François-Paul Journe’s name has become inseparable from modern independent watchmaking. Born in Marseille in 1957, he trained at the École d’Horlogerie de Marseille and later in Paris, before apprenticing in restoration with his uncle. Early exposure to the works of Abraham-Louis Breguet, Antide Janvier and Ferdinand Berthoud gave him both a respect for classical horology and a drive to push it forward.

By the mid-1980s, he had setup his own workshop in Paris, producing unique complicated watches for private clients. A decade later, he established Montres Journe S.A., launching his brand under the motto Invenit et Fecit (“Invented and Made”), a declaration of independence that has defined his career ever since. Among his landmark creations are the Chronomètre à Résonance, inspired by Janvier’s resonance clocks, and the Tourbillon Souverain with remontoir d’égalité, a constant-force mechanism designed to stabilize precision.

From left: F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance Platinum 2000 & 2020

F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain

Journe has often cited George Daniels as a guiding influence — not only for his invention of the Co-Axial Escapement but for his example of independence: a single watchmaker designing and building complete timepieces on his own.

Over the past two decades, Journe has won three Aiguille d’Or awards at the GPHG. His work stands apart not only for technical originality but for what it represents: the rare achievement of one individual shaping contemporary watchmaking on his own terms.