FP Journe vs. Patek Philippe

FP Journe vs Patek Philippe

For watch enthusiasts, a timepiece is much more than just an accessory to keep up with time. A well-chosen watch is your identity, an heirloom, and an accent for your aesthetic. It is a subtle touch that allows others to recognize you for the style-conscious and fashionable person you are.

Not all watches are made the same. They vary a lot in various factors depending on the brands. That is why, when investing in a luxurious timepiece, it is recommended to have enough information about the brands. Here we will compare two high-end Swiss watch brands to help you decide which one is better. Continue reading to find out more about the battle of FP Journe vs. Patek Philippe.

Brand Overview

Patek Philippe

Patek Philipe has been in the watching making industry since 1839. It is an old school watch brand that has launched many luxurious watches for quite some time now. According to a report, the brand is recognized as the third most popular Swiss brand worldwide.

It is the seventh most valuable Swiss watch brand in the industry with a 1.885 billion CHF brand value. Their horological superiority as compared to its competitors is visible in their complicated watches. Some of their most famous watches include:

  • Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711
  • Grandmaster Chime
  • Sky Moon Celestial 6102P
  • Patek Philippe Aquanaut 516X Series
  • Classic Calatrava Watches
  • Twenty-4 Watches

FP Journe

Francoise Paul Journe is a graduate of Watchmaking School, Paris and started his watchmaking journey in 1999. He has earned so many awards for his outstanding inventions of complicated mechanisms. He has brought his brand into the spotlight in less than 20 years due to his efforts as the brand’s manufacturer.

His timepieces are unique and are based on one of a kind mechanisms. That is why they manufacture his mechanical watches in small series and one after another.

He gave birth to various new mechanisms, including the dead beat second, the Tourbillon Souverain with Remontoire, and Chronomètre à Résonance. These masterpieces earned the brands so many prestigious horological awards. Their well-known watch models include:

  • T30, 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Tourbillon
  • Centigraphe Souverain Chronograph
  • Resonance Souverain
  • Chronomètre Souverain Platinum Boutique Edition
  • Octa Automatique Calendrier
  • Dead Seconds Tourbillon

Horology

Patek Philippe has made its name in high horology brands due to its Grand Complication watches. They are mostly popular for their extremely complicated Henry Graves Supercomplication watch, with a remarkable 24 mechanical complications. The auction price of this mechanical masterpiece was more than $24 million. Yes, you calculated it right.

That is over $1 million for each complication. Grandmaster Chime is another Supercomplication model by Patek that is very famous amongst watch enthusiasts. It comes with 20 various complications and is a double-faced watch. It is 47.7 mm and 16.1 mm in diameter and thickness, respectively. It makes the timepiece a hefty wristwatch.

FP Journe is an independent manufacturer that builds every part of the watch in-house. The watchmaker equips himself with inventions and innovations of complicated mechanics to craft watches. These beautiful watches are impressive breakthroughs for people who love FP Journe luxury timepieces.

FP Journe has numerous luxury watch collections. The watches come with several intricate complications, as showcased by every collection’s name. The Souverain Collection has models such as the Sonnerie Souveraine, the Chronometre Souverain, and the Repetition Souverain.

With easy to read dials and splendid looks, complications are nothing more than unique designs. FP Journe has invented these new features and integrated them into these watches, such as the resonance chronometer.

The Octa Collection of FP Journe has the FP Journe Octa Calendrier wristwatch. It is a remarkable watch as it is the first model to have an annual calendar equipped with a large date and 120-hour power reserve. The FP Journe Jewelry collection has Octa Divine 38 as well as Tourbillon Souverain. These exquisite watches are generally studded with stunning precious gems and diamonds.

Resale Value

The resale value of pre-owned watches is dependent on different factors such as the watch’s condition, the remaining warranty time, supply and demand of the brand and model, if it has all original documents and packaging, the model and type of the watch, and some other variables.

Patek Philippe watches are made for people looking to hand down the watches to their heir or hold onto them for a prolonged time. Normally, if you intend to sell your luxurious Patek Philippe watch, it will surely be worth a lot more in the long run. The brand is known to own a large number of timepieces that can preserve their value with time.

The resale price is dependent on the brand and various other factors. But on average, Patek Philippe has more resale value of its watches than FP Journe. Only Rolex has more resale value than Patek Philippe. A Patek Philippe with many complications was sold for more than $11 million.

Annual Production

FP Journe has a yearly production of no more than 900 watches. The reason for such limited production is that the company focuses more on its unique and authentic designs, such as complex precision chronometers. That is why their entry-level watches are so costly, too.

Patek Philippe believes in mass production and produces more than 60,000 watches every year. They generate annual revenue of $1.7 billion in Swiss sales.

Price

Prices of FP Journe start from $20,560 and go to $168,540. Their most expensive watch ever sold at an auction is Astronomic Blue at $2.03 million. As an independent watchmaker, it is quite an achievement. If you are wondering about the Patek Philippe with the lowest price tag, you might be surprised to know their entry-level watch is around $16,000.

Their most expensive watch is a special complication timepiece known as the Grandmaster Chime, reference number 6300A-010. In 2019, it was auctioned off at around $31 million. Its sold price was even more than Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona’s sold price, $17.8 million.

Water Resistance

When it comes to water resistance, Patek Philippe easily beats FP Journe. The Patek Aquanaut collection provides high water resistance up to 120 meters. Whereas FP Journe only offers water resistance to 30 meters in their models. But you cannot use the watches of both brands for professional diving and other heavy-duty tasks. 

Although Patek offers high water resistance in comparison to FP Journe, they have focused more on class. It is designed as a dress watch for most dapper and classiest buyers. It is more of a symbol of class rather than a utilitarian watch. It is better only to wear it while snorkeling or light swimming.

Warranty

Patek Philippe has a warranty period of two years. You will get an extra two years service warranty if you send your timepiece in for service. FP Journe also provides a warranty period of two years. They buy their rare watches from sellers and work on them to make them good as new. They sell these watches with a three-year warranty.

Some watchmakers such as Omega and Rolex give a warranty duration of up to five years. Some even offer a warranty of eight years if you register online with them, such as the Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, IWC, A Lange and Sohne, IWC, and more. They all come under the Richemont Group. But still, Patek Philippe and FP Journe haven’t followed their footsteps yet and are satisfied with a two year warranty time only.

The Winner is Patek Philippe

If you want to go for a classy watch and are looking for a high water resistance watch, Patek Philippe is your ideal choice. It has proven its worth in our discussed perspectives and hence is better than FP Journe.

But when we talk about entry-level watches, FP Journe has set a higher price on them than the Patek. Patek entry-level watches are worth buying and do come with a touch of style. FP Journe watches are stylish and fancy, too, featuring jewelry collections that include diamond and gem watches.

Watches offered by Patek are often used as family heirlooms and are a prized possession in a timepiece collection. FP Journe watches are limited edition watches due to their limited production and feature complex precision chronometers.

By the style, looks, and the number of complications, Patek Philippe beats FP Journe by a large margin. Although FP Journe is an independent watchmaker, both the Swiss brands are still highly recognized in the watchmaking industry.