A new world record was set at a fundraiser in Geneva last week, with a unique F.P.Journe Élégante becoming the most expensive quartz wristwatch to ever be sold at an auction. Presented by Philips in Association and Bacs & Russo, the timepiece was specially crafted to honor the 30th anniversary of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Geneva (MAMCO).
Encased in Titalyt®-coated titanium, the 48mm timepiece follows a gray-scale palette from its case, dial to the strap. Spotlighted on the watch face are overlapping letters: A in red, R in blue and T in yellow. While the word, “ART,” may seem like a direct link to MAMCO’s status as an art museum, it’s also an acronym for F.P. Journe’s core values, standing for authenticity, rarity and talent.
Beating at the heart of the watch is a cutting-edge quartz movement that’s developed in-house at the independent watch Maison. To echo the 18k rose gold movement on the watchmakers’ mechanical models, this piece-unique is fitted with a rose gold circuit board.
The F.P. Journe piece-unique was sold at 470,000 CHF (approx. $552,359 USD) to an international collector and philanthropist, with all its proceeds given to fund MAMCO’s renovation.
