Quantième Perpétuel Gold

F.P.JOURNE - QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL GOLD

A watch dream created by master watchmaker F.P. Journe

F.P. Journe presented at its annual exhibition in Geneva 2013 the new Quantième Perpétuel, a perpetual calendar with instantaneous jump that proposes excellent readability and simplified use.

This is the new perpetual calendar for 2013:
The Quantième Perpétuel and this is another rare piece to add to the collection F.P. Journe.

This is definitely a F.P. Journe watch.

Optimum readability and simplified use forthe new F.P.Journe Quantième Perpétuel (perpetual calendar) with instantaneous jump During the 18th century the astronomical watches gradually gave way to the manufacturing of watches showing the date and, usually, the moon phases.

These primitive calendar watches were all of the simple calendar type that is to say that at the end of each month of less than 31 days, the days hand had to be put forward manually. Adding to the movement the complicated mechanism of a perpetual calendar, in which, every four years, the 29th of February would be automatically recorded, had long been the dream of every watchmaker.

The Quantième Perpétuel displays the exact date by automatically taking into account the variable length of the months and leap-year cycle. It also displays the day, month and often the moon phases. To accomplish this watchmaking feat, the movement must have a mechanical "memory" of 1461 days or four years. The mechanism is usually based on a differential gear system from the hour wheel and includes several hundred components, cogs, gears, levers and rockers.

Despite their name, perpetual calendars will have to be corrected by one day on 1 March 2100, not through any fault of the mechanism but due to the Gregorian calendar, which rules that this year, as three centennial years out of four, will not be a leap year.

A movement able to identify leap years has a real mechanical memory. A small toothed planet wheel connected to the month’s mechanism performs a complete rotation in four years. During the fourth year, this mechanism displays 29 February before directly moving on to 1st March. Just as the moon moves around the earth, this planet wheel rotates on its own axis resting on a swivel wheel. This complication, which is both useful and demonstrates technical prowess, is one of the masterpieces of the watchmaking art.

The ninth creation of the Octa collection, the new F.P.Journe Quantième Perpétuel with instantaneous jump presents a distinctive aesthetic compared to all existing perpetual calendars in offering perfect readability through an uncluttered dial with large apertures: two for the day and month calendar, and a large date in two windows, a specificity of F.P.Journe watches. The instantaneous jump is reinforced by an ingenious F.P.Journe system designed to accumulate energy and release it instantaneously when the date, day or month changes; and then slow it down at the end of its route.

Unlike perpetual calendars that are often difficult to adjust, the F.P.Journe Quantième Perpétuel is very easy to use. All corrections are made using the three-position crown, except for the rapid correction of months, which is carried out by a protected and hidden corrector lever beneath the lug at 1 o’clock, thus facilitating the adjustment over four years without any specific tool. The months with 28, 29, 30 and 31 days are automatically taken into account and leap years recognised with years 1, 2 and 3 shown in black; 4 for the leap year shown in red in the centre of the dial under the hour and minute hands.

The automatic winding movement of the Quantième Perpétuel by F.P.Journe Invenit et Fecit is manufactured in 18K rose Gold, like that of all the brand’s precision chronmometers. It is constructed on the basis of the exclusive Octa calibre 1300.3, with an identical calibre leaving room to insert all the complications of the Octa line. It also features the exclusive off-centre F.P.Journe rotor in 22K red gold that offers optimal winding of the watch for an effective power reserve with retrograde indication for over 120 effective hours. It winds the movement in only one direction with an autoblocant ball bearing system (self-blocking). Every infinitesimal movement of the wrist is thus maximally exploited for an optimised winding of the watch.

With a total and very limited production of nearly 900 pieces per year, the custom of F.P.Journe is to stop producing an existing calibre when creating a new model. Therefore, the Quantième Perpétuel replaces the Octa Calendrier with annual calendar, which will cease production in 2013 thus becoming a collector's piece.

The Quantième Perpétuel is available in Platinum or in 18K red Gold, in 40 or 42 mm diameter. The red or white Gold dial is fixed by a steel circle with a silver chapter ring.

PRICE:

CHF 70,200.00 - Platinum

CHF 65,900.oo - Gold

TECHNICAL DETAILS - QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL GOLD

MOVEMENT:
Automatic
Calibre FPJ 1300-3 in 18K rose gold (4N)
Off-centre 22K gold guilloché winding rotor
Unidirectional automatic winding

NUMBER OF COMPONENTS:
Movement without dial - 340
Cased up with strap - 374

DIMENSIONS OF MOVEMENT:
Overall diameter: 33.00 mm
Casing-up diameter: 30.40 mm
Overall height: 5.20 mm
Height of winding stem: 1.80 mm
Diameter of stem thread: S0.90mm

BALANCE:
Linear escapement 15 tooth
Chronometric balance with inertia weight
Anachron free-sprung flat balance spring
Mobile stud holder
Free sprung
Nivatronic laser soldered balance spring
Pinned GE stud
Barrel with slipping spring
Inertia : 10.10 mg*cm2
Angle of lift : 52°
Amplitude : 0 hr dial up: > 300°
24 hr dial up: > 220°

WINDING SPEED:
274 anti-clockwise rotations per 24 hours

DECORATION:
Circular graining on 18K Gold baseplate
Circular Côtes de Genève on 18K Gold bridges
Polished screw heads with chamfered slots
Pegs with polished rounded ends
Steel components hand polished and chamfered

VIBRATIONS:
21,600 vph (3Hz)

JEWELS:
37 Jewels

POWER RESERVE:
160 ± 12 hours

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS:
Perpetual calendar with instantaneous jump
Simultaneous correction of the date and day
in one direction, rotation of the day only in the other direction
in position 2 of the winding stem
Discreet and secure corrector in the lug of the watchcase
for correction of the month and leap year

CASE:
Gold

SIZE:
Measuring 42,00mm or 40,00 in Diameter
Measuring 10,80mm in Height

DIAL:
Red or white Gold
Silver chapter ring
Steel mounting fixing the centre of the dial

INDICATIONS:
Central hours and minutes
indication of leap year with centred small hand,
1, 2, 3, in black; 4 for the leap year in red
Day and month at 12 o’clock in 2 apertures
Large date at 6 o’clock in double apertur
Power reserve at 9 o’clock

STRAP:
Alligator strap fitted with a platinium buckle

FOR MORE INFORMATIONS:
SITE:

www.fpjourne.com