Summary
Okay, so Phillips is auctioning off an unbelievably rare watch next month – a F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance from 1999! Apparently, it’s one of the very first ones they made before full production started, and it’s got the earliest serial number for this model. They think it could sell for up to a million Swiss francs, which is about $1.12 million US dollars. Seriously cool stuff if you’re into high-end timepieces like I am.
Phillips, in partnership with Bacs & Russo, will feature a remarkably important and historically significant watch at their Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV this November. The piece is an extremely rare, early version of the F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance, estimated to sell for between 500,000 and 1 million Swiss Francs (approximately $617,270 to $1.12 million US dollars).
Released to the public in 2000, the Chronomètre à Résonance was a groundbreaking watch – the first wristwatch to successfully use the principle of resonance. It features two balance wheels placed close together, which work together to keep time more accurately. This particular watch is one of only about ten made before the more familiar Souscription and Pre-Souscription Resonance models, making it exceptionally rare. Collectors prize it for unique details like light engravings on the caseback, a shimmering pink gold dial with silver sub-dials, and a brass movement – features found only in the earliest F.P. Journe watches.
Considering recent Journe watch sales have exceeded tens of millions of dollars, this very early Resonance model represents a rare chance for collectors – an opportunity that comes around only once in a generation. Phillips will auction the watch on November 7th and 8th, 2026, at the Hotel President in Geneva, with viewing opportunities available beforehand. You can find more details about the sale on the Phillips website.
2026-07-21 12:56