François-Paul Journe, one of the most revered names in independent watchmaking, has acquired a major piece of his own history. At a recent Phillips auction in Geneva, Journe won the bidding war for the Breguet Pendule Sympathique No. 1, paying CHF 5,505,000 including fees—a record sum for a modern sympathique clock.
The 18-karat yellow gold clock, paired with a matching wristwatch, is no ordinary collector’s item. Journe and his colleagues at Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA) were originally commissioned by Breguet to design and build the piece more than three decades ago. Now, over 30 years later, Journe has brought the masterpiece back into his own hands.
Seated quietly in the front row, Journe nodded steadily as the auctioneer, Aurel Bacs, fielded bids in CHF 100,000 increments. After more than five minutes of intense competition, only Journe and a phone bidder remained. When he raised his bid to CHF 4.5 million, the other bidder bowed out. With the fall of the hammer, the historic timepiece became his once again.
Journe plans to put the Breguet Sympathique No. 1 on public display. The clock will be a key part of the upcoming Musée F.P. Journe in Geneva, which is expected to open within the next year. The museum will highlight his life’s work and showcase milestones in modern horology.
The acquisition not only sets a new benchmark in auction history but also underscores the growing demand and reverence for high-end mechanical artistry—especially when tied to iconic names like F.P. Journe.
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