The complete story of FP Journe, a genius watchmaker of his time: "Boitier Genève"

FEATURES Magazine article

2023.04.20

F.P. Journe

Boitiers Genève, which manufactures FP Journe cases, and Cadraniers Genève, which manufactures dials, moved to a new building at the end of 2022. The building has a total floor area of 2500 m2. Cases are manufactured on the first and second floors, and dials on the third and fourth floors. FP Journe watches already had excellent exteriors, but the expansion following the move is sure to further improve their quality.

New factories in Boitiers and Cadraniers

The new factories are located in Boitiers-Genève and Cadraniers-Genève, in the Acacia region near Geneva. Currently, 30 employees are employed at the former and 40 at the latter. FP Journe acquired the building, which had been vacant for over 25 years, and moved into it in 2022. However, apart from the framework, the building has been completely renovated.

Photographs by Eiichi Okuyama (Astronomic Souveraine), Yu Mitamura
Interview and text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
Edited by Yukiya Suzuki (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2023 issue of Kronos Japan]

A completely new manufacturing process brings unprecedented shape and quality

Annealing machine

Boitiers-Geneva still has annealing machines, as before. The one on the left is the latest machine, and the one on the right is the conventional one. These two machines carefully remove any distortion caused by processing. This is a tradition that has been passed down since the days of the old Rainier.

　After acquiring a dial manufacturer in 2005, FP Journe then acquired case manufacturer Ellinor. In 11, FP Journe relocated the company, along with its facilities, to Geneva and changed its name to Boitiers Genève. The difference from 10 years ago is the manufacturing method. When the company first moved, precious metals were forged into cases, but now cutting is the norm. The reason for the revamped case manufacturing method is, of course, quality.

　Just like high-end Swiss manufacturers, the forged blanks are machined and finished into cases, but each step is meticulous, reflecting the limited annual production of less than 1000 pieces.

Tantalum bezels and their preparation

On the right is a pre-treated tantalum bezel. Although it is called pre-treatment, it is in fact almost the same as the final finish. In the middle is the process. Four to five types of grinding stones are used to give it a perfect mirror finish. "In the past, it was all done by hand, so the processing was very difficult," he says. On the left is the pre-treatment of the case. First, sand and corundum are sprayed at 6 atmospheres, and then glass beads are applied at a gentle pressure of 1 atmosphere. The person in charge says, "It's interesting because one person can do multiple tasks."

　What caught my eye on the first floor was the deburring process. First, the base is smoothed using sand or corundum, and then glass is sprayed onto it to prepare the base. In another department, the tantalum bezels used in the Chronometer Bleu are being prepared. Craftsmen use several types of whetstones to meticulously smooth the surface of the case. Incidentally, polishing tantalum, which is a sticky material, requires re-sharpening the tools after each operation. However, since 2017, progress has been made in mechanizing the process, which has apparently reduced the amount of work required.

"Elegant" case blank

On the left is the "Elegant" case blank provided by the supplier, and on the right is the case after cutting. By changing the manufacturing method from forging to cutting, FP Journe was able to create a wide variety of cases.

　As with the functional parts, machining centers from Fanuc and Wilmin were widely used for the case manufacturing. The slow cutting speed and precise measurements using Renishaw measuring units are also used. However, the processing is said to take a considerable amount of time. It takes 7 to 8 hours to complete the case of the Tourbillon Souverain, plus an hour for setting, so it is not at all suitable for mass production.

Elegant 40mm Titanium 2 Rows Diamond Ring
This model features a titanium case set with 38 diamonds. The in-house developed mechanical quartz movement goes into standby mode after approximately 30 minutes of inactivity to extend battery life. The in-house dial is made of sapphire crystal lined with luminous paint. Mechanical quartz (Cal. 1210). 18 jewels. Ti case (40mm x 35mm, 7.35mm thick). Water resistant to 3 ATM. Price: 2,816,000 yen (tax included).

　However, this effort clearly improves the finish. As the person in charge explains, "It's important to use the best tools and process faithfully to the design," the high precision of the case has transformed FP Journe watches from high-quality watches for connoisseurs into unique luxury watches.

　The tools used to make the cases are various, including rubber, paper, sponge, etc. However, the choice of tools and new technologies, not just for preparation and finishing, is left to the discretion of the individual on-site, and only after thorough testing is they adopted.

The cutting process is the same as that of other companies. However, precision is increased by taking time and taking precise measurements. The middle case, made of tough tantalum, is cut out using a wire electric discharge machine.

　One such attempt that proved successful was the introduction of lasers in 2012. For example, a titanium bezel is engraved using a laser machine that can engrave to a depth of 2.5 mm, taking an hour and a half. In recent years, the engraving has also been filled with liquid ceramic. The manufacturing process is quite elaborate.

　The laser-engraved parts are then roughened by sandblasting, then filled with liquid ceramic, heated and pressurized to remove any air bubbles, and then immersed in the liquid for an hour. The surface is then milled away, completing the ceramic-filled titanium bezel. It's an astonishing amount of work, but that's precisely why Journe's genius ideas are finally realized.

The manufacturing process of the lever spring for "Répetition Souverain"

FP Journe also retains classic watchmaking techniques. This is the process of manufacturing the lever spring for the Répetition Souverain. Rather than finishing by cutting, the bar is processed in the traditional way to create wire. On the right is the process of tempering the wire. In the middle, the bar is passed through a die to thin it. This process of thinning the wire by 0.05mm is repeated 5 to 6 times, with further tempering each time. On the left is the completed lever spring installed in the case.

　Once cutting and pre-processing are complete, the final polishing process begins. At the time of our interview, the tantalum case was in the final stage of processing. However, unlike gold and platinum, the pre-processing process seems to polish the case almost completely. Like other companies, the case is placed on a rotating buff, but the buffing speed is varied - 1600 rpm for gold, 1800 rpm for platinum, and 2400 rpm for tantalum. The trick with tantalum is to apply slight pressure.

　The person in charge of polishing said, "As a result of improvements in the metals used for the cases and the precision of the cutting, the quality of the final finish has also improved compared to before." However, the current FP Journe does not stop there. "The quality has improved overall, but we are currently considering improvement processes to further improve it," he said. Not only has the manufacturing process been completely revamped to ensure quality, but further improvements are continuing. This is the current FP Journe.

The process of polishing the "Elegant" buckle

Boitier Genève has its own unique know-how. 1. The process of polishing the buckle of the "Elegant." Before engraving with a laser, a basic polishing process is performed.

Various tools used in polishing the case

② Various tools used to polish the case. In addition, different abrasives are used depending on the finishing stage.

3) The satin finish is achieved by sanding the wood with 600 grit sandpaper.

4. The finished product is engraved with a laser and filled with liquid ceramic. Previously, the product was filled with rubber, but this was changed to liquid ceramic, which is less likely to produce bubbles or peel.

⑤ The titanium bezel is engraved to a maximum depth of 2.5 mm using a laser Cheval machine. This machine is also used by other companies, but it is rare to engrave it to such a depth.

⑥ The liquid ceramic filling process. The material stored in the refrigerator is heated and embedded.

7. The bracelet is assembled by carefully assembling the titanium components under gentle pressure.

8. Final finishing. At the time of this interview, a buckle embedded with baguette-cut diamonds was being finished. The piece is lightly buffed to a mirror finish.