When it comes to high-end complications, the king is the Grande Sonnerie, followed by the princely Minute Repeater. When it comes to inventive interpretations of these complications, François-Paul Journe becomes the man of the hour. Six years of development and ten patents allowed F.P. Journe in 2005 to create a masterpiece with the Sonnerie Souveraine, which doubled the complication factor by combining the Grande and Petite Sonnerie. Three years later, in 2008, F.P. Journe released the Répétition Souveraine, the thinnest minute repeater watch in the world at that time. Due to its complexity and limited production, this rara avis is rarely seen in the wild. Fortunately, we managed to get our hands on and photograph the Répétition Souveraine for this review.
TIME ON DEMAND
Before the advent of artificial light, most people relied on church bells or striking clocks to tell the time in the dark. According to historical records, the first clocks that struck the quarter-hour on demand appeared in England around 1675. A more complex minute repeater was made around 1710 in Friedberg, Germany. By pressing a button or slider on the case of a portable minute repeater watch, privileged people could know the time as the hammers struck gongs, marking the hours, quarters, and minutes. In the world of repeater watches, there are various categories. For example, the quarter repeater strikes the hours on one tone and the quarters on another. A 5-minute repeater strikes the hours and then the number of elapsed 5-minute intervals. As the name implies, a minute repeater strikes the hours on a low tone, the quarters with a sequence of two tones (high and low), and the minutes with a second high tone.
THIN, COMPACT, AND UNOBTRUSIVE
Unlike some of the more ornate baroque representatives of striking watches, F.P. Journe, with its distinct yet restrained design, created a minute repeater that can be worn daily! The simple, unpretentious design of the Répétition Souveraine could even be mistaken for the purely time-telling Chronomètre Souverain model, if not for the small aperture on the dial between 9 and 10 o'clock and the slider on the strap. In fact, comparing these two watches demonstrates the impressive technical craftsmanship applied by F.P. Journe to miniaturize and reduce the size of the complex minute repeater mechanism. Compared to the Chronomètre Souverain or Chronomètre Bleu, the minute repeater case, with a height of 8.80 mm, is only 0.20 mm thicker. The repeater mechanism (4.50 mm), which contains nearly twice as many parts, is only 0.50 mm thicker than the simpler time-only model.
At the time of its release in 2008, the Répétition Souveraine was the thinnest minute repeater in the world until 2013 when it was surpassed by Vacheron Constantin's Patrimony Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin with a case height of 8.10 mm, and in 2016 by Bvlgari's Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater with a case height of 6.85 mm.
In the signature style of François-Paul Journe and similar in layout to the simpler Chronomètre Souverain model, the bleached silver dial is adorned with a central Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, an elegant fan-shaped power reserve indicator at 3 o'clock, and a small seconds subdial between 7 and 8 o'clock. The power reserve and small seconds indicators have a moiré finish, contrasting with the satin-finished second hand ring. The inscription F.P. Journe Invenit et Fecit just below noon crosses the guilloché area. Another quirky yet very characteristic feature of F.P. Journe watches is the inverted numerals from 3 to 9 and the unusual flat blued steel hands that taper from a round base to fine tips. The Arabic numerals, minute track, hands, and inscriptions on the dial are rendered in blue.
GENIUS
The ingenuity of F.P. Journe is astounding, and his decision to create a minute repeater mechanism that emits a strong, crystal-clear sound in an incredibly thin 18-carat gold mechanism with a diameter of only 4.50 mm is a testament to his brilliance.
Departing from Journe's penchant for precious metal cases, the case of the Répétition Souveraine is made of stainless steel, as the lower density and "crystalline structure of steel" provide "the best possible strike tone." Another surprise for those fortunate enough to hold this watch is its lightness. According to the technical specifications, the watch with the strap weighs only 69.6 grams. The raised fluted section of the crown facilitates winding (38 turns) and the pull-out for time adjustment in position 2. The asymmetrical aperture on the dial between 9 and 10 o'clock reveals the repeater mechanism's hammers, which are activated by a slider on the left side of the case. Sliding the slider loads a small spring to activate the minute repeater.
The sound emanating from the case became louder and clearer due to the use of a patented flat gong, installed under the dial instead of around the mechanism, which allowed for more space for the mechanism. Journe first used a flat gong in his Sonnerie Souveraine watches. Since the gongs and hammers are flat, they can be mounted on the mainplate and produce a louder chime than other repeaters. If you look at the photo of the skeletonized model, you will see the flat hammers at the "10 o'clock" position and the flat gongs placed between 5 and 9 o'clock on the upper plate.
The second patented innovation is the striker rack system and Journe's hammer selection mechanism, which occupy much less space than conventional hammer mechanisms. The inertial regulator (governor) controls the speed of the chimes and eliminates the background noise associated with traditional air regulators.
Another distinguishing feature of this Répétition Souveraine is that the hours and minutes sound the same gong and produce the same sound. Traditional minute repeaters emit a low tone for hours and a high tone for minutes. However, this minute repeater operates differently. If, for example, it were 5:48, and you activated the repeater, you would hear five low tones for the hours (5), then three double high tones for the quarters (45 min), and then three low tones for the minutes (3 min). If it were, for example, 5:05, you would hear five low tones for the hours (5), and since there are no quarters, there would be a pause before you hear five low tones for the minutes (5).
STUNNING GOLD MECHANISM
If the dial can be called understated and unassuming, then the back case reveals a stunning hand-wound mechanism, with base plates and bridges made of 18-carat rose gold. Luxuriously decorated with straight waves on the bridges and circular graining on the main plate, the gold elements secure the mechanical parts. To the left of the balance wheel is the repeater governor/inertial regulator, housed in a steel frame with three screws for adjusting the chime speed. Two parallel-mounted barrels provide constant (stable) power for 56 hours, and the free-sprung balance, beating at 21,600 vph, with variable inertia on four weights, is adjusted in six positions.
The Répétition Souveraine is a vivid testament to the ingenuity of F.P. Journe, interpreted in his signature style. The result is a discreet, thin, light, unassuming watch that openly invites its fortunate owner to wear and enjoy it daily. Although the model we had for the photoshoot comes on a blue alligator leather strap, it is also available on a beautiful five-link stainless steel bracelet.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The F.P. Journe Répétition Souveraine remains in the brand's permanent collection, but I cannot guarantee that it will be easy to find. The retail price is 204,100 Swiss francs.
For more information, visit the F.P. Journe website.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – F.P. JOURNE RÉPÉTITION SOUVERAINE
Case: diameter 40 mm x height 8.80 mm – stainless steel, polished – minute repeater slider on the left lug at "10 o'clock" position – weight with strap 69.6 grams
Dial: bleached silver with Clous de Paris guilloché center – power reserve indicator at "3 o'clock", small seconds between 7 and 8 o'clock, both with moiré finish – blue-stamped Arabic numerals, railway minute track, and inscriptions – blued steel hands – aperture on the dial between 9 and 10 o'clock, revealing the hammers
Movement: caliber 1408 – in-house ultra-thin hand-wound movement, just 4.50 mm thick – 18-carat rose gold bridges and mainplate with straight waves and circular graining – patented flat gongs and hammers – patented striker racks and hammer selection mechanisms – 2 parallel-mounted barrels for 56-hour power reserve – 21,600 vph – anachronous flat balance with free-sprung balance and 4 inertia weights, adjusted in 6 positions – central hours and minutes, power reserve indicator, small seconds hand, minute repeater
Strap: blue alligator leather strap with hand stitching and stainless steel folding clasp – also available on a stainless steel bracelet
Price: 204,100 SWISS FRANCS