The Design
In the design, Monsieur Journe used familiar pieces from the Chronomètre Souverain and Octa Calendrier. Like the Souverain, the outer track of the Quantième Perpétuel holds the embossed decorative Arabic numerals, though with the power-reserved indicator located at 9 o’clock.
Borrowing from the Calendrier, the Quantième Perpétuel indicates the day and month in two concise windows, further adding the date display within two additional oversized windows at 6 o’clock, replacing the Octa Calendrier’s distinctive long arc for the date, present in Journe’s first perpetual calendar, the Octa Perpetuelle. The Quantième Perpétuel is one of the first of a generation of central dials, distinguished by a polished steel ring securing the centre of the dial.
Sized at 40mm, this Quantième Perpétuel features a rounded bezel, thin lugs and the manufactures' oversized ‘flat crown’ with a rope-like pattern. The entire watch is polished and mirror finished, while the crown itself is engraved. All the calendar functions are adjusted using the crown, with exception to the months (and leap year), which are advanced using a corrector concealed underneath the 1 o’clock lug.
The mechanism allows for simultaneous correction of the day and date in one direction, separating it from the isolated rotation of the day in the opposite direction, once the second position of the winding stem is engaged. The Quantième Perpétuel is an instantaneous perpetual calendar, with all calendar displays jumping simultaneously, in a flash, at midnight.
The Movement
This self-winding, Calibre 1300.3 is made out of rose gold, with straight Côtes de Genève embellishments, constructed with a shock absorber mechanism. It further features a straight-line lever escapement, and monometallic 4-arm balance with 4 timing weights, adjusted to 5 positions. It includes a self-compensating free-sprung flat balance spring, and an off-centre bi-directional 22-carat gold guilloche rotor.
The Set
This F.P. Journe Octa Quantième Perpétuel is in excellent condition, fitted to a bespoke grey leather Stockholm strap with curved-ends, measuring 20 x 19mm. The set also includes the original inner and outer boxes, the manufacture's guarantee card, USB stick and the original black alligator strap from F.P. Journe.