Élégante Gino’s Dream: a tribute to friendship by François-Paul Journe 

To talk about François-Paul Journe is undoubtedly to talk about mechanics, aesthetics, tradition and complexity. But it also means talking about humanity, about a watchmaking that transcends simple products, that goes beyond, that enters the history and life of those who first conceive and then create those watches. Stories and lives of people who are linked to that of the Master and who become the inspiration for the creation of pieces with a high symbolic value. As in the case of the élégante Gino’s Dream.

THE CALIBRE 1210 OF THE ÉLÉGANTE

We have already covered François-Paul Journe’s Élégante in the past, so we will only briefly return to the watch, which remains one of the most recognisable creations from the Geneva-based atelier. This is also, and above all, due to the movement that powers it, which, at the time of its presentation, left enthusiasts, experts and purists (or self-proclaimed purists) of fine mechanical watchmaking speechless.

We are talking about the in-house 1210 electromechanical calibre which, thanks to a specific microprocessor and a patented double rotor, optimises energy when the watch is not being worn. The mechanical parts stop after the timepiece has been stationary for at least 35 minutes; it then switches to standby mode to save energy and the hands stop turning, while the processor continues to detect the time, recovering it when the watch restarts.

When the motion detector, visible on the dial at 4:30, is activated, the élégante watch automatically sets the correct time, with the hands following the shortest path, both clockwise and counterclockwise. This system guarantees the watch over eight years of autonomy when in use and 18 years when in standby mode.

FRANÇOIS-PAUL JOURNE AND GINO: BEYOND FRIENDSHIP

Having noted the importance of this piece in François-Paul Journe’s collection, let us discover why the élégante Gino’s Dream has even greater significance. The reason is simple and links back to the beginning of this article: because it is not only about watchmaking but also about friendship. The friendship that bound the Master to Serge Cukrowicz, known to everyone as Gino. Co-founder of the Ginotti jewellery store in 1987, he first met François-Paul Journe in the late 1990s at the Basel Fair. Journe was wearing his first wristwatch, a tourbillon à remontoir d’égalité, which Gino tried unsuccessfully to buy: he immediately recognised the Master’s genius.

That meeting marked the beginning of a friendship that turned into a collaboration after the presentation of the Tourbillon Souverain in 1999, when Gino joined forces with François-Paul Journe and Philippe Rabin to found Montres Journe SA. His role as a partner was significant in the development and expansion of the brand, which benefited from his experience, connections and passion. The three partners’ management strategy was based on reinvesting profits in the company and making decisions collectively. When he passed away in 2021, Gino left a huge void in the world of watchmaking and, above all, in François-Paul Journe. What better way to pay tribute to a dear friend than to dedicate a watch to him that reflected his sunny disposition and zest for life? Thus, the élégante Gino’s Dream was born.

THE COLOURS OF THE ÉLÉGANTE GINO’S DREAM

The timepiece is a tribute to the man rather than the partner, mainly in terms of its aesthetics. Gino stood out for his flamboyant, brightly coloured clothes. He always wore an élégante with a yellow strap along with various accessories, including diamond earrings. These aesthetic choices reflected his approach to life, which was colourful, lively and full of passion, and which François-Paul Journe has brought to the bezel of the élégante Gino’s Dream. It is adorned with 52 glass-ceramic baguette-cut stones in shades of the rainbow. What other brands conceive as a “Rainbow” bezel has a different, deeper meaning here, evoking the bond between the Master and his close friend.

The creation of the bezel reflects the expertise of The Boîtiers de Genève, the F.P.Journe-owned manufacture specialising in the production of cases. The colours of the glass-ceramic baguettes were carefully chosen by François-Paul to achieve perfect balance. The baguettes were then mounted with precision to within a hundredth of a millimetre to create a harmonious composition that captures and reflects the light.

The Boîtiers de Genève is also responsible for creating the case of the élégante Gino’s Dream, available in two versions. Both measure 48 x 40 mm and are 7.95 mm thick; both are made of grade 5 titanium, one of which is the Titalyt version. This exclusive process subjects the metal to an electro-plasma oxidation treatment, which improves its resistance to wear and corrosion and increases its hardness, also giving it a distinctive anthracite colour. The rubber strap is available in 13 colours, but yellow is perhaps the most fitting, a further tribute to Gino’s friendship. The fully luminescent dial, originally developed in white and later in black by The Cadraniers de Genève, ensures excellent readability in the dark.

We have already mentioned the calibre 1210 above. We would just like to add that in 2024, when the élégante Gino’s Dream was presented, the movement celebrated its 10th anniversary and that all its mechanical components are produced within the F.P.Journe manufacture, in accordance with its rigorous quality and finishing criteria. The electronic part was designed in Switzerland and incorporates a custom-designed microprocessor. The printed circuit tracks are gilded in rose gold, a subtle and refined reference to the 18-carat rose-gold mechanical movements of the brand’s Classique collection.

The watch costs CHF 34,500 excluding VAT in both versions and is available on request from GMT “Great Masters of Time” in Via della Spiga 25, Milan, François-Paul Journe’s partner since 2007 and the first retailer in Europe to open an Espace F.P.Journe in 2014.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE ÉLÉGANTE GINO’S DREAM

As the manufacturer recalls in the communication accompanying the élégante Gino’s Dream, in creating it, François-Paul Journe chose to use modern technologies while respecting the codes of fine watchmaking, reasoning as an 18th-century master watchmaker would have done if he had had access to electronics: using them to improve the precision of his instruments.

The watch is a bridge between the past and the future, as well as a tribute to Gino, both as a man and as a friend. When asked what his dream for F.P.Journe was, he replied: “To be able to participate in the realisation of François-Paul Journe’s project.” His dream came true, and the élégante Gino’s Dream is a posthumous tribute to friendship and to the ability to never stop dreaming of beauty.

By Davide Passoni