The F.P.Journe Automatique Lune Havana watch hands-on

The 2023 first hands-on review is dedicated to F.P.Journe and Haute Horlogerie and marks the following step in telling our story of the small high-end watch manufacturer. The  “Automatique Lune Havana” is the second chapter’s headlines of our journey, beginning with a Chronomètre Souverain, rapidly heading to more complicated timepieces, as exemplified by the big Date and the moon-phase complications so far.

However, the model pictured above is a significant step forward to any F.P.Journe’s “Solo Tempo”. At the same time, at first glance, the Automatique Lune Havana adds the “hand-wound” recipe to a self-winding collection of watches. Regarded as a favourite choice among the purest collectors too, the brand’s Automatic models prove once again how an F.P.Journe watch always is in a class of its own, outside as it is, most prominently, inside.

The “Havana” dial is a feast for the eyes and is warm; what our eyes can appreciate in seconds is the result of tireless work to get the perfect shade and quality, resulting from a long trial-and-error process. Based on a gold and ruthenium formula, the fine-tuning process took several months, by the brand’s dial maker Cadraniers de Genève, before achieving the expected result. It fits into the signature asymmetrical F.P.Journe layout, including an outsized date on top and a moon phase display at the bottom.

Self-winding is synonymous with grown-up watches in size; the self-winding calibre 1300.3 is expectedly thicker than any 1304, thus growing the case thickness of a Automatique Lune Havana to 10,7 mm as opposed to 8-mm thick Chronomètre Souverain, for instance. However, the increased size comes with added value.

The movement houses a big solid gold oscillating weight, offering unmatched inertia; paired with an oversized barrel and spring, it helps wind up the watch up to 120 hours of chronometric precision and 160 hours of power reserve. If we include the additional complications, the calibre is compact indeed, and, F.P.Journe being F.P.Journe, it comes in gold, topped with the highest decoration possible.

The slightly increased size is not affecting comfort anyhow; the Automatique Lune Havana in platinum gives the right vibes as it is slender enough to slide under the cuff. You can opt for a 40 or 42-millimetres case width.

The respectable 120 hours of power reserve is excellent value and proves how technically advanced the calibre is as it is exquisitely finished. The watchmaker might have gone for a skeletonized winding mass, for example, but the current one was also designed to maximize the charging efficiency. An F.P.Journe Automatique Lune Havana retail price starts at 46,000 CHF + taxes.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®)

Editorial team @Horbiter®