François-Paul Journe created a piece unique inspired by Francis Ford Coppola that sold at the Only Watch charity auction in 2021 and is now making another variation.
The original FFC Blue Prototype, presented in a gray-blue tantalum case, features a blue mechanical tantalum hand that displays the time digitally and sold for over $4.5 million at Only Watch 2021. For 2023, F.P. Journe has created a platinum version with the same 42 mm x 10.7 mm case dimensions, and the same caliber 1300.3.
F.P. Journe is calling the new version an “exclusive production” and while no production number has been disclosed, we’re certain that if you see this new version, it will be a rare sight — and if you see the one-of-a-kind blue-hand version, it will be even rarer.
Francis Ford Coppola is a legendary American Academy-award-winning filmmaker who directed The Godfather (1972), The Godfather II (1974), The Godfather III (1990), Apocalypse Now (1979), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Megalopolis (TBA). François-Paul Journe is a legendary French master watchmaker who founded the eponymous F.P. Journe manufacture in Geneva and who is one of the most respected watchmakers in the world. Together, the concept of the FFC watch was born.
During a dinner in 2012 at Coppola’s house in Napa Valley, he and Journe had a discussion, and Coppola brought up the question: “Has a watchmaker ever tried to represent time on the five fingers of a hand, the way the ancients used to count the hours?” After 2 years of reflection and 7 years of development, the FFC Blue prototype came to life.
Fast forward to 2023, and FP Journe has created a new piece using the same caliber 1300.3 architecture with the high torque automatic Octa movement and a remontoir d’égalité that delivers a constant force, every 60 minutes, activated by a series of cams and levers, and a new titanium hand (based on Ambroise Paré and F.F.Coppola design) replaces the blue tantalum hand of the prototype. Titanium is notoriously hard to work with and each hand takes 16 hours for an engraved to engrave, sculpt, and decorate by hand.
Like with the prototype, the minutes are read by a rotating disk at the 12 o’clock position, while the mobile fingers appear or disappear instantaneously to display the hour according to their positions. The fingers are inspired by a mechanical hand created by Ambroise Paré (1509-1590), the father of modern surgery.
Photos by F.P. Journe.
