A Moment For Modern:
The F.P. Journe Chronographe Rattrapante
by Charlie Dunne
Earlier this week I crossed paths with a fellow travel clock lover named Ricky (@rickylassin) who happened to be sporting a neat complicated wristwatch from the LineSport collection of F.P.J. I’ll be honest, I haven’t paid much attention to this collection from Journe in the past. I was always more drawn to the Élégante and Chronomètre Bleu (or Cordon Bleu if you want to trigger Pierre Halimi). There was also one paricular Chronomètre Souverain, the Nacre Boutique Edition, that always stood out. But for the most part, I have remained a noob in the Journe universe. For whatever reason, I always end up having a great time when encountering the brand - whether via brand ambassadors or collectors. Below are a few shots of the F.P. Journe Chronographe Rattrapante I snapped while meeting a new friend.
After playing with the split-seconds function for a good 10 minutes straight, I noticed an awesome shoutout to the iconic L.E.P. (Louis-Elysée Piguet) on the official website describing the complication.
“And when talking about the flyback hand, we automatically think of the most complicated parts, such as, for example, “La Merveilleuse" of Ami Lecoultre, produced in collaboration with Louis-Elysée Piguet, who received the bronze medal at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878.” - FPJourne.com
One of the subtle details that I love on the model is the tachymeter’s numerals being different sizes. These small, almost corky, nuances to Journe seemingly go unoticed when I observe them online rather than in-person.
While I am not typically a fan of integrated bracelets, there’s something very different to this watch that makes it a joy on the wrist. Along with the flexibility of each link, the lightness of the watch is just too much fun.
