From Tuesday, September 1.st to Friday September 4.th, there is a respective exhibition of the Chronometre a Resonance on display, at the F.P. Journe Manufacture, in Geneva. The exhibition will be accessible to the public during this period.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Chronometre a Resonance. As you know, this has already been marked by the launch of a new watch - Chronomentre a Resonance RQ - with an entirely new movement that has two remontoir dégalite added to the the pair of resonating escapements plus a number of changes in case and dial.
The launch of the RQ was originally intended to have taken place at a major event at the manufacture, this past March. A part of the event was a retrospective exhibition on the Chronometre a Resonance. Covid-19 suddenly changed our lives and the event was cancelled.
The RQ was launched in the end of April, and has been shipped out to the Boutique network, to be displayed locally to the costumers.
Please read the article about the Resonance RQ here:
www.watchprosite.com
Geneva Watch Days has just taken place this past weekend and the part of the watch press that have been able to travel (almost only the European press) have been in Geneva to see the new pieces from a number of smaller brands as well as selection of the Independents. FP Journe has been exhibiting during the event and welcomed journalists to finally see the new Resonance RQ, the Chronometre Astronomic as well as some other pieces that have been updated. I will write a separate post about these pieces in the week ahead. This post will only focus on the retrospective exhibition.
Since many people are unable to travel to Geneva, Francois Paul Journe has also decided to make a small movie about the exhibition. This is currently in production and should be out in a near future.Look out for it! I will also keep you posted as soon as it is out.
The Manufacture in Rue de la Synagogue
The atmosphere was relaxed and informal. Francois-Paul Journe was talking with the guests who where primarily dealers and journalists. People where constantly coming and going. Especially journalists as they had booked timeslots to see the new pieces.
The Chronometre a Resonance 20 year Retrospective.(I will present the exhibition in chronological order)
The first displaycase was the biggest surprise. Especially if you are deeply in to F.P. Journe, and the Chronometre a Resonance. The piece to the right has never been published or exhibited before. It is the first working prototype of the Chronometre a Resonance. F.P. has previously thought that this piece was either lost or dsassembled. However, when he was preparing the exhibition he was able to relocate it. He explained, When he found it the No 1 was not put together. He then started to rebuild it. This had been very emotional proces to him, as he was suddenly reliving his youth. Old memories and feelings surfaced. His hopes and dreams he had at the time of concretion.
An attempt to build a movement with two escapements beating in tact from 1983 and engraved 2/84.
Prototype for a case from 1997. Notice the convex band and the elongated lugs that look soldered. It is quite different from the final design. However it shares the idea of the elegant slim lines and the rounded bezel.
The No 1, the first prototype of the "Montre A Resonance" from 1998.
The movement was running during the exhibition. This design is getting very close to the final result. Dont you love the mounted plate for the Power reserve? One major element is still not in place. The crown on the top (for winding and setting) has still not been sunken in to the case. FP had cut the lugs off the former case and soldered them on the back, so the crown was free to be manipulated. however the overall tectonics of the case are now much closer to the one we know today. The lugs are with the same elongated shape as the other watch case.
Early production pieces
Here is the No 000. This number always belongs to the Manufacture. From year 2000, 38 mm platinum case, yellow gold dial.
A prototype regency dial produced in 1999.
A rose gold dial with platinum bracelet from 2001, that has belonged to the legendary watch journalist Gabriel Tortella.
No 20 from year 2000. A two-tone case in gold and platinum. a series of 5 pieces with this combination. One recently sold at auction.
A "Regency Dial" in rose gold and platinum case from 2002.
Prototype of the famous "Ruthinium Series" from 2001.
The" Resonance Nouveau" from 2004. The movement is slightly redesigned and now produced in 18 Kt rose gold.
Special piece from 2006 for the Tokyo Boutique 3 year anniversary. 12 pieces made. The case it titanium, the dial ruthinium hands, crowns and movement are rose gold.
24 hour display with moving disks dial, presented in 2010
2019 the last version of the 1499 movement is presented. a 24 hour dial on the left 12 hours to the right.
The new Chronometre a Resonance RQ. Housing a new caliber with two Remontoir d'egalite - one for each escpament. Powered by one large mainspring, a differencial that is visible through the hole in the dial, distributes power to each of the going trains.
Thist is the entire exhibition. I will follow up with more posts on the new Resonance.
