Dial it Up

Much has been said about FP Journe’s maverick movements, but the perfectionism of its eponymous founder means that its watches are as impressive on the outside as they are on the inside, writes Nicolette Wong

rançois-paul journe is a man of strong opinions and singular determination. He decides what he wants, and sets out to do exactly that—no matter the obstacle. This is, after all, the man who started building his own mechanical tourbillon during the height of the quartz crisis, and who later conversely constructed the groundbreaking Élegante quartz movement. And then, of course, there is the fact that FP Journe’s movements are almost entirely made out of gold—a feat of precision engineering as much as it is a luxury. While much has been said about the impeccable finishing and construction of FP Journe’s movements, less has been mentioned about Journe’s efforts to perfect his watches’ exteriors. For one, FP Journe has its own case and dial manufactures, separately called Les Boîtiers de Genève and Les Cadraniers de Genève (which is co-owned by Vacheron Constantin). Just to give you some context on why this is a big deal, most of the larger watchmakers outsource the making of their cases and dials, so this is highly unusual for a brand that only makes some 900 watches a year. Today, Les Cadraniers de Genève makes some spectacular FP Journe dials that might not have existed otherwise. The Damascus steel dial that takes pride of place in the recently launched Chronomètre Holland & Holland is one example. The watch was created in partnership with luxury gunmaker Holland & Holland, which like FP Journe holds traditional handcrafting in high regard. Holland & Holland sacrificed the barrels of two of its historic Damascus steel guns to construct the dials of the watches. In theory, Damascus steel, sometimes called wootz steel, is made using two or more types of steel, twisted, hammered, and forged together into a single piece of metal that is incredibly tough, shatter-resistant, and capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge on a blade—important in the pre-gun age. This steel was separately known to different cultures, beginning with the Vikings in 600AD, and then through the Japanese and Indians in later centuries. And while Holland & Holland managed to construct the two aforementioned guns in the late 1800s, the technology to forge Damascus steel has since been lost to the ravages of time. Nobody in the world, including Holland & Holland, knows how to make it anymore. “There’ll never be any others. It’s a story that begins and ends, like an instant photograph,” says Journe about the Chronomètre Holland & Holland. And like a Polaroid, each dial is unique. Because of the use of different metals and the twisting techniques in its forging, each piece of Damascus steel has a characteristic swirled pattern that makes it instantly recognisable. To make the dials in the Chronomètre