Icons On Icons: An F.P.Journe Chronomètre Holland & Holland Meets Its Ancestor

When the F.P.Journe Chronomètre Holland & Holland was released in 2017, it sparked a fire within me that has yet to be extinguished. I was one of the many collectors who missed out on acquiring an F.P.Journe Chronomètre Bleu before they became absolutely unobtainable, so this timepiece seemed like the next best thing. Or it did, until I learned this 66-piece limited edition was “invite-only” and only open to members of the Journe Society and Holland & Holland’s top customers.
 

While the F.P.Journe Chronomètre Holland & Holland Limited Edition was sold out long ago, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at an unpublished photoshoot done by Watchonista in 2017. My colleague, Watchonista’s Co-Founder Marco Gabella, had an heirloom Holland & Holland 'Royal' side-by-side shotgun in his family's collection, and we thought, what could be better than to pair this amazingly engraved work of art with another masterpiece: the Chronomètre Holland & Holland.

Founded in 1835, the United Kingdom-based gunmaker Holland & Holland has been producing finely crafted sporting rifles and shotguns for almost two centuries. Similar to F.P.Journe, the company prides itself on craftsmanship and exclusivity. Case in point, Holland & Holland’s average prices range from $40,000 for a sporting rifle to upwards of $250,000 for a hand-engraved 'Royal’ side-by-side shotgun.
 

One of the reasons the Chronomètre Holland & Holland spoke to me was that shooting sports run in my blood. My great-grandfather, Oscar Peacock, was a Senior National Champion trap shooter (with his Winchester Model 12) in 1983. And thanks to my father, I was exposed to the sport at a very early age. This also gives me the opportunity to (finally!) mention I was the 1992 4H Pistol Shooting Champion of Indiana. Again, thanks, Dad! And it is this sort of sentimentality that probably led countless others to crave the Chronomètre Holland & Holland.
 

Holland & Holland founder Harris Holland participated in numerous competition pigeon shoots, which led him to found the eponymous gunmaker. Today, the gunmaker has expanded its production into clothing and other unisex lifestyle accessories. F.P.Journe and Holland & Holland are both wholly or partially owned by the Chanel S.A. luxury group.

While the Chronomètre Holland & Holland shares many common traits with its sibling, the Chronomètre Bleu, there are a few distinct differences. First, as an ode to the steel used in gun barrels, the Chronomètre Holland & Holland has a 39mm case made of steel, whereas, the Chronomètre Bleu used tantalum.
 

Second is the movement. The Chronomètre Holland & Holland uses the same Journe Calibre 1304 found in the Chronomètre Bleu, except the small seconds mechanism has been removed. This was done in order to accentuate the readability of the timepiece and allow more of the Damascus steel dial to be on display.
 

The third is the price. At its release in 2009, the Chronomètre Bleu was priced at CHF 18,300. Ten years later, the retail price (if you can find one) has increased to CHF 23,600, but the secondary valuations exceed $50,000. In contrast, the Chronomètre Holland & Holland had a sticker price of CHF 45,000 at launch. Regardless of price, the demand for both of these pieces far exceeded supply.