Phillips and the independent Swiss watch brand F.P. Journe have teamed up to raise funds for breast cancer research by auctioning a one-of-a-kind Élégante timepiece at a private event in Miami on March 2. The watch has no price estimate at this time.
François-Paul Journe took the watch world by surprise a decade ago when he unveiled Élégante, his first watch specifically designed for women. No one could ever have expected a master of mechanical complications to present a quartz watch. But given that women overwhelmingly prefer low-maintenance quartz watches, Journe felt he had to reinvent and upgrade the notion of a battery-powered movement.
Journe spent eight years in research and development to come up with the slim, tonneau-shaped Élégante, which broke new technical ground with its ingenious electromechanical movement.
The caliber 1210 is equipped with a motion detection sensor, visible through an aperture in the dial at 4:30. This allows the watch to go to sleep in order to preserve energy after 35 minutes of inactivity. When the watch is asleep, the microprocessor continues to keep time, though the mechanical gears, rotors, and hands come to a standstill and stop consuming energy. The watch wakes up when the sensor detects movement, and the hands automatically adjust to the correct time, following the shortest possible path, either clockwise or counterclockwise.
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This advancement on the quartz movement endows Élégante with an impressive eight to 10 years of autonomy when the watch is worn and up to 18 years in standby mode.
In typical Journe fashion, he took the concept to extremes by adding a second movement to separate the seconds hand from the hours and minutes hands. Typically, a quartz watch has a single movement that drives all three hands through a gear train. This configuration causes friction, which results in power loss. So, Journe dispensed with the gear train altogether with a dedicated seconds movement.
F.P. Journe produces Élégante’s mechanical elements, while the electronic components are produced in Switzerland to meet the brand’s uncompromising quality standards. Unlike typical quartz watches, Élégante shows off its pink-gold-plated movement through a sapphire crystal case back. And it’s even treated to high-horology finishing touches, such as an engraved battery bridge decorated with Cotes de Genève (Geneva stripes) and screw heads that are beveled and polished.
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The unique piece that is going on the block in Miami features a 48mm case made of dark gray Titalyt, which is grade five titanium subjected to electro-plasma oxidation to increase hardness and corrosion resistance. The white luminescent dial features bold, black Arabic numerals, and an outer dial with screwed steel elements. And since pink is the color for breast cancer awareness, the number 1 stands out in pink and the watch is fitted with a matching pink strap.
All proceeds from the Miami sale will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of breast cancer research. The event is by invitation only, but those who cannot attend can bid by phone or online by contacting [email protected].
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