The Numbers Game: Hands-On with the Chronomètre Furtif from F.P.Journe

If I remember my French correctly, “furtif” means something discreet that can pass by almost imperceptibly. Google Translate defines it as stealth. However, at first glance, the oversized Arabic numerals and the 42mm x 9.5mm tungsten carbide and tantalum case of the Chronomètre Furtif from F.P.Journe do not meet either of these definitions.

And yet, in pictures and in person, this blacked-out watch stands out because its minimalism is so out-of-the-ordinary.

The new Chronomètre Furtif is the follow-up to F.P.Journe’s most recent Only Watch creation but with a few tweaks.

If you recall, that pièce unique was a comment on the difficulty of reading the time when the watch is not facing you. The blue enamel dial only revealed the frosted numerals when the light hit it in a certain way. The moon phase and power reserve indications were integrated into the movement and only visible when viewed through the caseback. Thus, the watch’s charms could only be enjoyed by its wearer.
 

The F.P.Journe Chronomètre Furtif continues this game. However, instead of a blue hue, it has been realized in black with a tungsten carbide-tantalum alloy case and integrated bracelet. The real treat here is the anthracite Grand Feu mirror polished enamel covering the white gold dial.

This fired disc reflects the expertise and creativity of the artists working within Les Cadraniers de Genève, a hub of expert craftsmen owned by F.P.Journe. Every stage of production requires a specific kind of alchemy – from the different layers of powdered enamel to the polishing – separated by numerous firing stages in a kiln heated to over 800°C (1472°F). Once the finished discs have passed complex trials and tests, their numerals and discreet minute tracks are laser engraved.
 

Again, the Chronomètre Furtif’s dial can only be fully appreciated on the wrist (although we think our amazingly talented photographer has done a fantastic job of capturing the almost unphotographable). Even when you can’t read the numbers, the highly polished surface allows you to reflect on time and its many meanings.

Here’s where the Chronomètre Furtif gets really deep. The Chronomètre Furtif Bleu for Only Watch 2024 was the first in the world to feature a tantalum case and bracelet.

The 2025 edition features a 42mm case and bracelet made from tungsten carbide with some tantalum sprinkled in for good measure. Tungsten carbide is a tremendously hard material, rating anywhere from 9.0 to 9.5 on the Mohs scale (making it close to the hardness of sapphire), which is created by combining carbon and tungsten at high temperatures (more alchemy).
 

For those who think about immortality, tungsten carbide is twice the density of steel and almost as dense as gold, making it highly shock-resistant and practically indestructible. This is not lost on F.P.Journe, who calls the design “time-resistant” and in keeping with a watch that’s been stripped back and rebuilt with “strict respect for tradition, but with one eye firmly on the future of Haute Horlogerie.”
 

To forge this case, the brand teamed up with Les Boîtiers de Genève, a specialist entity in Meyrin on the outskirts of Geneva owned by F.P.Journe. Of course, the case’s toughness and extremely high melting point make it incredibly complex to work with. In fact, access to the latest generation of tooling was needed to shape this sublime exterior and bracelet, which also incorporates a flat three-row link (also made entirely from tungsten carbide).

And while the aesthetics of the Chronomètre Furtif may seem stealthy, nothing is ever simple with F.P.Journe. This retro yet contemporary design houses the brand-spanking new hand-wound Calibre 1522 in 18K rose gold.

This in-house mechanism measures 33.5mm in diameter and 5.9mm thick, displaying the hours, minutes, and seconds thanks to a central second hand driven directly into the axis of the dedicated wheel. This movement also features an in-line geartrain, which is another first for F.P.Journe.
 

This Calibre 1522 is also very fun to nerd out on. It has 197 components, a regulating organ equipped with a 15-tooth escapement wheel, a straight-line anchor, and a balance with four inertia blocks and a micro-flamed flat Anachron balance spring oscillating at 3 Hertz (or 21,600 vibrations per hour).

Like its peek-a-boo dial, the mechanism is best admired from different angles. Placed horizontally on the 3-9 o’clock axis and visible via the sapphire caseback, you can admire the in-line geartrain and an 18K rose gold main plate finished using the highest standards of Haute Horology. At 12 o’clock sits a two-barreled power reserve indicator, which, once wound, provides 56 hours of operation with chronometric tolerances.
 

A side view is completed with a crown used to wind and set time. However, when pulled out to the second position, the crown can set the moon phase indication at 6 o’clock.

For more information, visit the F.P.Journe website.