Three F.P. Journe Watches Sell for Over $1 Million at Antiquorum New York

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F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain Leads Antiquorum New York at USD 1.67 Million

The highest-priced watch of the auction was Lot 155, an F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain featuring a platinum case and salmon-coloured dial. Estimated at USD 600,000 to USD 1,000,000, the watch sold for USD 1,670,000, including the buyer's premium.

The final result exceeded the upper estimate by 67%, making the Centigraphe the leading lot of Antiquorum's New York sale.

Introduced in 2009, the Centigraphe Souverain is among F.P. Journe's most distinctive chronographs. Its manually wound movement incorporates three chronograph counters, displaying elapsed time through a one-second revolution, a 20-second counter and a 10-minute counter.

The fastest chronograph hand completes a full revolution every second, allowing elapsed time to be read in hundredths of a second. This arrangement distinguishes the Centigraphe from conventional chronographs, which typically use a central hand to measure elapsed seconds.

The combination of a platinum case and salmon-coloured dial distinguishes this example from more common Centigraphe Souverain configurations.

The result was particularly notable because the Centigraphe was not the only F.P. Journe to achieve a seven-figure price during the auction.

Three F.P. Journe Watches Exceed USD 1 Million

F.P. Journe dominated the upper end of the sale, with three watches selling for more than USD 1 million. Alongside the Centigraphe Souverain, a Tourbillon Vertical Black Series and a pink-gold Vagabondage II attracted substantial bids.

The principal results included:

• Centigraphe Souverain, Lot 155: A platinum chronograph with a salmon-coloured dial sold for USD 1,670,000 against an estimate of USD 600,000 to USD 1,000,000.

• Tourbillon Vertical Black Series, Lot 156: The platinum tourbillon achieved USD 1,550,000, exceeding its upper estimate of USD 1,400,000.

• Vagabondage II, Lot 152: An 18-carat pink-gold example, from a limited series of 68 watches, sold for USD 1,310,000 against an estimate of USD 500,000 to USD 800,000.

The Vagabondage II was particularly significant for its unusual approach to displaying time. Rather than relying on a conventional arrangement of hands, the model incorporates a digital jumping-hour indication, reflecting F.P. Journe's interest in alternative mechanical displays.

The Tourbillon Vertical represents a different aspect of the manufacturer's technical work. Its regulating mechanism is arranged vertically, distinguishing it from the more conventional horizontal positioning of a tourbillon assembly.

Other F.P. Journe watches also achieved substantial prices. A platinum Octa Calendrier sold for USD 800,000, matching its upper estimate, while a Quantième Perpétuel Boutique Edition reached USD 262,500.

An Octa Quantième Perpétuel achieved USD 250,000, exceeding its USD 150,000 upper estimate. By contrast, an Automatique Réserve lineSport sold for USD 187,500, below its upper estimate of USD 240,000.

Across the eight F.P. Journe lots, six exceeded their highest estimates, one matched its upper valuation and one finished below it.

Élégante 48 Gino's Dream More Than Doubles Its High Estimate

One of the auction's most unexpected results came from Lot 150, an F.P. Journe Élégante 48 Gino's Dream in 18-carat pink gold.

The watch carried a pre-sale estimate of USD 100,000 to USD 200,000 but achieved USD 425,000. Its final price was approximately 113% above the upper estimate, representing the largest percentage increase over a high estimate among the F.P. Journe watches in the sale.

The Élégante collection differs considerably from the manufacturer's traditional mechanical models. Its electromechanical movement incorporates a motion-detection system designed to reduce energy consumption when the watch is not being worn.

When the watch remains stationary for an extended period, its hands stop moving while the movement continues to keep time. Once motion is detected, the hands automatically return to the correct position.

This system combines quartz timekeeping with a specialised energy-saving mechanism, providing a different technical approach from the manually wound chronographs and tourbillons associated with F.P. Journe.

The Gino's Dream edition is distinguished by its association with the Gino Macaluso family and its unusual configuration, which separates it from standard Élégante models.

The strong result suggested that collector interest in F.P. Journe extends beyond conventional mechanical complications to include distinctive electromechanical watches.

Rolex, Patek Philippe and Richard Mille Auction Results

Although F.P. Journe attracted the highest prices, several other manufacturers achieved noteworthy results at Antiquorum New York.

A Richard Mille RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal from 2017 sold for USD 337,500 against an estimate of USD 150,000 to USD 250,000. The model is associated with the manufacturer's lightweight sports-watch designs and its long-running collaboration with the tennis player.

Patek Philippe was represented by a Nautilus Ref. 5711/1R-001 in 18-carat pink gold, retailed through Tiffany & Co. The 2017 watch achieved USD 325,000, within its estimated range of USD 200,000 to USD 400,000.

A platinum Patek Philippe Ref. 5961P annual calendar chronograph from 2023 also appeared in the sale, reaching USD 150,000 against an upper estimate of USD 120,000.

Rolex results included several notable Daytona references:

• Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241: A yellow-gold example from approximately 1969, retailed through Tiffany & Co., sold for USD 250,000.

• Rolex Daytona Ref. 116576 TBR: A platinum model with a diamond-set bezel achieved USD 237,500.

• Rolex Daytona Ref. 116509: A white-gold example with a meteorite dial sold for USD 106,250 against an upper estimate of USD 50,000.

The meteorite-dial Daytona was particularly notable because its final price was more than twice its highest estimate. Its distinctive dial configuration was one of the characteristics separating this example from more conventional Daytona references.

Unlike the leading F.P. Journe lots, the pink-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus finished within its estimated range. This contrast illustrated how individual references and configurations performed differently during the same auction.

What the Antiquorum Results Reveal About Collectible Watches

The Antiquorum New York sale provided another example of the substantial prices achievable by selected independent watchmakers. Three F.P. Journe watches surpassed USD 1 million, while other examples from the manufacturer attracted bids well above their pre-sale estimates.

However, the results were not uniform across the entire selection. The Automatique Réserve lineSport finished below its upper estimate, demonstrating that demand varies considerably between references.

Several of the highest-priced watches combined distinctive complications, precious-metal cases, limited production or unusual dial configurations. These characteristics were present in many of the sale's standout lots, although auction prices also depend on factors such as condition, provenance and competition between bidders.

The Élégante 48 Gino's Dream was a particularly interesting example because its appeal was not based on a traditional mechanical complication. Instead, its specialised movement, distinctive design and unusual configuration distinguished it from conventional mechanical watches.

Outside F.P. Journe, the results for Rolex, Patek Philippe and Richard Mille showed that established manufacturers continued to attract substantial bidding, although prices relative to estimates differed from one reference to another.

The next major period of international watch auctions is scheduled for November in Geneva, where further sales will provide additional evidence of collector demand across independent and established manufacturers.

With its leading Centigraphe Souverain reaching USD 1,670,000 and two further F.P. Journe watches exceeding USD 1 million, Antiquorum's October 2026 New York auction delivered one of the month's most notable collections of results for independent watchmaking.