Warning: this is not a Watches and Wonders related article.
Joking apart, as you all know the famous watchmaking salon is taking place from April 9th to 15th at the Palexpo in Geneva and this is probably the most important week of the year as the majority of brands (54 this year) unveil their long-awaited novelties. Lots of articles will be published on Watchype Magazine as my colleagues are working on them so stay tuned during the following days. If, however, you are lucky enough to be in Geneva, be sure not to miss the other events around the city as well. For instance, the Hotel Beau-Rivage and the Ice Bergues host many independent brands and welcome collectors and enthusiasts to have a look at their timepieces.
Alternatively, other brands open their doors in downtown Geneva. With this article, I will step outside the Palexpo to talk about one release that has been presented a few days ago: the F. P. Journe Élégante Gino’s Dream.
A homage to a special friend
The F. P. Journe Élégante was introduced back in 2014 so this year marks the 10th anniversary of this cutting-edge watch. As I often say, before loving watches, I love how they are capable of tying people together. In fact, relationships and emotions are much more important than mere objects and they can leave unforgettable marks on our lives. This is what happened between F. P. Journe and his dear friend Serge Cukrowicz, who passed away in 2021.
Known as Gino to everyone, he first met F. P. Journe in the 1990s at the Basel Fair, where he tried to buy the French watchmaker’s first tourbillon and remontoire watch. Since then they became very close friends and founded, together with Philippe Rabin, Montres Journe SA in 1999, bringing the brand all over the world and increasing its popularity. With the latest edition of the Élégante, F. P. Journe decides to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the model and, at the same time, pay homage to their friendship and common watchmaking passion (Gino used to wear an Élégante with a yellow rubber strap on).
The new release is a real explosion of colours
The new Élégante Gino’s Dream is available in two variants with either a yellow or an orange rubber strap: one with a fully luminescent white dial in a titanium case and one with a fully luminescent black dial one in a Titalyt case (titanium that underwent electro-plasma oxidation). The watch’s flat tortue shape and its dimensions (48 x 40mm large and 7.95mm thick) are exactly the same as the standard men’s version of the Élégante. The same applies to the calibre 1210, an innovative electromechanical movement which we already described here. So what makes these two new versions so special? The shiny difference (and novelty) of the 10th anniversary edition is the 52 baguette-cut ceramic glass stones that completely adorn the bezel reflecting Gino’s exuberant personality. In fact, he used to love (and wear) bright colours and eye-catching outfits. The impressive explosion of colours and light is a great tribute to Journe’s friend, who is remembered for his passion and joy for life. We are sure he would have loved such a watch and, actually, no better name than “Gino’s dream” could have been chosen. Unlike many other typical rainbow bezels that we are used to seeing, this one is made of ceramic glass stones instead of natural gemstones or diamonds, which of course makes it less precious. F. P. Journe has already been asked if there is any particular reason for it and he has replied he wanted to keep the model as the brand’s “entry level”, which is what it is meant to be since its introduction in 2014. As a consequence, setting the bezel with more precious gemstones would have been inconsistent with the idea of the Élégante being an affordable – of course, in comparison with the other watches of the brand – and accessible watch, intended for a wider range of people.
What really matters
Gino’s dream might be your cup of tea or not, but I thought it would be nice to spend a few lines on it especially because of the story behind it. The fact that F. P. Journe has decided to give his watch a friend’s name says it all about the importance and the impact Serge Cukrowicz had in his life. In my opinion, this deserved an article. After all, our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them. And Gino surely will not.
