Launch and press release F.P. Journe for ONLY WATCH 2021

Jul 01, 2021,14:22 PM
 

The Francis Ford Coppola watch by F.P. Journe has been launched today. It’s a piece unique to be auctioned off at the ONLYWATCH charity auction. The Auction is going to be held on the 6th of November later this year in Monaco.

Please see the official link here.  www.onlywatch.com

The Watch will be available for viewing  during  the ONLYWATCH world tour in Monaco, Dubai, Tokyo, Singapore Hong Kong, Geneve. Please check the official website for dates and locations

I’m eager to hear your first impressions. Of course we will learn much more about this highly unusual watch in the coming months as we get to experience it during the world tour.

Regards 
ChristianDK 














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Comments: view entire thread

 

Innovative …

 
 By: Jp75 : July 1st, 2021-14:32
Thanks for sharing, very innovative way to display the time. Funnily enough was reading on Vacheron Constantin « heures sautantes » and see certain similarity with the triangular marker pointing to the minutes around the case. The hours presentation with ... 

My pleasure. thank you for your input.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-14:53
I think you have a point that it is not super intuitive. However, Im not the one to tell how he could have done better - given the challenge. I suppose one would need to "learn" the sequence and then it makes sense. Perhaps a bit like sign language.

Thanks my friend for sharing the interesting news (and watch! ;-) Many of these unique pieces by the 54 participating brands are already available at the official Only Watch site -- the interested reader may view them at:

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-14:39
Only Watch - the official website Certainly an unusual watch by FPJ, which will attract lots of attention! On a simple/humorous mathematical note, glad that the hours to display were 12, because with 33 or more, the "complex challenge" would have been mat... 

Thanks

 
 By: Jp75 : July 1st, 2021-14:53
Thanks for bringing-up the point of « up to 32 « as it gave me the opportunity to reminisce probabilities and stat classes. A bit like crosswords and sudoku. Must confess I spent the (full) last 5 minutes trying to compute c(5,0) , c(5,1) … c(5,5) and com... 

My pleasure, and the math is correct! ;-)) Here's a simpler way to compute that sum and arrive at 32 (I'm writing it quickly as I'm sure you'll understand it given the math you already wrote ;-) It follows from the following small theorem/observation:

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-20:57
Observation: In your notation, the sum c(N,0) + c(N,1) + ... + c(N,N) equals 2^N ("2 raised to the N"), for any N. (Begin proof: Any given element either belongs to a subset or it doesn't, giving you two choices per element. Hence, the total number of cho... 

Thanks … these were the days

 
 By: Jp75 : July 2nd, 2021-15:10
Thanks for the reminder and the trip down the memory lane…. it brings me back on time, when the purity of math & sciences was reigning (instead of tactics, incentive management and realpolitik). On the other hand, at that time neither FPJ, PP, VC nor AP w... 

Yes, this is not what you associate with F.P.Journe typically except when it comes to the Vagabondage line...

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-14:56
Which was a playful attempt to display time in unusual ways. The design languale here is something entirely different tough. thank you for your valuable input Fab! If anyone here would work on the sequence it would have to be you, of course. LOL

Ahhh vagabondage … especially V1?

 
 By: Jp75 : July 1st, 2021-16:44
If I recall the vagabondage 1 was the version with rotating pointer for the minute and a flying hour displayed « inside » (the window of the minutes mark, a bit like the AP?) Probably made of « unobtainablium » today but sweet memory if my memory serves m... 

here it is. A dream watch for me!

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:12
...  

A dream …

 
 By: Jp75 : July 1st, 2021-19:26
That’s the one I meant - many thanks for sharing the picture … a dream !

my pleasure :-)

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:44

;-))

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-21:12

True … and cultural differences would make it worsel

 
 By: Jp75 : July 2nd, 2021-15:03
The way people count with their fingers is also highly culturally dependent: Was reading Wikipedia ( ) that in France and Germany, the number « 3 » is shown by using thumb plus index plus middle finger, while in the anglo-saxon world « 3 » is depicted by ... 

Yep, I always used the first way of indicating "3", with the thumb (I was born and went to school in Italy), which is therefore what I continue to do today even as a math professor in the US! :-) (I'm sure the students will understand that much! ;-))

 
 By: FabR : July 2nd, 2021-15:33
Like Blau was suggesting above, with a 24-hour system one simple way would have been to indicate them arbitrarily....not sure how fast the owner of the watch would familiarize with reading time in that fashion, but most numbers would have been displayed p... 

I never gave that much thought but I do the same…

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 2nd, 2021-17:41
Great post, Fab. Nerdy but interesting and fun. HAGWE my friend

This was a key point in Tarantino's 'Inglorious Basterds'

 
 By: blau : July 2nd, 2021-17:49
The English character trying to pass for German indicates numbers with his fingers in the Anglo way. Much shooting ensues.

🙏🙏😉

 
 By: FabR : July 4th, 2021-17:32

Well… that’s clear!!

 
 By: Darron : July 4th, 2021-19:07
👍🏽

Happy Hour?

 
 By: cmmnsens : July 2nd, 2021-11:46

Quite brilliant.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 1st, 2021-15:31
And fun. I have a feeling the estimate is low. As a non-math savant (a math idiot) what is the 32-33 thing about?

32 refers to the maximum number of unique hour representations you can do with just five fingers

 
 By: skyeriding : July 1st, 2021-16:27
With one finger, you can represent a max of two different numbers (up and down). With two fingers, you can represent four numbers max (2x2). Eight numbers max with three fingers (2x2x2). Sixteen numbers max with four fingers (2x2x2x2). and finally, thirty... 

Yep :-)

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-21:04

Thanks, skyeriding.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 1st, 2021-21:55
I’m just going to believe you and not try proving that. 😳 The whole idea for this watch seems brilliant.

I think so too. For ONLYWATCH its a great proposition.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:17
It needs to be out of the ordinary and it has a nice story behind it. F.P. once told about it at a dinner. I thought it was obvious he was a bit taken by FFC and wanted to crack the nut. I cant wait to see it in action. It deserves that for the final judg... 

Hi Mike, it's just a simple observation with virtually no math involved beyond a quick counting argument (see my reply above to Jp75)....

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-21:02
....it's based on the fact that each finger may or may not appear in a given configuration, thus giving you two choices per finger. Hence, your total number of possibilities is 2^5 (5 being the number of fingers), which equals 32. Cheers ;-)

And thank you as well, Fab.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 1st, 2021-21:56

👍😉

 
 By: FabR : July 1st, 2021-23:17

Do we

 
 By: Lanteanflux : July 1st, 2021-15:32
think he will release this into regular production? Would be weird in the catalogue but also weird to spend so much effort for a single example. Last time they changed dial and voila production watch right .

No, I personally dont think so....

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:23
Nothing has been announced yet and I have not heard any rumors. I just feel quite certain it will not make the regular production. Its too special. Remember he has done special pieces before like the Vagabondage 1,2,3 and T-10 and T 30. A small special ba... 

Which brings me to the one reservation I have here.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 1st, 2021-22:05
I don’t care for the design of the hand. I would gladly have volunteered my hand to use as a model. Of course, had M. Journe taken me up on my offer I would have requested he make a second watch: for me!

I’m not too sure about that hand either.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 2nd, 2021-05:22
I will want to see it in real but it’s the part I like the least.

Very cool idea for a great cause.

 
 By: Watchonthewrists : July 1st, 2021-15:53
Not my personal fav of all the Onlywatches but its def original

Thank you so for chiming in my friend :-)

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:28
I love its originaity as well. Its so unusual I personaly feel it is hard to judge from these few pictures. I need to see it in three dimensions and to see it running to know how I really feel about it. What I do understand so fa though, is that it is pre... 

FPJ is a true master watchmaker and incredible artist imho .

 
 By: Watchonthewrists : July 2nd, 2021-07:23
I really hope to see this watch in person when its on a tour. Its a incredible watch and like you said one we need to see in the metal first before telling if its beautiful or not . I do believe its incredible difficult to make .

OK. Maybe with some time I’ll get it, but today I can’t help but feeling this just looks stupid.

 
 By: Jay (Eire) : July 1st, 2021-23:56
In saying this I’m putting technical details to the side. I’m just making this statement based solely on what I see. To me, it’s a face plant. And that’s fine, it’s a one-off piece inspired by one individual for a charitable cause. One thing I keep thinki... 

I think it is natural with this reaction as well.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 2nd, 2021-05:44
It is certainly a piece that will divide the public. As Mike, I don’t feel certain about the hands design. I have learned though, to reserve my final opinion for when I see a piece in real life. Thank you so much for voicing in Jay. I think your initial r... 

Indeed, it’s far from perfect to conclude something based on pictures alone.

 
 By: Jay (Eire) : July 2nd, 2021-14:50
I noticed the OnlyWatch tour is not coming to the US this time and so I’m not sure I will see it. It just seems so awkward to me; I don’t think one would arrive at this through the natural product development cycle. Now, could I see a table clock here? Ye... 

Ow that is is an idea I like or even a PW.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 2nd, 2021-17:37
I think you are right. This is not the product of Journes more typical development process. I think that’s why the context of the back story is so important. I heard that the reason for OW not coming to the US this year was due to COVID restrictions?! It’... 

Have tried to hold back but it won't do. This one

 
 By: Gwai : July 2nd, 2021-16:32
easily ranks among the fugliest watches I have ever seen. Hauntingly, outlandishly, amazingly, one-of-a-kind ugly. Cheers Marc

I thought your idea was good.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 2nd, 2021-14:50
The flip-off, as it were. Hoping FP does as well.

Ah, yes. It would be kinda cool, if perhaps a little immature.

 
 By: Jay (Eire) : July 2nd, 2021-14:57
But I think the cool wins out. Reminds me of this piece from Haroshi that used be in the HUF store. It’s make from old skateboard decks. ...  

Artistic expression at its most sublime.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : July 2nd, 2021-17:58
Shoot a copy of that onto Geneva.

Genius.

 
 By: Spangles - Dr. Tabby : July 1st, 2021-17:09

Yes my immediate reaction too!

 
 By: pfang56 : July 2nd, 2021-04:53
Cheers, Peter

...

 
 By: PalmSprings : July 1st, 2021-17:04
The estimate sounds cheap. I can see this go for a million. It's way too special.

Ha ha, wow, what the heck, I never would have guessed this!

 
 By: Spangles - Dr. Tabby : July 1st, 2021-17:10
What a fun surprise!

Agreed! I think its charming and it has a great story to it...

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:40
He does pretty much what he wants in terms of making his watches. I love that!

I continue to be amazed and impressed by Monsieur Journe’s innovations.

 
 By: BigAppleBill : July 1st, 2021-18:58
F.P. Journe is the the Willy Wonka of the watch world. And although this concept came from the imagination of F.F. Coppola, it required the ingenuity of a special watchmaker to bring it to life. I feel this is the kind of thing Abraham-Louis Breguet would... 

I think your post pretty much nails what this watch is about. Well said!

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 1st, 2021-19:43
Because you can love or hate the design. It was an outlandish challenge to begin with. A fun exercise and he saw it through. What is indisputable is that to make this woth with instantanous change is very hard. Willy Wonka. Ha ha! I love that!

The hand is blue

 
 By: m2 : July 1st, 2021-21:23
because like the chronometre bleu, nobody is ever getting one. lololo

very glad to see Journe do an automaton

 
 By: donizetti : July 2nd, 2021-10:17
although I don't really care for the hand, echoing what some others have said. Maybe he can do a jaquemart using the same mechanics for the production watch version. Best Andreas

it is a great watch but the hand is not my fav

 
 By: Spencer Karrington : July 3rd, 2021-22:40
I like everything about this watch beside the hand but I think that if I had it on, it would grow on me and that I am sure other people will absolutely love it

Thats what I suspect as well Spencer

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 4th, 2021-18:05
Yesterday I spoke with a friend on the phone who has seen the the ONLYWATCH. I asked about it and his reply was that it’s an interesting piece. VERY different!! So I said OK, what do you mean exactly. Good or bad? Not bad but VERY unusual. I’m not a frien... 

Agree!

 
 By: Spencer Karrington : July 8th, 2021-21:50
I usually love weird and quirky watches but for me, this just seems to not have a cohesive weird styling BUT once I see it in person, perhaps my opinion will change

This is hilarious 😂 😂🤣

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 10th, 2021-16:17
Of course we will never know but it could be the case.

sure?

 
 By: drmikiedolan : July 29th, 2021-01:58
Yh... true

This is

 
 By: Jardin_des_rois : July 12th, 2021-01:33
My new favorite Journe. Impressive display of fine watchmaking yet again from the living master.

Incredible complex movement. I think it’s safe to say this is a very complicated and fine movement.

 
 By: ChristianDK : July 30th, 2021-13:24
Loving or hating this watch, this is an other tour de force from F.P.