F.P. Journe

The Vagabondage series, composed of three tortue or tonneau-shaped wristwatches, is certainly a departure from what can usually be expected from the celebrated independent watchmaker, F.P. Journe.

Aside from the atypical shape, which later on inspired the Elegante model, this 3-part series of watches all feature the whimsical and highly technical jump-hour complication, with each installment utilizing the complication in a different way.

The history of the Vagabondage originates far beyond the actual creation of the timepiece. In the late 1990’s, even before the establishment of the F.P. Journe brand, Francois-Paul Journe was approached by a client who requested a wandering hours wristwatch. Interested and indeed intrigued, Journe partnered with a major watch brand to realise this project that was called ‘Carpe Diem’, though the project was stopped after the prototype phase.

A few years later, in 2003, Mr. Journe was approached to offer a unique timepiece to be sold for charity to benefit the ICM Foundation. The watchmaker decided to use the previous prototype that was now called Vagabondage, a new name suggested by French collector Jean Aube. In the end, François-Paul Journe did not create one but three of these pieces that were sold for charity in 2004 in Geneva. Each of them was cased in a different colour of gold: white, pink and yellow.

In 2006, Mr. Journe decided to launch that wonderful model as a limited edition of 69 pieces in platinum, 68 in pink gold as well as 10 pieces with baguette diamonds. The regular Vagabondage 1 was born. This first model of the series, similarly to the charity pieces, features a rotating disc for the hours with a jumping rectangular frame to indicate the hour that also points to the minutes. Each time a new hour starts, the frame jumps to the next hour on the disc and follows its rotation to indicate the minutes on the railtrack. The dial is further animated by the central balance.

In 2010, Journe introduced the Vagabondage II. It features a smoked sapphire glass that partly hides the rotating discs indicating the hours and minutes in the central apertures. A power reserve indication was also added at 12 o’clock, while the subsidiary seconds are displayed at 6.

Collectors had to wait until 2017 to discover the Vagabondage III. The watch features a world premiere: the jumping digital seconds on a wristwatch. This model also incorporated the one-minute remontoire d’égalité to regulate the power needed for the discs. The digital jump-hours are indicated in the window at 9 o’clock while the minutes can be read through the central hand. Similarly to the Vagabondage II, the third version has a power reserve indication, this time placed at 1 o’clock.

On the occasion of the launch of the Vagabondage III, Mr. Journe offered to some of his most important clients the immense privilege of acquiring the Triptyque Vagabondage. It was a complete set of the three models presented in a special presentation case. Furthermore, the watches had the same numbers, the present lot being 09/69.

Owning a F.P. Journe Vagabondage is already a dream shared by many collectors, possessing the complete series, born as a set with the same number, the original presentation case and certificate goes far beyond and is an incredibly important and rare opportunity.

Sotheby’s is honoured to present this Triptyque Vagabondage on behalf of a prominent private collector.