NT931
1872
I’ve wondered too...
I bought mine 2.5y ago before the prices went relentlessly up, and stood at the sidelines in wonder and stupefaction
My personal guesses why the CB suddenly went up in popularity:
1. Versatile watch , can be casual or dressy, many strap options
2. Unusual tantalum case, sized just right at 39mm
3. Blue suddenly becoming a popular color again in the past 3y or so
4. Not too crazily expensive (then)
5. That wonderful dial!
But hey, what do I know... for all I know the price has been driven up by a secret cabal of Journe collectors!
What was the tipping point for the wider interest in this watch?
Like many things the more people become interested in something the more additional interest that brings. Every popular watch sees this dynamic. As Christian stated yesterday the production numbers for this watch haven't changed much over the years BUT de...
My personal thought...
it offers 'more' to the price esp. different material, gold movement & a beautiful dial... also the fact that anyone who try to buy a steel sports watch have to go in the secondary market to get one (with a price closing towards CB) - people started s...
I’ve wondered too...
I bought mine 2.5y ago before the prices went relentlessly up, and stood at the sidelines in wonder and stupefaction My personal guesses why the CB suddenly went up in popularity: 1. Versatile watch , can be casual or dressy, many strap options 2. Unusual...
Now that would make a great title for a Robert Ludlum trilogy
1. The Journe Identity: where FPJ makes his mark as a brand 2. The Journe Conspiracy: where a secret cabal hoards FPJ's timepieces, and manipulates the resale/auction market 3. The Journe Illuminati: where the secret identities of the cabal members are un...
I noticed Bobby DeNiro had this one on, when he had famously gone after Trump: "He's a pig, he's a dog..."
Didn't that contribute to its hype? Dunno, but could have.
Didn't know that. There is something about FPJ, no doubt.
I'm drawn to Octa Calendrier and Zodiac. I know I won't be able to resist.
It’s been on my radar for a long time...
The CB has been a Purists darling for 10 years, due to the tantalum case, wearable proportions and beautiful dial. First one I saw in the wild was at a Parmigiani Fleurier event in downtown Toronto. Circa 2015 or so. But I remember seeing used examples on...
I actually resisted the idea of this watch for 3-4 years after learning of its existence.
Too many people saying too many nice things about it. I figured it was the New Hot Watch so just ignore it and eventually it will go out of favor. Then a year or a little less ago I actually had one in my hands for the first time. It's like an ear worm. I...
What's funny is, it has become what you feared to an extent. These days it does very much seem like the "New Hot Watch".
It's a great watch however, and you and I are big enough and bold enough to be able to figure that out for ourselves!
Tantalum
Besides being a great looking piece, the metal has always been attractive to me. Not easy to find tantalum cased watches. and I've been aware of them for a long time.
Increased hype by platforms like Instagram. Increased interest in watches in general.
Better and more bite-size watch journalism. It’s an amazing watch, and one that is at the top of my grail list, but it’s currently ‘darling’ status isn’t doing my any favors.
Great discussion
i think some very good points have been made so far. Here are my thoughts: I’m thinking people are opening their eyes to the fact, that you get a top movement in interesting materials and demanding techniques at a good price relatively compared to what th...
Christian you make a great point regarding the design, originality and the fact that it's really not trying to be something else.
It was all these things 5 years ago too, it just seems it (and or Journe) was just not on the broader radar. Perhaps a confluence of events; a great watch to begin with, an honest price (retail), the rise of instagram, an improvement in how Independents m...
Too much money, not enough creativity...
I doubt that anyone bought this as his first watch. I would say that a large number of people buying into the brand own a Patek and end up buying FPJ in an attempt to stand out and be daring, but instead bought something safe that all their friends were b...
I don’t understand where you’re going with your argument.
Are you saying Journes are trendy/not trendy? They are not original-the CB is not original? Can you be clearer with what you’re saying?
My collection is 80% FPJ and will probably be 100% in the next 12-18 months.
Most FPJ collectors I know who own some crazy pieces from other brands ( R. Smith, Gronefeld, MB&F, Patek, Greubel Forsey, Dufour, KV, etc.) make a similar comment when we have this conversation.... "I only need one (fill in the blank), but can never ...
#peakjourne Haha!
Having been at the Boutique over the weekend and meeting some other collectors I can say that I am again wanting more. Despite as I've mentioned before consciously trying to limit myself to where I am currently I have a feeling another might sneak in!
You’re joking right ?!
Why FPJ being the first or only watch for anyone a measure for its originality ?
Kenny, I fail to see your point in your post
And that is ok - I live with that. Just make sure when you are here, not to generalize and be nasty about the FPJ brand or the collectors. That’s not ok.
FPJ makes some of the nicest watches...
They have been. But the question was, “What triggered growth in popularity?” To answer that, I think it’s important to understand who is buying FPJ and why. I know sometimes we don’t want to hear the truth. But there are watches that all of us like, howev...
It could be that some people feel that way.
And it could be that others (as I stated about myself above) avoid watches that "everyone" buys. I think you are generalizing-and I think that with watch-collecting there are no generalizations.
Agree. Well stated.
The motives of collecting are many and individual - and for me personally, something that changes along the journey . Not something that can be generalized in a meaningful way.
i prefer to buy what make sense for me...i don't buy for 'investment' or 'collectability'.
i bought a CB first & i now bought a CS, CS isn't the most popular of FPJ but I like it - that is the point. i want to have a collection of 4 or 5 but the ones i love...not for the anything else. yes i understand some follow 'popularity or investment safe...
Journe collectors fundamentally have a different mindset to the "popular watch" collectors you speak of.
It's either you 'get it' or you don't - that simple. I only buy ones that speak to me, and never because they're popular or investment type watches. It just so happens what I like ends up becoming popular over time. With that being said... I was never tem...
Kenny, I agree that there is definitely an element of "buying what's safe" in this specific example.
But I think that explains much of the more recent demand. Once it tipped it was just momentum and piling on from many buyers some of whom were / are speculating and from other collectors whom with the comfort of seeing other people's demand / desire for t...
Just for reference..
Yesterday a collector friend told me he just sold his two days old unworn CB full set to another “desperate” collector who is buying for his wife’s birthday happily paid SGD$50K (around USD$37K). With such trends happening I wondering why FPJ have not inc...
Not surprised, the most recent auction result was $35K (incl premium) at Christies a few weeks ago.
When Christies and Sotheby's sold CB's for $27.5k a few weeks apart about 18 months ago that lifted the grey/used prices materially. If there is another public price like this realized soon then my bet is on dealers rising up asking prices to new market. ...
My two cents
Firstly, the CB is a unique and original design, doesn’t quote or rehash any previous design. It pre dates color trends and other fads. Secondly, more than being a hot and trendy watch - which only happened much later - it is an intrinsically well thought...
All fair points, thanks for commenting (and finding this older thread).
But I would say re your second point while true, it is “more than..a hot and trendy watch” and it is absolutely “well thought through and wonderfully executed” all of that has been swallowed up by the fact that today’s demand likely IS fueled mostly by hy...
Agree with your observations.
Interestingly, while the CB is my only FPJ, it was not my first. I actually started with the iconic Chronometre Resonance. It was a bit of an impulse buy and over time I couldn’t quite find the occasions to wear it, and I found it a bit too “noticeable” i...
What are you all thinking about the CB now... going up up up, seems a little crazy. Beautiful watch but?
Bubble going to burst on this?
Impossible to know. Opinions will vary on what to do now or on where could things go.
Buying today at today’s market prices, one could argue, is not much different that buying 99% of the high end watches out there in terms of the monetary future value (which is what you are asking).