Auction House Phillips Corrects Claim Regarding Year of Delivery for Early F.P. Journe Résonance Watch

Phillips Auction House recently caused a stir in the horology world after it was compelled to correct a previous assertion concerning a rare high-end timepiece. The embroilment revolves around the delivery date of a pre-production Chronomètre à Résonance watch, made by the esteemed watchmaker F.P. Journe. Initially, Phillips had claimed the watch, set for auction in November, was delivered in 1999. This assertion was promptly countered by F.P. Journe himself, confirming that the watch was indeed given to the customer one year later in 2000. Following Journe’s clarification, Phillips posted an acknowledgement on their Instagram, thanking the renowned watchmaker for his accuracy. The contested watch, labeled as ‘Pre-Production’ Chronomètre à Résonance 022/99,” will be on auction on November 7-8. The year attached to the watch’s label led to the original misapprehension of its delivery date. Journe’s intervention also clarified that the watch wasn’t the first piece of its reference to be sent to a client. In a letter titled ‘Correction,’ Journe mentioned that the first Chronomètre à Résonance was delivered on March 10, 2000, while the controversial No. 022/99R reached its owner on June 8, 2000. He highlighted that other timepieces were delivered elsewhere globally within these three months. This revelation could significantly impact the watch’s auction price. Currently, based on Phillips’ estimate, it ranges from CHF 500,000 to CHF 1 million. Only time will tell the impact of this timing correction on this coveted watch’s auction rate.