Catering to you heavy (precious) metal fans, FP Journe has announced that the Centigraphe and Automatique Réserve are now available in platinum and 18k 6N gold options. Quite the departure from the sporty and fun titanium-cased and yellow-dial flavors released last year, FP Journe is adding a more upscale option for those interested in the LineSport aesthetic or functionality, while losing none of the technically impressive achievements found in either watch.
When FP Journe released the brightly colored yellow LineSport options last year, it certainly felt a bit out of place in its catalog. Granted, I appreciated the titanium cases and sporty aesthetic brought on by the yellow dial, but it certainly didn’t seem very FP Journe-like. The release of these two watches in gold and platinum feels more in line with what we’re used to seeing from the brand. Size-wise, both watches measure in at 44mm in diameter, with the Centigraphe coming in at a height of 10.95mm, and the Automatique Réserve at a thickness of 11.10mm. Both watches are offered on a matching platinum or gold bracelet, depending on your selection of case material. While the watches share a similar overall aesthetic, the key differences come in the form of the technical prowess of the complications.
The Centigraphe is a unique chronograph, powered by the in-house Calibre 1506, a manual winding movement with 80 hours of power reserve, and is finished in gold. This chronograph is actuated via the rocker on the right side of the case, rather than the usual pushers you might find on most chronographs. Also unlike many other chronographs, the Centigraphe is incredibly precise, with the sub-dials allowing you to track 1/100th of a second, 20-second, and 10-minute indications, as opposed to your usual seconds, minutes, and hours sub-dials. For an in-depth explanation of this movement and how it works, read David’s hands-on with the Centigraphe Souverain.
The Automatique Réserve is quite a bit simpler by comparison to the Centigraphe. Powered by the in-house caliber 1300.3, an automatic movement in rose gold, offering a power reserve of 160 hours; the Automatique Réserve is packed with its own complications. Displaying central hours and minutes with a small seconds sub-dial, the Automatique Réserve also features a day/night indicator, a power-reserve indicator, and a large dual-pane date window. Certainly more reserved (ba-dum-tiss) by comparison, the Automatique Réserve is still quite the looker, in my opinion.
While precious metals certainly aren’t my thing, they do have an important part in the watch industry, especially now that gold is “back” whether we like it or not. I would, no doubt, prefer the titanium-cased yellow cousin released last year, but I’m also not the target market for these pieces. These technically impressive watches deserved to also be offered in a precious metal for those who wish to dress them up and enjoy the added heft and shine brought on by platinum and gold. If you’re one of those people, the Centigraphe and Automatique Réserve in platinum and 18k gold are now available in FP Journe Boutiques, with the Centigraphe priced at $80,000 in gold and $109,500 in platinum, and the Automatique Réserve priced at $59,000 in gold and $88,500 in platinum. To learn more, visit fpjourne.com.
