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The playful side of F.P. Journe
This is F.P. Journe Octa Lune Manneken Pis, a limited edition of 10 pieces with a 40mm platinum case. According to Luxury Bazar, it was made in 2024, but some of the photos below are from 2023.
credit: @thewatchrookie
The Manneken Pis (Dutch for 'Little Pissing Man') is a landmark bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium, depicting a ‘puer mingens’ i.e. a naked little boy urinating.
credit: Arter architect ou DDGM architectes associés pour coll. Ville de Bruxelles, 2022
This little boy is replicated multiple times on the watch face:


credit: @thewatchrookie
In its fountain environment, the bronze statue is quite small (55.5 cm - 21.9 in) and the naked little boy urinates into the fountain's basin.
credit: Arter architect ou DDGM architectes associés pour coll. Ville de Bruxelles, 2022
Because it was stolen and mistreated several times the original statue from 1619, designed by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder (1570-1641), has been replaced by a replica since 1966 and is kept at the Brussels City Museum.
credit: Wikipedia
The replica displayed in the city is regularly dressed up and its wardrobe consists of around one thousand different costumes.
credit: Wikipedia
So, why did F.P. Journe (or should I say F. Pee Journe?) create such an unusual and playful dial ?
credit: @thewatchrookie
The answer lies in his very close friendship with late Serge (Gino) Cukrowicz (1959-2021), founder of the esteemed Brussels establishment Ginotti, which stood as one of the earliest F. P. Journe retailers circa 1999.
credit: The Journe GuyGino Cukrowicz was a
joyful,
humorous person,
never taking himself
too seriously.

credit: The Journe Guy
So, the Octa Lune Manneken Pis is an homage to Cukrowicz as well as to Belgian culture, in which humour is also very important.




credit: @thewatchrookie & @shani.watch (last photo only)F.P. Journe also designed the
Élégante Gino's Dream as a tribute to his friend's
vibrant temperament (and for the 10th anniversary of the Élégante).
credit: Sjx & F.P. Journe
Thanks for reading.
Best, Emmanuel