Octa Calendrier | Ruthenium Collection | Platinum

Produced exclusively in the early 2000's, the Ruthenium Collection took François-Paul Journe's earliest pieces, scaling them up in size and adding a ruthenium coating to the dial and brass movement. This example of the Octa Calendrier* is just one of 99 pieces, making it a rare piece that is mechanically and visually impressive. In 2001, two years after establishing his eponymous brand, François-Paul Journe selected five watches from the latter part of his brass movement production and gave them a special treatment. All the dials and brass movement plates were coated in ruthenium, a rare inert metal belonging to the platinum family. Due to its extreme hardness and greater insensitivity to oxidation, it is often used in electronics or aerospace engineering, though rarely ever included in watches. Limited to 99 pieces for each model, the Ruthenium Collection includes the Tourbillon Souverain, the Chronomètre à Resonance, the Octa Chronographe, the Octa Calendrier and the Octa Réserve de Marche Jour et Nuit. In total, 495 Ruthenium Collection pieces are understood to have been produced. This Octa Calendrier is made distinctive by its ruthenium coated dial. It features the grainy texture and shimmer which has come to be associated with the watchmaker's earliest pieces, while at the same time offering the depth of a darker colour tone. Ruthenium has a complex colour, which varies depending on the angle and intensity of the light. As a result, the dial transitions easily from a dark, charcoal colour to a lighter, smoke grey under different conditions. The Octa Calendrier is an annual calendar, meaning that it only requires adjustment once a year, in February, as it accounts for the long and short months throughout the year. The different elements of the date are displayed in an innovative way — the date is displayed on a 240º arc which extends around the left-hand circumference of the dial, with a blued hand pointing to the correct date. It is a retrograde indicator, with the hand springing back to the start of the register on the first of the month. Meanwhile, the day and month are shown through two apertures on the left hand side, which feature a grey background and white text, seamlessly blending into the rest of the design. The brand mark and credo are pad-printed between the day and month indications, completing the thoughtfully laid out and balanced dial. The off-centre time display is constructed on a whitened silver base and concentrated on the right. It features a textured inner sector followed by an Arabic chapter in the brand’s proprietary and signature font. A chemin de fer track of minutes follows, with an Arabic chapter at intervals of five. The smaller seconds overlap this time display and have a sector-style layout. The feuille-style hours and minutes hands are heat-blued, as are the seconds indicator. The 40mm platinum case stands 10.5mm tall. Owing to the short lugs, it is compact and comfortable on the wrist. The bezel is rounded and meets the flat midcase in a lip. A similar detail marks the point where the exhibition caseback comes to the midcase. The lugs, equal in scale to the width of the midcase, flow almost organically from it. The rope-style knurled crown, a well-established brand design cue, completes the picture. Framed by the rounded rim of the exhibition caseback – on which the brand mark, serial number and precious metal hallmarks are deeply etched – is the self-winding calibre 1300. The bridges are crafted from ruthenium-plated brass and adorned with circular Côtes de Genève, with the edges finished with anglage. It is topped by a bi-directional winding, marginally off-centre 22k gold rotor finished with barleycorn engraving and the brand mark. The development of the movement was a prolonged process, with the main task being refining the mainspring to a point where it gave consistent power to the gear train, for as large a proportion of its unwinding as possible. Together with a specialist spring maker, Journe finally settled on a design that was a metre long and 1mm thick. This caliber 1300 also integrates a power reserve of 120 hours. If sold within the United Kingdom, this F. P. Journe Octa Calendrier will be subject to 20% VAT Closer look Brand: F. P. Journe Model: Octa Calendrier Movement: automatic calibre 1300 Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, day, date, month, retrograde date Features: instantaneous retrograde date change, ruthenium-coated brass-movement, display back Case material: platinum Case diameter: 40mm Case thickness: 10.6mm Lug-to-lug: 47.5mm Crystal: sapphire front & back Strap: saffiano curved strap from our own collection, F. P. Journe platinum pin buckle Lug width: 20 x 19mm (curved) Year: 2004 Accompanying materials: F. P. Journe outer box & inner wooden box, certificate of authenticity & warranty (signed, stamped & dated), loupe, polishing cloth, strap changing tool Condition This Ruthenium F. P. Journe Octa Calendrier is in excellent overall condition. The case and lugs show virtually no signs of wear, only very light superficial marks on the very surface of the material. The dial shows natural signs of oxidation and age, the hands, and movement are free of imperfections and have been well preserved. All hallmarks and engravings are well defined. Warranty The watch comes with a two-year, limited warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.