethune claims the device performs as well as classic overcoils.

Manufacturers of silicon hairsprings have been employing specialised terminal curves since the beginning. While their approach is different from the likes of Edouard Phillips or Jules Grossmann, today’s engineers are experimenting with intricate geometries and new materials in crafting isochronous springs with little effort. The downside of these advancements is that traditional hand adjusting of end curves is becoming an increasingly rarer skill. 

As the Hong Kong auctions have wrapped, we move to the final sales of the spring season in New York City. Phillips will offer a healthy mix of new and old, common and rare, across 144 lots. The sale includes many of the expected top-of-the-line offerings, with the headline lot a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold, and staples like a pair of ref. 5004s. But there are plenty of interesting watches to be down catalog too, including some fresh faces and value buys.

Highlights include the best of English watchmaking made by Charles Frodsham a century apart, the auction debut of American independent Keaton Myrick, an unusual F.P. Journe Résonance, along with a Cartier pocket watch made by complications specialist THA. We round up these and a few more from The New York Watch Auction: XII, which takes place from June 7-8, 2025.

The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com.

Lot 11 – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph “2022 Best of Show, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este”

Since 2012, A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, a classic car shown that takes place in spring on the picturesque shores of Lake Como. Each year, the owner of the event’s best car is presented with a unique Lange watch.

While past winners have received a fairly conventional Lange 1 Time Zone, the brand upgraded the prize in recent years to a striking 1815 Chronograph.

In 2022, the winner was Andrew Pisker with a Bugatti 57 S from 1937. He received this white gold 1815 chronograph with a salmon dial and dark brown registers.

Perhaps more interesting is the solid, hinged caseback, a feature the brand reserves for special occasions. The watch is otherwise the same as a normal 1815 Chronograph, and is powered by the landmark L951 also found in the Datograph.

Mr Pisker being presented the watch by Lange chief executive Wilhelm Schmid. Image – BMW

Only a handful of these 1815 Chronographs have been awarded at present, and this is the first to hit the auction block. The estimate is US$100,000-200,000.

Lot 24 – Charles Frodsham Split-Seconds Minute Repeating Tourbillon for J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan, a devotee of English watchmaking, ordered 20 split-second minute-repeating tourbillon pocket watches from Charles Frodsham, which he gifted to friends, family, and business associates, and are sometime known as “Morgan caliper” watches.

This one, made in 1916, is fresh to market and in excellent condition. Nicole, Nielsen & Co. supplied the movements – which were built on Swiss ebauches – as was the case with many fine English watches of the period. While the Swiss hesitated to combine tourbillons with complications, the English were eager, even putting them in super complications that rivaled the Patek Philippe made for Henry Graves Jr.

The firm was, and remains, known for chronographs, unsurprisingly as founder Adolphe Nicole invented the chronograph as we know it today.

The chronograph in the present watch is distinctive; it uses an oscillating pinion to mesh directly with the one-minute tourbillon cage to drive the chronograph seconds, while the chronograph minutes is similarly driven directly from the second wheel.

Image – Phillips

While the tourbillon and possibly chronograph are of English make, the repeating works are almost certainly Swiss, likely from Capt et Cie in Le Solliat, which specialized in the English style. The case, made by Frodsham, is the typical English fare with a stepped profile and recessed repeater slide, as is the white enamel dial.

Despite the watch’s interesting provenance and undeniable quality, the estimate is a mere US$70,000-140,000.

Lot 25 – Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer “Tribute to George Daniels”

More than a decade in the making, the Double Impulse Chronometer was the first wristwatch launched by the modern-day firm of Charles Frodsham. Surprisingly, the modern iteration of Charles Frodsham is not a revival brand like so many others, as the company never ceased operation.

After the decline of English watchmaking, the company subsisted primarily on retail, private label clocks, and restoration work—the latter preserved much of the know-how, equipment, and material used to make the Double Impulse Chronometer in its own workshops. In fact, this movement likely has less Swiss content than the J.P. Morgan watch above.

The escapement is based on the work of George Daniels and is essentially a natural escapement, except each escape wheel is driven independently by its own train (of solid gold wheels) and mainspring. Respectably, Frodsham eschewed anglage, remaining faithful to the English tradition, and putting all focus on the balance and escapement. The three-spoke balance bridge is beautifully polished and carries a massive free-sprung balance on a hand-folded overcoil hairspring. A subtle case back power-reserve indication adds further visual interest.

The London-made case is simple but of the highest quality and made from a 22k gold alloy, which has been work hardened to increase its durability. The dial is also an unusual material, zirconium dioxide ceramic rather than traditional enamel, and complements the fired-blue hands and dial furniture well.

The Daniels second hand.

In addition to being possibly the finest English watch currently made, this example was ordered with a custom seconds hand in the style of George Daniels that replaces the drop-shaped counterweight on the regular production version. The estimate is a fair US$120,000-240,000.

Lot 32 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3945/2 “First Series”

While the ref. 3945/1 is fairly common, the 3945/2 is vanishingly rare. In fact, this is the only one known to the market, and doesn’t appear in dealer catalogues from the period. It will probably also be one of the value buys in the sale, given the niche appeal of the ref. 3945 compared to the more common ref. 3940.

The difference between the two lies in the bracelets. Ref. 3945/1 features a bracelet woven from gold wire, which cannot be adjusted non-destructively. A jeweler can only shorten its bracelet by excising a section adjacent to the clasp and welding it back together, while extra length must be woven in, with care to match the gauge and tone of the original gold wire.

The 3945/2 variant has a beads-of-rice bracelet instead. The less intimidating, link-based construction means it should be easily adjustable by any reasonably skilled jeweler.

Image Phillips

Bracelet aside, it’s the same as the ref. 3945/1: modestly sized and classically styled. The dial hails from the first generation of ref. 3940 with sharply sunk subdials and more vintage typography. The movement, cal. 240 Q, is still in production today with only minor changes and powers the Nautilus perpetual calendar ref. 5740/1, among others.

Image – Phillips

The estimate of only US$25,000-50,000 isn’t a bad deal for an extremely rare, complicated, and handsome Patek Philippe.

Lot 73 – Keaton Myrick “1 of 30”

This lot marks the auction-house debut of Oregon-based American independent Keaton Myrick. Like many, many other independents, Mr Myrick chose the Unitas 6497/6498 pocket watch movement as his canvas.

He replaced the split-three-quarter plate indigenous to the caliber with a single three-quarter plate made of German silver. The dial is also german silver to match the movement, with rose gold hands and indices. Also note a second appearance of the Daniels style seconds hand.

Image – Phillips

Image – Phillips

Crucially, the balance wheel is Myrick’s own work, and is free-sprung with four rose gold cams to adjust the rate. The delicately figured balance bridge is also rose gold, and exposes the engine-turned main plate and blindingly high polished locating pins for the pallet fork bridge.

Another addition is the click, which has been replaced by a stationary ratchet wheel within the crown wheel. Notice how the screws retaining the ratchet wheel sit in slots rather than holes, to let the mainspring relax slightly after being fully wound.

Image from a different watch in the series.

Image from a different watch in the series.

The estimate is on the low end, US$15,000-30,000, due to the steel case and limited information. To sweeten the deal, Myrick has offered to exchange the 42 mm case for a 40.5 mm one, if so desired.

Lot 84 – Harry Winston and F.P. Journe Opus One Chronomètre à Résonance Piece Unique

Not long after being tapped to lead Harry Winston’s watchmaking division, Maximilian Büsser introduced the Opus series. Each year from 2002 to 2015, the brand collaborated with an independent watchmaker, with the goal of boosting the brand’s credibility in fine watchmaking, while supporting independent watchmaking, similar to Louis Vuitton’s recent collaborations with Akrivia and Voutilainen.

Mr Büsser approached the then fresh-faced François-Paul Journe for the inaugural series, which launched in 2002. Six unique pieces were made based on the Tourbillon Souverain, Chronomètre à Résonance, and Octa Réserve de Marche, for a total of 18 watches.

All were housed in the Premier design language created by Jean-Claude Gueit for the Bi-Retrograde Perpetual Calendar, itself a collaboration with independents, in the late 1980s.

Only two of the six watches made for each model are diamond-set. And, unlike the Tourbillon Souverain, F.P. Journe has never offered the Chronomètre à Résonance as part of the brand’s Joaillerie Collection, meaning this single watch represents half of all (known) gem-set Résonance models.

The estimates is US$300,000-600,000.

Lot 102 – Cartier 150th Anniversary Mysterieux pocket watch ref. CRHPC0009

This “mysterious” pocket watch was launched in 1990s when Cartier revived the mystery concept originally developed by Maurice Couet for the brand’s famous clocks. To recreate the floating display, Cartier turned to the watchmakers of THA, who would later go on to become stars.

While the ordinary gold-cased versions of the mystery pocket watch are encountered often enough, this example is exceptionally rare. The case is white gold and panelled in lapis lazuli set with diamonds that form the Big Dipper on one side, and the Little Dipper on the other.

Front, with the Big Dipper. Image – Phillips

Reverse, with the Little Dipper. Image – Phillips

The watch is powered by cal. 81003 S MC, developed by Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA), the complications specialist founded by François-Paul Journe that counted Denis Flageollet and Vianney Halter amongst its ranks.

The relevant components have been arranged in a crescent around the aperture. The hands sit on clear sapphire plates, giving the illusion of being suspended in air, and allowing you to see straight through the watch.

Image – Phillips

This is an interesting value buy, as the estimate of US$12,000-24,000 is only a fraction of the watch’s original retail price of US$115,000.

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will take place at Phillips in New York.

Preview
Open daily June 4-6, 2025, from 10:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
June 7 – 10:00 am (Session I lots 1 – 68)
June 8 – 10:00 am (Session III lots 69 – 144)

(All times are local to New York, Eastern Daylight Time or GMT-4)

432 Park Avenue
New York, NY, 10022
United States

For the auction catalogue and online bidding, visit Phillips.com.