FP Journe announces that the Centigraphe and Automatique Réserve are now available in platinum and 18k 6N gold to suit your heavy (precious) metal lovers. In a radical departure from the sporty and interesting titanium case and yellow dial style released last year, the FP Journe adds a more upscale option for those interested in the LineSport aesthetics or functionality, without losing any of the watch’s technical appeal. Impressive achievement.
When FP Journe released the brightly colored yellow LineSport option last year, it did feel a little out of place in its catalog. Granted, I appreciate the titanium case and sporty aesthetic that the yellow dial brings, but it really doesn’t look like an FP Journe. The release of these two gold and platinum watches feels more in line with what we’ve seen from the brand in the past. In terms of size, both watches are 44mm in diameter, the Centigraphe is 10.95mm tall and the Automatique Réserve is 11.10mm thick. Depending on the case material you choose, both watches come with a matching platinum or gold bracelet. While the watches share a similar overall aesthetic, the main difference is the technical prowess of the complications.
The Centigraphe is a unique chronograph powered by the in-house Calibre 1506, a hand-wound movement with an 80-hour power reserve and finished in gold. This chronograph is actuated by a rocker on the right side of the case, rather than the pusher commonly found on most chronographs. Unlike many other chronographs, the Centigraphe is extremely precise and its sub-dial allows you to track 1/100th of a second, 20 second and 10 minute indications instead of the usual seconds, minutes and hours sub-dial. For an in-depth look at this movement and how it works, read David’s first-hand experience with the Centigraphe Souverain.
Compared to Centigraphe, Automatique Reserve is much simpler. Powered by the in-house Caliber 1300.3, a rose gold automatic movement with a power reserve of 160 hours; the Automatique Réserve has its own complications. The Automatique Réserve displays the central hours and minutes with a small seconds sub-dial, as well as a day/night indicator, power reserve indicator and a large two-pane date window. By comparison, Automatique Réserve is certainly more conservative (ba-dum-tiss), and in my opinion, it’s still pretty.
While precious metals are certainly not my thing, they do have an important place in the fake watches review industry, especially now that gold is “coming back” whether we like it or not. No doubt I would have preferred the yellow cousin in titanium case released last year, but I’m not the target market for these pieces either. These technically impressive watches should also be available in precious metals for those looking to dress them up and enjoy the extra weight and lustre that platinum and gold bring.