The independent watchmaking market continues to represent the future of the industry. The brilliance of the independent system cannot be under emphasized. A mass-market brand will have to appeal to a mass market audience. The allure of independents is that makers can adhere only to their inner creativity in influencing design and still sell out of their stock. This allegiance to personal expression and no-compromise is precisely what allows the independent watchmaking segment to produce some of the most distinctive and original designs the industry has ever seen. The combination of the advanced manufacturing capabilities of today, and the brilliant vision of independent makers, has allowed the market to witness the release of watches with a new level of artisanal quality and beauty. Today, we are discussing two brands that have played instrumental roles in this quest for personal expression, F.P. Journe and De Bethune.
F.P. Journe and De Bethune have both powerfully influenced the industry, not only in creating wonderful watches with a distinct design and focus, but equally valuably, in shaping the future of the independent space, and helping to popularize the market segment in the first place. In the past, we have compared brands in a head to head format, analyzing which brand is better. In this case, however, Journe and De Bethune are fighting the same fight. Thus, it feels more fitting in this instance to examine the brands alongside one another rather than in opposition. This is F.P. Journe and De Bethune, two independent visionaries that have propelled the art of watchmaking and horology forward.
History
Founded in 1999, while other brands were adapting to new market trends, Journe buckled down on the classic approaches of 18th century clockmakers. Journe took a special interest in Breguet and Daniels, favoring the prioritization of quality craftsmanship over production and profit optimization. Much like many other revolutionaries, Journe was not at home in a traditional schooling system. After leaving school at the age of 14, Journe was sent to work with his uncle, a vintage clock restorer. Here alongside his uncle, Journe got hands-on experience with watches from the likes of Janvier and Breguet. After showing immense promise in the shop, Journe’s uncle persuaded the young talent’s parents to send Francois-Paul to pursue an education in horology in a technical school.
After graduating from technical school, Journe returned to work full-time for his uncle. While he enjoyed this work, rather than just working on the creations of others, Journe had the drive to establish a reputation for himself. He bought The Art of Breguet by George Daniels, and several years later, produced a working tourbillon. Commissions began coming in for Journe and his work expanded. In 1985, Francois Paul started his own workshop, and in 1991, Journe ventured beyond pocket watches and made his first tourbillon wristwatch. This original wristwatch became the inspiration for the “Souscription” Tourbillons Journe produced beginning in 1994 which were the official start of his brand. Since 1994, Journe has introduced a dizzying number of brilliant watches, each more beautiful and mechanically complex than the previous. As we examine the other facets of the brand, we will explore some of the underlying design trends and movement innovations Journe is known for.
Like Journe, De Bethune was an early pioneer in the independent space, founded in 2002 by collector and art dealer David Zanetta and legendary watchmaker Denis Flageollet. In fact, the brand’s founders owe their relationship to none other than F.P. Journe. F.P. had founded a small manufacture called Techniques Horlogères Appliquées, and both Zanetta and Flageollet worked there, establishing an early team of movement designers and makers together. This movement manufacture created calibers to outfit the watches of Breguet, Cartier and others. Here, not only did Zanetta and Flageollet become acquainted with movement design and perfection, they also learned to work alongside one another and established a close friendship.
Several years later, the two decided to leave THA and begin their own company, De Bethune. The two had become frustrated with having to work with big names like Cartier that restricted their complete free exploration and creative expression. It makes sense that Cartier and others had to limit these things in producing a watch that would be appreciated by a larger market segment. Ultimately, what Zanetta and Flageollet were looking for was the ability to work for an independent. So, they created their own. Early De Bethune designs were very traditional in appearance, but quickly, the watches became more adventurous and distinctive. We’ll discuss this evolution in our next section.
Design Details
The design of a Journe watch is very distinctive. While each watch is a separate entity with a different character, Journe often uses solid gold dials, and shrinks the time display into smaller dials. Journe displays are often decorated with snailing and guilloché, much like the Breguet watches that played such a pivotal role in his inspiration. Power reserve indicators are almost always present on Journe models, although they display the amount of time since the last winding rather than the remaining power reserve.
Another key facet of Journe’s design is his characteristic Arabic numerals. Found on the Souverain models and many of the more complicated pieces as well, this detail is an instant hallmark of the brand’s design language. As with most independents, Journe has forged a genuinely unique aesthetic that immediately makes their watches recognizable.
Unlike Journe, whose design has remained relatively consistent over time, De Bethune has evolved extensively since their early years. In the beginning, the brand was producing watches that were quite traditional in design. Almost always with a cushion case, these watches had strong horizontal rather than vertical lugs. Beyond this unique lug profile and distinctive case shape, the dials maintained a very traditional presence and layout. With time, the case and lugs have been redesigned. Today, De Bethune watches have holes in the lugs visible from the top, and have been reoriented to a typical vertical attachment to the case. Many models have the lugs on an assembly which allows the watch to fit to the wrist in an almost custom way. This is a rather unique approach to case design that lends itself well to a comfortable wearing experience.
One quality shared by De Bethune watches new and old is a very slim wrist presence. While the watches may look large, they wear small for their size and as a result of the aforementioned lug orientation, they sculpt to the curvature of the wrist upon which they are sitting. From a dial perspective, De Bethune is incredibly interested in symmetry. This is true to the point that striping applied on an exposed top side of a dial has been mirrored such that the darkest portion of the stripes are always positioned on the outside. This creates a mirror effect revolving around the center of the dial, rather than merely applying the same direction of striping across the whole bridge surface. De Bethune often will have an open-worked dial with the escapement on display, and has in many cases placed the crown at 12 o’clock to bring the symmetrical appearance of a pocket watch.
Inner Workings
Journe has produced a number of brilliant movements throughout the brand’s history. Early movements were produced in brass as per tradition, but around 2004, the brand transitioned out of the brass phrase and into rose gold. Rose gold is much more resilient than brass, and it also adds significant heft to the watches. A solid gold dial, solid gold movement, and precious metal case (in most scenarios), produces a significant chunk of metal on the wrist that contributes to an overall substantial vibe.
In terms of notable movements, the brand’s most famous movements would likely be the resonance, known for its placement of two escapements in close succession, and the tourbillon. These were the two first pieces the brand produced, and they remain the most identifiable models from the brand to this day. Journe movements are classically finished and gorgeous to behold. The brand makes less than 1,000 pieces a year, and this certainly shows on the movement finishing end of things (and all ends to be honest).
For De Bethune, the movement often becomes the epicenter of the dial. Almost all of their watches showcase the balance and escapement assembly, and the brand holds some of the most patents for escapements of any brand. The work De Bethune has done in escapement development is unparalleled in the industry. De Bethune also often skeletonizes its dials to generate greater movement visibility. We’ve covered the brand’s special approach to striping on bridges, and the same finish is often applied to rotors, which produces an ever more scintillating effect since a rotor is almost always in motion, causing the stripes to play with the light brilliantly.
If Journe is a low production manufacturer, De Bethune is even lower in production. This has allowed the brand to explore an even more individualistic approach to movement and case design. De Bethune movements have an industrial undertone that appears influenced by aeronautics and futuristic space exploration vehicles. I can’t find this confirmed anywhere, but that’s one of the best ways of attempting to summarize the underlying design language of the watch.
Personality
These brands are going to attract similar types of collectors. These enthusiasts want exclusive watches with unique styling and recognizable characteristics. Most of these collectors have decided that they want to support the brand’s watchmaking philosophy, viewing the watches as art forms. Typically, independent collectors have explored other mainstream brands, and decided to “graduate” into these more eccentric brands as the natural next stage of their collecting journey.
In terms of distinguishing between the brands, Journe definitely slides further to the traditional side, where De Bethune is more modern in aesthetics. We’ve covered how the “holey” lugs of De Bethune watches make the watches look almost futuristic. Journe usually sticks to Calatrava-style cases. Journe’s use of guilloché speaks to its ties with the classic makers of old, namely Daniels and Breguet.
Final Thoughts
These two brands have done wonders for the industry. Today, more and more independents have been encouraged to “enter the ring”. The ability to take this step is owed in large part to the attention brands like Journe and De Bethune have drawn to the market segment. The role these two unique makers have played as visionaries in the industry was central to the way the watch space looks today. It requires a lot of courage to be the first to do something big, and both Journe and De Bethune were incredibly early pioneers of limited production independent watchmaking. Which brand do you identify with more?
An Assortment of Journe Watches at European Watch Company:
An Assortment of De Bethune Watches at European Watch Company:
