The Chronomètre Optimum was specifically designed for Ball in Monaco charity event and led to a fierce bidding war among collectors.
F.P Journe sure knows how to create a watch that breaks expectations.
The company designed a custom Chronomètre Optimum specifically for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Ball in Monaco, held for the first time since 2018. The one-off timepiece went on to sell for over $1 million on October 28—shattering the amount raised four years ago. 2022 marked the eighth edition of the event, which aims to support ρłɑɴetary health; taking place at the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel, this year’sauctionwas focused on oceanic efforts. The nonprofit is no stranger to generating funds: The Singapore branch of the foundation has raised money for more than two dozen projects over the past 14 years.
At the previous ball, F.P. Journe had presented a unique version of the Chronographe Monopoussoir Rattrapante for thecharityauction, which raised nearly $300,000 for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. This year, the brand opted to create a different custom watch to ring in the occasion.
This Chronomètre Optimum features a gorgeous burgundy color, along with a ruthenium-plated guilloche silver dial and Chinese numerals. An opening on the dial at 11 o’clock teases the movement, allowing you to view the wheel of theremontoir d’égalitéand adding a subtle pop of rose gold. Flip the watch over and you can see the caliber 1510 in fully glory, revealing a natural deadbeat second delineated by a seconds circle screwed onto the bridge. The caliber also benefits from F.P. Journe’s patented High-Performance Bi-Axial Escapement. The stunning 18-karat rose-gold movement is complete with a bespoke engraving reading “S.A.S Albert II 2022 Singapore.”
The bidding for the one-of-a-kind Chronomètre Optimum started at just over $125,000 but went on to sell for a whopping $1,078,065, nearly four times what the watch donated in 2018 raised. ln total, the auction’s funds amounted to over $1.67 million and will be used by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support concrete actions in Asia for the protection of the ocean.
